“it is a curious story… i have it written in faded ink”
Following in the footsteps of Harrison Birtwistle‘s Minotaur and Thomas Adès’ The Tempest (which featured the half-human character Caliban), the Royal Opera House has commissioned yet another opera based upon a legendary monster. The as-yet-untitled oeuvre is the life story of Anna Nicole Smith, with music by Mark-Anthony Turnage (The Silver Tassie) and libretto by Richard Thomas (Jerry Springer: the Opera).
According to Elaine Padmore, Covent Garden’s director of opera, the Anna Nicole tuner “… is not going to be tawdry; it is going to be witty, clever, thoughtful and sad. In broad outline, it will tell the story of her life, the people who influenced her, her progress . . . . a parable about celebrity and what it does to people. It can be moving, it can be funny and it tells universal truths about human frailty.
“It is a very sad story – a larger-than-life American story, as was Puccini’s Girl of the Golden West. It will be a slice of our times – of America in the pre-Obama days.”
La Cieca’s invites her cher public to suggest possible casting, aria titles and so forth for the work. [via The Telegraph]
Oh! Karnel Jones has stirred out of its slumber.. A few of its pet balloons apparently have been punctured while it slept.
Nothing wrong with my balloons harry. I just copped a case of extreme boredom about the same time you started to post a lot.
Was it the 60′s or the 70′s? My mind’s a mess, thank you. Anyway, there was this terribly exciting theatre group — someone named Beck as I recall. Doing terribly exciting things — one of which was to have all the actors parade through the audiences chanting about “I’m not free to take off all my clothes,” which just stirred me no end.
But then a member of the audience — was it a critic, even, maybe — stood up and took off all his clothes, standing there naked as a jaybird.
The troupe was terribly upset and asked to have him removed from the theatre.
My point is that there is now and always has been a plethora of pretentious artists and most are able to gather around them pretentious supporters who will help them waft to greater and greater heights. Sometimes one encounters an artist without pretension who has something legitimate to say and a truly remarkable way of saying it. I can’t always tell the difference until the metaphorical balloon is pricked. It seems that the real artist has/needs fewer sycophants. Also, the real artist tends not to whine.
I envy those of you who are able to make absolutist statements, much as I envy the evangelists of any ilk who lurk in my hedges. Knowing one has the truth so frees one from any further thought.
Looks like a particular vocal prodigy, dramatic coloratura, actress, writer and wunderkind has removed her vocals from her website. I guess a few of us tired old queens were being harsh.
Nevermind. You can still her lilting tones here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk84Niba5Fo&feature=channel_page
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENS AT 2:50 TO POOR MS. TAORMINA? It’s one of those rare recordings of filth that is soooooooo bad you have to keep listening. It’s just bad, really bad, until 2:50, when I started laughing, but it just gets more and more awful until 4:27 when all hell breaks loose.
She is one of those singers who not only should leave out the interpolated high notes, but all of the other notes as well.
And frankly, I think if written well, Anna’s story could be a metaphor for bigger issues, such as the price of fame, dysfunctional families (how many operas about dysfunctional families could we name/.), self-image (particularly the cost of trying to live up to what the media says women should look and act like – What? You’re a woman with a normal woman’s figure? YOU”RE FAT! Take TRIMSPA, baby. Don’t like yourself and feel you’d be happier looking like someone else, Octomom? Here’s some surgery; now you look just like Angelina? No self worth? Pop out 14 babies. Have no talent? Marry a rich old geezer?) She’s pretty tragic, if you ask me.
But perhaps Angel Taormina could play her?
Oh ho, but there’s a key difference.
Anna’s family: Fatty.
Society: Blonde bimbo. LOL she is dumb and on drugs LOL
whereas
Angel’s universe [which naturally revolves around her]: We love you and you can do whatever you set your mind to!11!!
I -really- want to know if Taormina is a joke. I’m listening to it for about the 5th time and can’t keep the stupid grin off my face. The Lucia is such a tantalizing appetizer. Now I want to hear the entire album…let’s hear her Der holle rache and Caro nome for starters.
PS
Oh my gawd, sustained high note at ~4:51. LOL.
link for reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk84Niba5Fo
Sanford you ask how many ‘dysfunctional family’ operas are there . Tons! From past and present. Here’s a few from the top: Don Carlos, Regina, Greek, A Quiet Place , Electra, Salome, The Ring, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensek, Kata Kabanova, Desire under the Elms, Streetcar named desire, A View from the Bridge,Jenufa, Pelleas and Melisande, Le Amore de te Rei, Francesca Di Rimini,
The obvious choice to play the doomed model is Aussie pace bowler Nathan Bracken.