“bebe zahara benet” was already taken, alas
At last we know the identity of the eponymous heroine of Rufus Wainwright‘s maiden effort as opera composer. The aging Prima Donna who is strugging “to regain her status as a top-flight soprano on the world stages” s’appelle Régine Saint Laurent. If ever a name screamed, “cover girl, put the bass in your walk,” surely “Régine Saint Laurent” is it!
Here’s the official announcement of its Toronto debut in the Toronto Star: http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/610823
(Darned if I can get hyperlinks to work!)
It worked!
Perfidia: One doesn’t get the impression that Gershwin was a faggoty little twit.
karnel jones (30# comment): Have you anything constructive to say, except make personal sneers at others, every so often to make sure you feel ‘noticed’? Don’t worry. We can smell you coming, in any case.
Sometimes people have to point out that artists in one musical sphere tend to wear ‘their emperor’s clothes’ the moment they venture elsewhere. Anyone for Webber’s Requiem, Paul Mac Cartny’s Liverpool Concerto or any of the hundred or so ‘rock operas’ that expressed the pinnacles of cultural and financial arrogance? Pop artists with warped delusions of cultural grander exclaiming to all silly peopel that will listen (example) : “Hey! everybody…..MY name is Rufus Woof-Woof, What’s YOURS????…. And I want to write a Opera….. how about that?” The air becomes filled with loads of canned applause, on cue.
“Thank you everybody. An now I would like to do…. (strum-strum-di-dum)” .
If only some of these performers could step outside their flattered persona, and have a look back in: as they do a fine job of ‘producing copious amounts of mocking piss ….about themselves’.
I suggest he retreat back to Baby June’s standards of flea pit one night stands (I.E today euphemistically called ‘a series of gigs’ or the grander ‘Concert Touring…. on the road’).
I will go out on a limb and nominate Domenic Catan’ from the classical domain AS a opera composer worth listening to. But no, such composers as he (using him as just one of many examples) ,who get pushed aside by the headline grabbing pop charlatans whose records are falling off last month’s rating charts and into so many bargain bins. Where of course, they belonged in the first place.
In case there are any of you out there who do feel passionately about Phantom (and to warn the rest) – please be aware that the sequel, set in Coney Island, opens simultaneously in London, Toronto and Shanghai later this year. A suitable pension plan for certain passe performers?
They’ve actually staggered the Phantom sequel openings, in case anyone cares. Even Andy can’t be in three places on one night.
What another? I read a 30 page outline of one, that went to top Broadway producers. In fact, it was a very logical sequel and brilliantly thought out. But I had to agree with the general reports back from some of those producers, that there were too many Phantomania projects around and it was time for musicals to move on into other subjects.
The one film on the Phantom theme I love is a Italian financed horror ‘blood & guts’ production with the actor that played Freddie in Nightmare on Elm St. Raoul is stabbed to death, and Carlotta’s cut off head finishes up in a lidded soup bowl. How delightful!!!