So after class on Friday I came home and talked with Jason about it (he’s a big Dream Theater fan…so the fact that they would come up in a class discussion just made his day). I told him that we were talking about Green Day’s American Idiot and how it was a concept album that was being put on as a Broadway show. He had no idea that Green Day had made it to the “Great White Way” and was pretty surprised about the whole situation.
Then we got into discussions on what albums we thought would make really great staged shows. He actually mentioned that Dream Theater had put on their Scenes from a Memory as a staged version. However, they did not go as far as Green Day by making it a complete show with multiple singers and such. What they did was took their music and played while actors were on the stage acting out the story for the audience. Still a pretty nifty idea, I think. I think it would be amazing to have them actually turn it into some kind of show, though. We already know the plot works as a movie, it can stand on its own. Now it’s just a matter of taking the music and making it work for a cast of singers rather than just their lead singer, James LaBrie (who happens to have aspirations as a Broadway singer!).
The other one we came up with that we didn’t mention in class was Coheed and Cambria’s The Amory Wars. Here is a huge multiple album spanning science fiction story that was actually written by the frontman Claudio Sanchez. They had a comic book published in 2004 that actually went through the first third of their album The Second Stage Turbine Blade. I can only imagine what they must think of Green Day having their album brought to life on stage. I would think if I had written something like that from scratch, that was already conceived as being this crazy saga, I’d love to see it on stage or in film!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Filling the niche...
I have to say…when we talked about having a composer coming to class, the person who walked through the door was certainly not the person I expected to see!
I had met Kiya Heartwood earlier when she had come into my job looking for some music. She seemed so shy, but friendly, and we discussed whether her name was [‘kija] or [‘kaija].
It was a wonderful experience having Kiya visit with us this week. I really enjoyed listening to her talk about her work and how she came up with ideas. It is always helpful for singers to better understand where the music they interpret comes from.
I think it is absolutely amazing that Kiya composes for such an under-appreciated group! There are kids out there that want to sing, and do shows, but don’t have anything they can really work with! I worked at a small company that produced shows with middle-school kids. We were always trying to figure out what to do with our kids that would still be appropriate considering their ages. You can only sing Once Upon a Mattress or Annie so many time (and even Annie is a tiny bit questionable!). I remember the last show I did with them was Little Shop of Horrors. And I always had this nagging feeling that the subject matter really was not something they should be portraying. As silly as the show is, there is still murder and physical abuse woven into the plot. We also had to have a young girl play “Audrey II” and transposed everything for her because we lacked a decent amount of boys for the show.
I have to say that I think Kiya has picked a wonderful niche for her music. Most of these kids are really eager to sing a lot of the stuff Broadway has to offer, but are stuck in this weird place where they’re not quite ready to meet the demands of the music. Making her works so flexible so that it will fit almost any situation is an added bonus! I know the kids I worked with were always eager to hear me sing something for them. I can only imagine what they would have thought if we came up with a show where those of us who were directing them could also participate without taking the attention away from them. I think Kiya is more than capable of coming up with some really great ideas for that overlooked group. I look forward to hearing what else she comes up with.
I had met Kiya Heartwood earlier when she had come into my job looking for some music. She seemed so shy, but friendly, and we discussed whether her name was [‘kija] or [‘kaija].
It was a wonderful experience having Kiya visit with us this week. I really enjoyed listening to her talk about her work and how she came up with ideas. It is always helpful for singers to better understand where the music they interpret comes from.
I think it is absolutely amazing that Kiya composes for such an under-appreciated group! There are kids out there that want to sing, and do shows, but don’t have anything they can really work with! I worked at a small company that produced shows with middle-school kids. We were always trying to figure out what to do with our kids that would still be appropriate considering their ages. You can only sing Once Upon a Mattress or Annie so many time (and even Annie is a tiny bit questionable!). I remember the last show I did with them was Little Shop of Horrors. And I always had this nagging feeling that the subject matter really was not something they should be portraying. As silly as the show is, there is still murder and physical abuse woven into the plot. We also had to have a young girl play “Audrey II” and transposed everything for her because we lacked a decent amount of boys for the show.
I have to say that I think Kiya has picked a wonderful niche for her music. Most of these kids are really eager to sing a lot of the stuff Broadway has to offer, but are stuck in this weird place where they’re not quite ready to meet the demands of the music. Making her works so flexible so that it will fit almost any situation is an added bonus! I know the kids I worked with were always eager to hear me sing something for them. I can only imagine what they would have thought if we came up with a show where those of us who were directing them could also participate without taking the attention away from them. I think Kiya is more than capable of coming up with some really great ideas for that overlooked group. I look forward to hearing what else she comes up with.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Papeles! y mas papeles!!!
For the creative aspect of my Consul project, I have decided to sing an aria from the opera. As Magda only has the one, it is going to be the “Papers” aria. However, it is really long…and does include some interrupting conversation from the Secretary. I’m going to have to figure some kind of cut maybe. I thought about translating it into Spanish – thought that might be cool. I gave it the old college try, and it was going pretty well. But then I thought do I really want to take it that far? Should I take it that far? If I leave the characters as they are, which would make Spanish their second language, then it makes sense that the opera be in English. Who knows? Maybe the Inspector should have a Spanish accent?
If I was more crafty, I would have loved to have done a mockup up the set. However, I feel I lack the skills to put something like that together. I also thought it would be interesting to do the aria in what might be used as a costume for Magda. Given their circumstances, she would need to be dressed as one of the “campesinos,” or farming folk. I’ve been going through some family photo albums and seeing what my family wore while they still lived on the island. I’ve also decided to watch a couple of films (no, not The Godfather or Scarface). The most recent would be The Lost City by Andy Garcia. It is set around the time I am looking at, with a lot of different costuming ideas since they show a diverse number of characters from different walks of life. It is also a decently realistic portrayal of what life was like when Batista was overthrown. Some scenes include the main character Fico Fellove being forced to leave anything of real value behind before being allowed to leave. It’s that kind of maltreatment and injustice that I think really unifies my idea to the Consul.
If I was more crafty, I would have loved to have done a mockup up the set. However, I feel I lack the skills to put something like that together. I also thought it would be interesting to do the aria in what might be used as a costume for Magda. Given their circumstances, she would need to be dressed as one of the “campesinos,” or farming folk. I’ve been going through some family photo albums and seeing what my family wore while they still lived on the island. I’ve also decided to watch a couple of films (no, not The Godfather or Scarface). The most recent would be The Lost City by Andy Garcia. It is set around the time I am looking at, with a lot of different costuming ideas since they show a diverse number of characters from different walks of life. It is also a decently realistic portrayal of what life was like when Batista was overthrown. Some scenes include the main character Fico Fellove being forced to leave anything of real value behind before being allowed to leave. It’s that kind of maltreatment and injustice that I think really unifies my idea to the Consul.
El Consulado
So my original idea for my paper and presentation was to set Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Consul in Cuba during the 1960s. I wasn’t exactly sure how I wanted to play it out, but after talking to my mother I have some more concrete ideas.
I’ve decided to set the opera during the aftermath of the Bay of Pigs. Since John is constantly in hiding, it would make sense that he fought against the new regime. If we stick with everyone’s original names instead of trying to “Cubafy” them, it would even make more sense that they are foreigners currently living in the country. I also think that it would make the trips to the Consulate more plausible. Were they Cuban citizens, they wouldn’t be allowed to leave the country at all.
My father told me stories about growing up with Russians living on the island. He even mentioned that there was a certain kind of segregation where the natives weren’t allowed into certain establishments with the Russians. This gives me a couple of different options on how to set up the Inspector and the Secretary. Most likely, the Inspector will be from the Revolutionary camp. I’ll need to do a little more digging to find out if there were any foreign consulates being allowed to operate at the time.
Anna Gomez, Vera Boronel, and Nika Magadoff seem to fit in pretty well with this sort of setup. I’m also pretty sure Mr. Kofner will fit. The only person I have a little trouble justifying is the Italian woman. I’ll have to do a little more research and see what the chances are that there would be a little Italian woman living in Cuba at that time. She would more likely fit somewhere like Argentina, not exactly Cuba. Assan is a small enough role that I don’t think it will effect the story much to make him a native from the island.
All in all, I think the whole idea will work out quite nicely.
I’ve decided to set the opera during the aftermath of the Bay of Pigs. Since John is constantly in hiding, it would make sense that he fought against the new regime. If we stick with everyone’s original names instead of trying to “Cubafy” them, it would even make more sense that they are foreigners currently living in the country. I also think that it would make the trips to the Consulate more plausible. Were they Cuban citizens, they wouldn’t be allowed to leave the country at all.
My father told me stories about growing up with Russians living on the island. He even mentioned that there was a certain kind of segregation where the natives weren’t allowed into certain establishments with the Russians. This gives me a couple of different options on how to set up the Inspector and the Secretary. Most likely, the Inspector will be from the Revolutionary camp. I’ll need to do a little more digging to find out if there were any foreign consulates being allowed to operate at the time.
Anna Gomez, Vera Boronel, and Nika Magadoff seem to fit in pretty well with this sort of setup. I’m also pretty sure Mr. Kofner will fit. The only person I have a little trouble justifying is the Italian woman. I’ll have to do a little more research and see what the chances are that there would be a little Italian woman living in Cuba at that time. She would more likely fit somewhere like Argentina, not exactly Cuba. Assan is a small enough role that I don’t think it will effect the story much to make him a native from the island.
All in all, I think the whole idea will work out quite nicely.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Recording liner notes...
stumbled upon this while looking for some more info on Bolcom...
http://www.newworldrecords.org/linernotes/80588.pdf
http://www.newworldrecords.org/linernotes/80588.pdf
Where have all the heroes gone?
We talked a bit about the lack of heroes in modern opera and what reasons might be behind their disappearance. I would argue that the heroes haven’t actually disappeared, they are just wearing new costumes and have decided against the capes.
In just about every good story, there is a protagonist, and an antagonist. There is change, a climax, and finally an ending. I think the biggest difference between stories of old and new are in our choices to fill the main roles. We’ve gone from stories of fantastical, mythological gods and demons, to the gods and demons we face in our everyday lives.
Bolcom’s story is no different. While all the characters are people we might know in our everyday lives, it isn’t so much about who they are at the beginning of the story as it is who they are at the end. The changes we watch them go through, the situations we see them live through, how they develop and cope makes them our heroes and villains.
With Bolcom’s A View from the Bridge, we find ourselves aligning against Eddie and rooting for Catherine and Rodolfo. These characters are not the archetypes we grew accustomed to seeing on the stage. They are not “black hat” and “white hat” characters. They are grey, how light or how dark that shade of grey is would be all that separates them as heroes or villains. We identify with them because they are so much closer to the things we know. Their clothes, they way they talk, even the uncomfortable situation they are all involved in is familiar, even if we haven’t actually experienced it.
I believe that stories like these set to music that is sensitively composed the way Bolcom’s is will be the future of American opera. I feel like Bolcom’s music is reminiscent of the type of music we would find on Broadway when musical theater was young. It gives us something that is easily accessible and unlike foreign opera, allows us as a culture to identify with it.
In just about every good story, there is a protagonist, and an antagonist. There is change, a climax, and finally an ending. I think the biggest difference between stories of old and new are in our choices to fill the main roles. We’ve gone from stories of fantastical, mythological gods and demons, to the gods and demons we face in our everyday lives.
Bolcom’s story is no different. While all the characters are people we might know in our everyday lives, it isn’t so much about who they are at the beginning of the story as it is who they are at the end. The changes we watch them go through, the situations we see them live through, how they develop and cope makes them our heroes and villains.
With Bolcom’s A View from the Bridge, we find ourselves aligning against Eddie and rooting for Catherine and Rodolfo. These characters are not the archetypes we grew accustomed to seeing on the stage. They are not “black hat” and “white hat” characters. They are grey, how light or how dark that shade of grey is would be all that separates them as heroes or villains. We identify with them because they are so much closer to the things we know. Their clothes, they way they talk, even the uncomfortable situation they are all involved in is familiar, even if we haven’t actually experienced it.
I believe that stories like these set to music that is sensitively composed the way Bolcom’s is will be the future of American opera. I feel like Bolcom’s music is reminiscent of the type of music we would find on Broadway when musical theater was young. It gives us something that is easily accessible and unlike foreign opera, allows us as a culture to identify with it.
Singer-Actor or Actor-Singer?
I really enjoyed this week’s discussion on William Bolcom’s “A View from the Bridge.” In particular, the article we read between Bolcom and Herwitz was of particular interest. Being able to see the way Bolcom approaches his artistic endeavors gave wonderful insight to his compositional process.
I didn’t really know too much about Bolcom before reading the article, so it was especially interesting to read about his musical theater background. The fact that he was looking for actors who could sing for his “actor-operas,” rather than the other way around, was enlightening. We spend so much time on our craft really trying to hone a beautiful sound, that we sometimes forget the other side of our art. Opera singers have been accused for so long of just parking and barking. It would explain the stigma placed on us as a whole. Even Bolcom talks about opera singers and their “airs.”
It is great to have a chance to toss the stereotype out the window. I think many of us in the business know that the voice should come first and foremost before any other considerations, but what is the voice without the drama behind it? It’s one thing to know how to match a pitch, it is quite another to know how to sing in such a way that people are moved by what you’re doing. Our professors would put it down to “having something to say.” I believe this is what Bolcom was looking for when casting his operas.
I would be interested to know what Bolcom would say about the educational institutions singers come from. We put a lot of focus on our musical training, but I feel like many of us are lacking in acting skills. I don’t mean that we don’t understand the emotions or the type of characters we are portraying. It’s more about the movement on the stage, and the carriage than anything else. I would love to see an equal focus on singing and acting in our operatic educations. After all, we are “singing actors,” are we not?
I didn’t really know too much about Bolcom before reading the article, so it was especially interesting to read about his musical theater background. The fact that he was looking for actors who could sing for his “actor-operas,” rather than the other way around, was enlightening. We spend so much time on our craft really trying to hone a beautiful sound, that we sometimes forget the other side of our art. Opera singers have been accused for so long of just parking and barking. It would explain the stigma placed on us as a whole. Even Bolcom talks about opera singers and their “airs.”
It is great to have a chance to toss the stereotype out the window. I think many of us in the business know that the voice should come first and foremost before any other considerations, but what is the voice without the drama behind it? It’s one thing to know how to match a pitch, it is quite another to know how to sing in such a way that people are moved by what you’re doing. Our professors would put it down to “having something to say.” I believe this is what Bolcom was looking for when casting his operas.
I would be interested to know what Bolcom would say about the educational institutions singers come from. We put a lot of focus on our musical training, but I feel like many of us are lacking in acting skills. I don’t mean that we don’t understand the emotions or the type of characters we are portraying. It’s more about the movement on the stage, and the carriage than anything else. I would love to see an equal focus on singing and acting in our operatic educations. After all, we are “singing actors,” are we not?
Saturday, March 6, 2010
D-D-D-DIVA!
What is it about the diva that makes us want to watch her? Interestingly, we all have a very distinct idea of what the word entails. According to my Encarta dictionary on Word a diva is: 1. Woman opera singer. A distinguished singer, especially one who sings in operas. 2. Successful woman. A successful woman performer. Now we KNOW this is NOT what “diva” means to us. The etymology of the word actually comes from the Latin feminine for god, “divus.” I would think that’s a little closer to what we have in mind.
A diva has confidence and attitude. She is strong and intelligent. No one dares tell her what to do. She encompasses all the qualities that are that we identify as being part of the masculine gender while maintaining her femininity. She is an object to be obtained, an obstacle to be overcome for men. At the same time, she stirs jealousy in the same women who wish they could be her.
It is all of these things that make her such an attractive character for the stage. She can practically carry a story completely on her own. We briefly touched upon La Bohème in class and how Mimi would be completely uninteresting if not for her music. Yes the story revolves around her and Rodllfo’s relationship, but she herself would not be strong enough to carry the opera by herself. However, put someone like Musetta next to her, and now we have a show! Not only are we attracted to her, but everyone else in the opera is as well! Her entrance alone is enough to make us all want to know more about her. Never mind the fact that she has one of the best known arias known to mankind (whether they realize it or not!). On the other hand, we have characters like Tosca or Violetta (La Traviata) who immediately capture the stage (and our attention) with their beauty and strength of will.
As I mentioned in class, this is a trend that has spread across all types of media. Where once we played video games or read stories where the guy saves the girl, we now have the girl saving the guy! – and sometimes even the world! The funny thing is that these heroines, while being amazingly strong in character and capable of amazing feats, are still clothed in their sexuality and femininity. After all, Lara Croft runs around with her gunbelt slung around Daisy Dukes and a cutoff T-shirt.
It seems that where once mental instability made the idea of the diva more acceptable, now the idea of the unattainable has done the same.
A diva has confidence and attitude. She is strong and intelligent. No one dares tell her what to do. She encompasses all the qualities that are that we identify as being part of the masculine gender while maintaining her femininity. She is an object to be obtained, an obstacle to be overcome for men. At the same time, she stirs jealousy in the same women who wish they could be her.
It is all of these things that make her such an attractive character for the stage. She can practically carry a story completely on her own. We briefly touched upon La Bohème in class and how Mimi would be completely uninteresting if not for her music. Yes the story revolves around her and Rodllfo’s relationship, but she herself would not be strong enough to carry the opera by herself. However, put someone like Musetta next to her, and now we have a show! Not only are we attracted to her, but everyone else in the opera is as well! Her entrance alone is enough to make us all want to know more about her. Never mind the fact that she has one of the best known arias known to mankind (whether they realize it or not!). On the other hand, we have characters like Tosca or Violetta (La Traviata) who immediately capture the stage (and our attention) with their beauty and strength of will.
As I mentioned in class, this is a trend that has spread across all types of media. Where once we played video games or read stories where the guy saves the girl, we now have the girl saving the guy! – and sometimes even the world! The funny thing is that these heroines, while being amazingly strong in character and capable of amazing feats, are still clothed in their sexuality and femininity. After all, Lara Croft runs around with her gunbelt slung around Daisy Dukes and a cutoff T-shirt.
It seems that where once mental instability made the idea of the diva more acceptable, now the idea of the unattainable has done the same.
Fit for the grand opera stage or direct to DVD?
We discussed in class what we might find to be suitable topics for operas. I have to say that I would LOVE to see a lot of stories brought to life on the grand stage. I think the suggestion of children’s stories or Grimm fairy tales would be absolutely amazing – and a great way to get young people into the audience along with their parents or grandparents who want to share their love of opera. I’m not saying Harry Potter will make an amazing opera…but hey, maybe Lord of the Rings would…
We’ve already seen Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, and some others make it onto the stage. I’m wondering what it might be like to put something like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty to music. Most contain characters we see in many operas: the ingénue, the diva, the hero, the dastardly villain, sometimes even a witch. In fact, a lot of the stories that Disney picked up on would make amazing operas as evidenced by their successes as musicals on film. They didn’t all translate very well onto the musical stage, but I wonder what folks might do if they had a little more sophisticated stage sense. If done correctly, I think they would more than satisfy Olivia’s visual requirements.
For example, The Little Mermaid. Mimic the swimming on wheels? Not sure that was the best idea. However, something along the lines of what we saw done with Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust might make the underwater scenes a little more believable. Sleeping Beauty would also make an amazing opera. Considering it was the only Disney movie with a bona fide opera singer in the lead charming the little forest animals with her song. And come on. Who wouldn’t want to hear Maleficent sing something absolutely INSANE?! Diva? Anyone? The staging done for Verdi’s Falstaff would work wonderfully well with the period settings and clothing. Just try and tell me Nanetta’s “Sul fil…” setting in the forest isn’t something right out of one of these books.
There’s a reason we all love these stories. They have a certain allure to them that never really goes away even when we’ve grown up and have been thoroughly disillusioned. They provide us with a temporary escape from the everyday. We all want to be reminded of those days before reality set in, to be given the opportunity to giggle and gape in awe of the spectacle unraveling before our eyes. I would definitely be front and center to experience one of these done well.
We’ve already seen Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, and some others make it onto the stage. I’m wondering what it might be like to put something like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty to music. Most contain characters we see in many operas: the ingénue, the diva, the hero, the dastardly villain, sometimes even a witch. In fact, a lot of the stories that Disney picked up on would make amazing operas as evidenced by their successes as musicals on film. They didn’t all translate very well onto the musical stage, but I wonder what folks might do if they had a little more sophisticated stage sense. If done correctly, I think they would more than satisfy Olivia’s visual requirements.
For example, The Little Mermaid. Mimic the swimming on wheels? Not sure that was the best idea. However, something along the lines of what we saw done with Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust might make the underwater scenes a little more believable. Sleeping Beauty would also make an amazing opera. Considering it was the only Disney movie with a bona fide opera singer in the lead charming the little forest animals with her song. And come on. Who wouldn’t want to hear Maleficent sing something absolutely INSANE?! Diva? Anyone? The staging done for Verdi’s Falstaff would work wonderfully well with the period settings and clothing. Just try and tell me Nanetta’s “Sul fil…” setting in the forest isn’t something right out of one of these books.
There’s a reason we all love these stories. They have a certain allure to them that never really goes away even when we’ve grown up and have been thoroughly disillusioned. They provide us with a temporary escape from the everyday. We all want to be reminded of those days before reality set in, to be given the opportunity to giggle and gape in awe of the spectacle unraveling before our eyes. I would definitely be front and center to experience one of these done well.
Branagh's Magic Flute has arrived!
So...
Following Danielle's cue on this, I found the Flute and have it downloaded. If anyone's interested in having a peek, let me know.
Following Danielle's cue on this, I found the Flute and have it downloaded. If anyone's interested in having a peek, let me know.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Branagh's Magic Flute
So I found a copy of Magic Flute online available for download...
The connection doesn't look so great, so it might just take a little while to get the whole thing. However, if anyone is interested in a copy, please let me know. I will keep you updated on when I have the complete file!
The connection doesn't look so great, so it might just take a little while to get the whole thing. However, if anyone is interested in a copy, please let me know. I will keep you updated on when I have the complete file!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
All the King's Men, 1949/2006
I kind of hate to say it, but the original movie wins. I love looking at Jude Law and Mark Ruffalo (Sean Penn not so much), but the story just wasn’t the same…close, but not quite what I would’ve expected. There would've been no complaints about the chocies for Willy being that neither actor would be what you considered a "pretty boy." Jack on the other hand is a whole different story...both are absolutely eye candy. I have to say that I finished the films thinking of Willy Stark as a model for Francis Ford Coppola’s godfather character. Seeing James Gandolfini as “Duffy” in the newer film definitely helped to make this even more so.
I loved seeing the story evolve in the 1949 version from pre-Willymania to the final moment when he asks "Why?" after being shot, not by Jack, but by Anne's brother! That's right! She has a brother! Lucy and Sadie also each play larger roles in the film version. In the film, the cast is comprised of Willie, Jack, Sadie, Anne, Adam (Anne’s brother), Judge Stanton (uncle to the siblings), Lucy (Willy’s wife), Tom (Willy’s adopted son), Sugar Boy (Wille’s lackey), and Jack’s parents. I think this would’ve been a decent sized cast for Floyd’s opera. I’m not sure why he did away with them. Alongside them would be a huge chorus as Willy’s “hick” following.
The first 45 minutes of the film are dedicated to Willy’s rise to power. He begins by trying to tell the people about the corrupt government, but is quickly arrested and later released (with “apologies”). Jack plays the narrator of the story, sent by his newspaper to have a look at Willy. An idealist, and still green, Willy doesn’t even know it when he’s being used to split the vote in the gubernatorial election. He fails as an orator until he decides to go against Lucy’s wishes and has his first drink. Sadie is sent to him to keep track of his progress and make sure he doesn’t win while at the same time making his bid for governor seem valid. After losing the election Willy says he’s learned how to win. We see Jack and Willy cross paths some time later, and Willy seems to have made some new friends. Willy also uses Jack to get in with society. The second half of the movie follow Willy’s career as governor over an extended period of time, with a few extra details including Willie’s son Tom getting into a drunk driving accident and killing the young girl riding with him. It is Willy’s covering up of this crime that lead to his impeachment proceedings.
One thing I will say was of note between the two screenplays was the soundtrack. The original movie had almost no soundtrack at all besides the music that would be playing on the campaign trail. However, the 2006 version had a fittingly inspiring musical accompaniment provided by James Horner. I can imagine that if Floyd had perhaps decided to expand the opera to include Willy’s entire story, it would’ve left a more lingering impression. I can only imagine what he would’ve done with the drunken speech. I also think it would be interesting to see what he would do with the music itself as Willy fell further and further away from his original intentions.
I loved seeing the story evolve in the 1949 version from pre-Willymania to the final moment when he asks "Why?" after being shot, not by Jack, but by Anne's brother! That's right! She has a brother! Lucy and Sadie also each play larger roles in the film version. In the film, the cast is comprised of Willie, Jack, Sadie, Anne, Adam (Anne’s brother), Judge Stanton (uncle to the siblings), Lucy (Willy’s wife), Tom (Willy’s adopted son), Sugar Boy (Wille’s lackey), and Jack’s parents. I think this would’ve been a decent sized cast for Floyd’s opera. I’m not sure why he did away with them. Alongside them would be a huge chorus as Willy’s “hick” following.
The first 45 minutes of the film are dedicated to Willy’s rise to power. He begins by trying to tell the people about the corrupt government, but is quickly arrested and later released (with “apologies”). Jack plays the narrator of the story, sent by his newspaper to have a look at Willy. An idealist, and still green, Willy doesn’t even know it when he’s being used to split the vote in the gubernatorial election. He fails as an orator until he decides to go against Lucy’s wishes and has his first drink. Sadie is sent to him to keep track of his progress and make sure he doesn’t win while at the same time making his bid for governor seem valid. After losing the election Willy says he’s learned how to win. We see Jack and Willy cross paths some time later, and Willy seems to have made some new friends. Willy also uses Jack to get in with society. The second half of the movie follow Willy’s career as governor over an extended period of time, with a few extra details including Willie’s son Tom getting into a drunk driving accident and killing the young girl riding with him. It is Willy’s covering up of this crime that lead to his impeachment proceedings.
One thing I will say was of note between the two screenplays was the soundtrack. The original movie had almost no soundtrack at all besides the music that would be playing on the campaign trail. However, the 2006 version had a fittingly inspiring musical accompaniment provided by James Horner. I can imagine that if Floyd had perhaps decided to expand the opera to include Willy’s entire story, it would’ve left a more lingering impression. I can only imagine what he would’ve done with the drunken speech. I also think it would be interesting to see what he would do with the music itself as Willy fell further and further away from his original intentions.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Made for TV?
After our discussion in class, I went back and re-read the reviews of Willie Stark by both Donald Henahan and John J. O’Connor. It would seem that the two commentators were reviewing completely different performances of the same piece, even though it would seem that they had seen the same production. But did they?
Henahan’s review was based on what he saw sitting in the audience of the Houston Grand Opera while Willie Stark was being performed before his eyes. He had the opportunity to take in the entire production as it was originally presented. O’Connor, on the other hand, reviewed a television broadcast of the production complete with camera panning and close ups that took attention away from the all encompassing “stage-filling flight of steps” and allowed him to focus on the individual performances of the singers and the music.
This would make one question the staging or even perhaps the media for which the opera was produced. An opera created for television would not have been unprecedented, Menotti having already opened the door with Amahl and the Night Visitors for NBC’s Opera Theater. In fact, PBS’s Great Performances series would have been a perfect platform on which to launch the opera.
The discussion also brought to my mind a recent production of Korngold’s Die tote Stadt by New York City Opera. They revived their 1970s production using a scrim in front of the singers on which they projected images. If not for the projections, I don’t think anyone would have really made the connection to the 1970s production (they were VERY dated with hair, makeup, clothes, etc.). Although I can’t be completely certain, I thought the scrim actually impeded some of the sound getting through. That being said, the images projected on the screen revealed characters’ inner thoughts, and even gave the stage itself a bit of a washed out sort of antique look. You didn’t realize exactly how vibrant the costumes were until the scrim came up!
However, I think this style of production might actually have worked very well for Willie Stark. Instead of having the stairs physically on the stage, a projection of them with the doors on the scrim might give them a more metaphorical feel and not feel as imposing to the folks in the audience. I also think it might be an interesting tool to show a character’s inner emotions, or to help bring attention to reactions from other characters to what is being said. There are times when a good close-up on someone listening and reacting to what is going on is wonderfully appropriate in revealing to audience members their opinion on what is going on. With one of the criticisms being the obviousness of Willie Stark’s characters with “villains [who] smoke black cigars,” and “intellectuals [who] wear glasses,” this would be a great change to bring take attention away from the cartoonish nature of it. I can’t help but wonder if Henahan had taken home a CD of the music and listened to it the way some folks did with Antony and Cleopatra, if his opinion might change.
We also brought up the topic during Tuesday’s class of whether or not Willie Stark would work without the music as a straight drama. I'm currently downloading both the original and remake versions of the movie "All the King's Men" (1949 may have been a version Floyd had seen prior to writing his opera). Will discuss on similarities/differences after watching. Yay snow day!
Henahan’s review was based on what he saw sitting in the audience of the Houston Grand Opera while Willie Stark was being performed before his eyes. He had the opportunity to take in the entire production as it was originally presented. O’Connor, on the other hand, reviewed a television broadcast of the production complete with camera panning and close ups that took attention away from the all encompassing “stage-filling flight of steps” and allowed him to focus on the individual performances of the singers and the music.
This would make one question the staging or even perhaps the media for which the opera was produced. An opera created for television would not have been unprecedented, Menotti having already opened the door with Amahl and the Night Visitors for NBC’s Opera Theater. In fact, PBS’s Great Performances series would have been a perfect platform on which to launch the opera.
The discussion also brought to my mind a recent production of Korngold’s Die tote Stadt by New York City Opera. They revived their 1970s production using a scrim in front of the singers on which they projected images. If not for the projections, I don’t think anyone would have really made the connection to the 1970s production (they were VERY dated with hair, makeup, clothes, etc.). Although I can’t be completely certain, I thought the scrim actually impeded some of the sound getting through. That being said, the images projected on the screen revealed characters’ inner thoughts, and even gave the stage itself a bit of a washed out sort of antique look. You didn’t realize exactly how vibrant the costumes were until the scrim came up!
However, I think this style of production might actually have worked very well for Willie Stark. Instead of having the stairs physically on the stage, a projection of them with the doors on the scrim might give them a more metaphorical feel and not feel as imposing to the folks in the audience. I also think it might be an interesting tool to show a character’s inner emotions, or to help bring attention to reactions from other characters to what is being said. There are times when a good close-up on someone listening and reacting to what is going on is wonderfully appropriate in revealing to audience members their opinion on what is going on. With one of the criticisms being the obviousness of Willie Stark’s characters with “villains [who] smoke black cigars,” and “intellectuals [who] wear glasses,” this would be a great change to bring take attention away from the cartoonish nature of it. I can’t help but wonder if Henahan had taken home a CD of the music and listened to it the way some folks did with Antony and Cleopatra, if his opinion might change.
We also brought up the topic during Tuesday’s class of whether or not Willie Stark would work without the music as a straight drama. I'm currently downloading both the original and remake versions of the movie "All the King's Men" (1949 may have been a version Floyd had seen prior to writing his opera). Will discuss on similarities/differences after watching. Yay snow day!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
A little tidbit on the tellie...
So, I was watching the news in order to guage the seriousness of impending doom on its way this week.
I was putting on my shoes whilst the advertisements were making their way across my screen. The sound of "Don't wanna be an American idiot...." It would seem that Green Day has made it onto the Great White Way.
Just thought I'd put that out there...
I was putting on my shoes whilst the advertisements were making their way across my screen. The sound of "Don't wanna be an American idiot...." It would seem that Green Day has made it onto the Great White Way.
Just thought I'd put that out there...
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Glass...Father of Trance...
I have to say I wasn't really sure what to expect when I saw Phillip Glass on our syllabus. I had listened to some of his instrumental works during my undergrad 20th Century class, but let's be honest: that class was once a week from 630-930pm and it was hard enough to stay awake already! I could only hear Reich's "It's Gonna Rain" for so long before I completely started to zone out. I'm sorry to say, that it was the same result with Glass.
I don’t know if I have ADD, or if it’s just me being a musical idiot, but I can’t sit still long enough for this stuff to really get to me. I kept catching myself wanting to do other things. I thought, “I can just put this up on the big screen and keep the music playing while I do the dishes…or vacuum…or do laundry…or homework…” it was just too difficult to keep my mind from wandering. Now I will also admit – and I know some of you might want to kill me for this – I fell asleep during a production of Rosenkavalier. Yes, I really did. And…I know. But in my defense, I fell asleep after the presentation and woke up right before the most amazing trio ever. The action was just too slow.
However, that being said…I disagree with a lot of the Glass detractors. I don’t think this is on par with the pet rock. Just because Glass doesn’t do it for me, doesn’t mean someone else won’t be completely floored by his work. I’m just not that person. The music was beautiful, but I think I’m too impatient to want to find those minimal changes that happen now and again. I think that my opinion might change about the work if I were more intimately familiar with it. I’ve performed a lot of music that took time in order to learn to love it for what it was. This seems like it might be one of those pieces.
I don’t know if I have ADD, or if it’s just me being a musical idiot, but I can’t sit still long enough for this stuff to really get to me. I kept catching myself wanting to do other things. I thought, “I can just put this up on the big screen and keep the music playing while I do the dishes…or vacuum…or do laundry…or homework…” it was just too difficult to keep my mind from wandering. Now I will also admit – and I know some of you might want to kill me for this – I fell asleep during a production of Rosenkavalier. Yes, I really did. And…I know. But in my defense, I fell asleep after the presentation and woke up right before the most amazing trio ever. The action was just too slow.
However, that being said…I disagree with a lot of the Glass detractors. I don’t think this is on par with the pet rock. Just because Glass doesn’t do it for me, doesn’t mean someone else won’t be completely floored by his work. I’m just not that person. The music was beautiful, but I think I’m too impatient to want to find those minimal changes that happen now and again. I think that my opinion might change about the work if I were more intimately familiar with it. I’ve performed a lot of music that took time in order to learn to love it for what it was. This seems like it might be one of those pieces.
Porgy & Bess: Affirmative Action for Opera?
So after our chat on Monday, I went over to Grove and Wikipedia and did a little reading on the subject.
The original version of Porgy and Bess was intended as a "folk opera." Gershwin planned it to be his life's work in order to acknowledge the influence of African American music on his own writing style. It was first performed on Broadway with major cuts in order to help the singers make it through the nightly runs. It wasn't until 1976 that the full score would be performed by the Houston Grand Opera. Until then, Porgy and Bess had a really rough road.
First off, both the novel and the “folk opera” were written by white men who were trying to depict the lives of a specific set of people in South Carolina. They were criticized by both Virgil Thomson and Duke Ellington who stated, “the times are here to debunk Gershwin’s lampblack Negroisms.” Many of the cast members had concerns with the characters they were to portray. The Civil Rights and Black Power movements also worked to keep Porgy and Bess off the stages. Actors would refuse to play the parts in film as well.
Ira Gershwin stipulated that only blacks play the lead roles and prevented several all-white productions of the opera from taking place in South Africa. However, in 2009 Cape Town Opera set the story in 1970’s Soweto with a “mostly” black South African cast and toured Britain. Many of the actors in this production actually identified with the characters they portrayed. In an article found here an interview with Xolela Sixaba (Porgy), he states “What is happening here on stage is what really happened in South Africa.” Lisa Daltrius, and American singer who played Bess in the same production says, “I think we’ve got a little jaded in the US with Porgy and Bess. A lot of people just think that this is a show that is lovely to listen to and happened way back when. They’re not thinking that you can still find places where this is real. And if we’re not careful we could be right back there.”
So…I’m thinking after all this reading, “If it’s a folk opera depicting the lives of people who were being oppressed at the time it was written, why can’t it be used as a social message for other groups as well?” If Cape Town Opera can find a way to make it relevant to apartheid era South Africa, why couldn’t anyone else find a way to make it relevant in other places? With other people? I keep thinking, “Ira wanted an all black cast. He insisted upon it. But does that mean he couldn’t be persuaded in changing in his mind if the social message is the same?” The jazz idiom prized so highly by George Gershwin has come a long way and crossed over into so many different people’s lives. We consider it now the only truly “American” music because of its origins. I think a production even with a mixed cast that is brought together because of their social and economical hardships could be just as moving as an all African American cast, if not more so because of the bond that would cross racial boundaries. I think both Gershwins would’ve been surprised had they lived long enough to see Spike Lee’s “Jungle Fever” in 1991, when I remember interracial relationships were still a very hot topic. I think Porgy and Bess has the right to evolve alongside those of Mozart and Puccini that are still staged today because of their timeless stories.
The original version of Porgy and Bess was intended as a "folk opera." Gershwin planned it to be his life's work in order to acknowledge the influence of African American music on his own writing style. It was first performed on Broadway with major cuts in order to help the singers make it through the nightly runs. It wasn't until 1976 that the full score would be performed by the Houston Grand Opera. Until then, Porgy and Bess had a really rough road.
First off, both the novel and the “folk opera” were written by white men who were trying to depict the lives of a specific set of people in South Carolina. They were criticized by both Virgil Thomson and Duke Ellington who stated, “the times are here to debunk Gershwin’s lampblack Negroisms.” Many of the cast members had concerns with the characters they were to portray. The Civil Rights and Black Power movements also worked to keep Porgy and Bess off the stages. Actors would refuse to play the parts in film as well.
Ira Gershwin stipulated that only blacks play the lead roles and prevented several all-white productions of the opera from taking place in South Africa. However, in 2009 Cape Town Opera set the story in 1970’s Soweto with a “mostly” black South African cast and toured Britain. Many of the actors in this production actually identified with the characters they portrayed. In an article found here an interview with Xolela Sixaba (Porgy), he states “What is happening here on stage is what really happened in South Africa.” Lisa Daltrius, and American singer who played Bess in the same production says, “I think we’ve got a little jaded in the US with Porgy and Bess. A lot of people just think that this is a show that is lovely to listen to and happened way back when. They’re not thinking that you can still find places where this is real. And if we’re not careful we could be right back there.”
So…I’m thinking after all this reading, “If it’s a folk opera depicting the lives of people who were being oppressed at the time it was written, why can’t it be used as a social message for other groups as well?” If Cape Town Opera can find a way to make it relevant to apartheid era South Africa, why couldn’t anyone else find a way to make it relevant in other places? With other people? I keep thinking, “Ira wanted an all black cast. He insisted upon it. But does that mean he couldn’t be persuaded in changing in his mind if the social message is the same?” The jazz idiom prized so highly by George Gershwin has come a long way and crossed over into so many different people’s lives. We consider it now the only truly “American” music because of its origins. I think a production even with a mixed cast that is brought together because of their social and economical hardships could be just as moving as an all African American cast, if not more so because of the bond that would cross racial boundaries. I think both Gershwins would’ve been surprised had they lived long enough to see Spike Lee’s “Jungle Fever” in 1991, when I remember interracial relationships were still a very hot topic. I think Porgy and Bess has the right to evolve alongside those of Mozart and Puccini that are still staged today because of their timeless stories.
Monday, February 15, 2010
I went through the videos of Antony and Cleopatra that I could find staged on YouTube. Most were of Malfitano and Cowan. I was disappointed not only in the singing, but in the staging and acting. The chemistry between the two of them was nonexistent. It was awkward, and made me feel uncomfortable in a bad way. Danielle put up a brilliant post regarding their acting. I couldn’t agree more. I would’ve expected the scene to look a lot more like this…
I did think Chicago Lyric did a really great job with the staging and scenery. I think it was much closer to the production Sam Barber would have had in mind originally. There were no elephants, or camels, or even horses…and I didn’t miss a single one of them!
The music wasn’t quite what I expected, but from the reviews the revised version received, I had pretty high expectations.
So I tried giving Barber another shot.
I decided instead to look around on YouTube to see if there were any other clips I could find of Leontyne singing the role that was tailor made for her. To my delight I did find a clip with her singing “Give me my robe…” from the opera recorded LIVE. I have to say that after listening to this recording, I might actually give Antony and Cleopatra a try. She was just amazing. However, I think I’ll be hard pressed to find another voice like hers any time soon.
I did think Chicago Lyric did a really great job with the staging and scenery. I think it was much closer to the production Sam Barber would have had in mind originally. There were no elephants, or camels, or even horses…and I didn’t miss a single one of them!
The music wasn’t quite what I expected, but from the reviews the revised version received, I had pretty high expectations.
So I tried giving Barber another shot.
I decided instead to look around on YouTube to see if there were any other clips I could find of Leontyne singing the role that was tailor made for her. To my delight I did find a clip with her singing “Give me my robe…” from the opera recorded LIVE. I have to say that after listening to this recording, I might actually give Antony and Cleopatra a try. She was just amazing. However, I think I’ll be hard pressed to find another voice like hers any time soon.
Clash of the TITANS!
So Antony and Cleopatra...a brilliant mismatch of composer and librettist if I ever saw one. Barber by nature, as described by Menotti, was "a very intimate and introverted composer." How then could anyone expect a successful union with the grandiose and bombastic Franco Zeffirelli?
From the beginning, it seemed that Barber would be fighting an uphill battle. First with the choices of subject matter, to then trying to find a librettist while avoiding using Menotti, and finally trying to write his music in such a way that it would stretch to meet Zefferelli's grand scenes.
It's interesting to note Barber’s rejection of the Metropolitan’s subject choices seemed to also reflect his preference for a more intimate, refined story. Antony and Cleopatra, while recalling lavish landscapes and scenery, is still centered upon the relationship between two people who happen to live in the lap of luxury in Rome and Egypt.
As we can see in both the original version versus the revisions, it is when we are pulled away from this powerful story that the opera truly suffers. Zeffirelli wanted to give people a show that would rival one of Louis XIV’s parties at Versailles using all the tricks the new stage would put at his disposal. It seemed that management at the Metropolitan backed his view. They wanted to show the world that they were the premiere opera house by giving the most lavish and grandiose party they could. Instead of going out and commissioning a composer like Barber, whose music would be better suited to a more minimal style of production, they could’ve gone and done what was recently done for Renée Fleming: create a gala event with lavish scenes and costumes from all the operas Leontyne Price had been featured. Barber’s opera should have been moved later into the season and done the way he wanted it done. This way, they could pick some of the most popular titles from the repertory, have a fabulous party, everyone could show off their jewels, and they would all live happily ever after.
From the beginning, it seemed that Barber would be fighting an uphill battle. First with the choices of subject matter, to then trying to find a librettist while avoiding using Menotti, and finally trying to write his music in such a way that it would stretch to meet Zefferelli's grand scenes.
It's interesting to note Barber’s rejection of the Metropolitan’s subject choices seemed to also reflect his preference for a more intimate, refined story. Antony and Cleopatra, while recalling lavish landscapes and scenery, is still centered upon the relationship between two people who happen to live in the lap of luxury in Rome and Egypt.
As we can see in both the original version versus the revisions, it is when we are pulled away from this powerful story that the opera truly suffers. Zeffirelli wanted to give people a show that would rival one of Louis XIV’s parties at Versailles using all the tricks the new stage would put at his disposal. It seemed that management at the Metropolitan backed his view. They wanted to show the world that they were the premiere opera house by giving the most lavish and grandiose party they could. Instead of going out and commissioning a composer like Barber, whose music would be better suited to a more minimal style of production, they could’ve gone and done what was recently done for Renée Fleming: create a gala event with lavish scenes and costumes from all the operas Leontyne Price had been featured. Barber’s opera should have been moved later into the season and done the way he wanted it done. This way, they could pick some of the most popular titles from the repertory, have a fabulous party, everyone could show off their jewels, and they would all live happily ever after.
Monday, February 8, 2010
2nd post...
so my second post is actually a reply to Olivia's on the fate of musical theater and opera...found here
Candide...revisions...revisions....and more revisions...
So this is my first post for the semester…
I decided to take this class because I really know very little about American opera. I’ve seen a lot of Broadway shows, and focused on a lot of foreign opera, so this seemed like a really good way to bridge the gap.
After all the discussion in the class with different versions and such, I did some research on Candide, and this is what I came up with.
Candide has undergone many transformations since its original edition was presented as a musical comedy in 1956, then became operetta, was performed many times in concert form, and finally is finding a place in opera houses.
The libretto is adapted from Voltaire’s novel of the same name by Lillian Hellman. Rumor had it that she was interested in drawing a parallel between Candide’s blind faith and the rampant paranoia of McCarthyism at the time. Candide, a Westphalian youth who believes fervently in the teaching of his tutor, Pangloss, that everything that happens must be for the best, plunges into travel and experiences an endless series of disasters, including the apparent death of the woman he loves, Cunegonde, and the execution of Pangloss in the Spanish Inquisition. Candide’s travels take him to the New World in the company of an Old Lady and the miraculously saved Cunegonde, to the fabled land of Eldorado, back to Europe surviving a shipwreck and eventually back to Westphalia. Here, Candide finally repudiates Pangloss’s philosophy and resolves to try and build a good, honest life for himself and his companions.
This general description applies to all versions of Candide, although the details vary enormously in the several revisions that were undertaken. Most notable of these is the version staged by Harold Prince in 1973, to a new libretto by Hugh Wheeler (Hellman having withdrawn permission to use her words). Wheeler provided a new selection of scenes, some from Voltaire and others newly invented. Martin, a pessimistic counterpart to Pangloss played by the same actor, disappeared in this version, but in compensation the Pangloss also played Voltaire as narrator, as well as the Latin American Governor. The maid Paquette and Cunegonde’s brother Maximilian, minor parts in the first version, became moderately important in the new one. The zany vaudeville atmosphere and irreverent tone of this production proved far more acceptable to audiences than the statelier format of the original; unfortunately, the score itself suffered severely, with five songs omitted and the rest rescored for a tiny ensemble (some new songs were added as well). A version made for the New York City Opera (and recorded in slightly fuller form in 1986) attempted to restore the missing music from 1956 within Wheeler’s framework. A 1988 Scottish Opera production (supervised, like the previous two editions, by John Mauceri) made in consultation with the composer returned for the most part to Hellman’s sequence of scenes while retaining some of Wheeler’s additions, with revisions in libretto and lyrics by John Wells. A 1989 concert performance conducted by Bernstein in
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