Author Topic: BBM the Opera  (Read 57154 times)

Offline chameau

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #60 on: Nov 10, 2008, 03:21 PM »
The problem is not that much Opera Houses are supporting creation of new plays.  Anyway, we will see.
La dictature c'est ''ferme ta geule'', la démocratie c'est ''cause toujours''
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Offline tpe

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #61 on: Nov 11, 2008, 05:20 PM »
That's true.  Well, I know that Chicago for the past 10 or more years has commissioned a new opera each year from a different American Composer.  I suspect that San Francisco might be interested, don't you think?

Offline chameau

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #62 on: Nov 11, 2008, 05:22 PM »
The Met, Chicago, San Francisco and the NYCO are the only ones I could see
La dictature c'est ''ferme ta geule'', la démocratie c'est ''cause toujours''
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Offline tpe

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #63 on: Nov 11, 2008, 05:27 PM »
But if only they can convince their subscribers that they want to see this opera.  That's why I think San Francisco might do better than NY or here, because of the strong gay subscriber presence there...


Offline chameau

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #64 on: Nov 11, 2008, 05:28 PM »
That's a good point
La dictature c'est ''ferme ta geule'', la démocratie c'est ''cause toujours''
 Jean-Louis Barrault

Offline tpe

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #65 on: Nov 11, 2008, 05:50 PM »
I won't be surprised if the project gets resurrected in the West Coast someday.  :)


Offline chameau

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #66 on: Nov 11, 2008, 06:00 PM »
or in Wyoming?  ;D
La dictature c'est ''ferme ta geule'', la démocratie c'est ''cause toujours''
 Jean-Louis Barrault

Offline tpe

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #67 on: Nov 11, 2008, 06:05 PM »
or in Wyoming?  ;D

 ;D  We wish!

I'm not sure if they have an opera house in Riverton.  Wouldn't it be neat if they actually staged the opera in such a place?

I'd consider going...


Offline chameau

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #68 on: Nov 11, 2008, 06:08 PM »
me too! :P
La dictature c'est ''ferme ta geule'', la démocratie c'est ''cause toujours''
 Jean-Louis Barrault

Offline tpe

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Madrid: BBM the Opera
« Reply #69 on: Apr 23, 2009, 08:59 AM »
"Brokeback Mountain" becomes an opera
The premiere is scheduled for June 2013 in Madrid's Teatro Real.
Juan Antonio Muñoz H., El Mercurio Tuesday, April 21, 2009 

http://www.emol.com/noticias/ingles/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoticia=354647

Excerpt:

SANTIAGO.- When the film "Brokeback mountain" (Ang Lee, 2005) premiered, it led to a heated debate about the subjects being tackled by mass film industry. The winning of more than 45 awards -including three Oscars (Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score) and the Golden Lion from the Venice Film Festival (Best Film)- was supported by an indisputable success in movie theaters. Its main characters, Ennis del Mar and Jack Twist, were considered as tragic heroes immersed in a hostile world and the actors, Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, became sex symbols without frontiers.



Now a new step is being given in dealing with love between men due to the fact that Gérard Mortier, artistic director of the New York City Opera, commissioned an opera about this subject to composer Charles Wuorinen. It should have premiered on that theater's stage, but the composer himself explains: "Mortier had a rift with the theater and left. He is now working at the Teatro Real in Madrid. And 'Brokeback mountain' will make its debut there in June 2013".



Based on a novella by Annie Proulx (1935), the opera is about the love story of Ennis and Jack, two cowboys who fall in love with each other during the summer of 1963, and it will also deal with homosexuality as a taboo subject in the heartland of America during the '60's. A complex and intense relationship intermittently maintained for over two decades. As Ennis is incapable of accepting the situation, his stance leads to unsatisfied lives and unchains the tragedy.



Charles Wuorinen (1938) became in 1970 the youngest composer to receive the Pulitzer Prize for his electronic work, "Time's Encomium". Since then, he has composed over 250 works, including his acclaimed opera, "Haroun and the Sea of Stories", based on Salman Rushdie's novel (New York, 2004). From the United States, the inflections of his voice reveal how much he has thought about his new effort and the decisions he has had to take in order to treat such a delicate matter in a clear and coherent way.



—How have you dealt with the story of "Brokeback mountain"? Is your opera based on Annie Proulx's story or on Ang Lee's film? Will people see the characters of the film on this occasion on an opera stage?



—Annie Proulx herself wrote the libretto which is already finished. I feel it does not bear much relation to the film. It has the same characters, but unlike the story, however, women play a slightly bigger part in it, as in the film. But I have not contacted Ang Lee and I have contacted Annie Proulx. I just finished working with her when she came recently to Nueva York to add the last touches.



—In what way will you deal, from a musical and theatrical point of view, with the love scenes between Jack and Ennis? One thing is to talk about the love of a man for another man and something quite different is a man having sex with another man.



—There will be no sex scenes on the stage in my opera. The love scenes have a dialogue and they are going to be sung. And the musical staging will reflect what they are saying and the emotions that may be read between the lines. There is a moment where there is a musical interlude; they will not be visible then, but they are making love.



—Have you thought about what this kind of experience will be for the public? People who go to the opera are not used to seeing love scenes between men …



—Well, they will have to get used to it.



Interior monologues



—Another important issue in "Brokeback Mountain" is loneliness. How can that loneliness be described through music?



—Music is not description, it is gestures. When there are words, suggestion becomes reality, description.



—In the story and in the film there are many unspoken situations. Silence is therefore very important …



—There are some silences scheduled in the libretto, but one has to take into account that there are no close-ups in an opera stage and that everything is at a distance from the public; therefore, there must exist interior monologues of the characters and we do have them. The score includes fragments where the main characters and also some secondary characters tell us what they are thinking, what they are feeling. That will never exist in movies because there’s no need for it; movies have other ways of showing what goes on inside someone’s mind. What we have done in the opera is to transfer those feelings to their mouths, thus making it more direct.



—The love between Jack and Ennis is a special love because one of them is always disappearing. It is a love that is maintained without the other partner…



—Well, it disappears because Ennis is not willing to fully commit himself in the relationship. It is Ennis who finally takes the fatal choice of not leaving his farm, of not going with Jack and starting a new life with him. That is the basis of the tragedy. There is loneliness, as you said, but the most important thing there is love. We have a very touching scene at the end when Ennis finds out that Jack is dead. He holds Jack's bloodied shirt in his hands and talks to it on his way home. But it is already too late. It is only then that he realizes that he can no longer do anything and that he never told him what he always wanted to.



Young singers and good actors
 
—Have you got a clear picture about the voices the main characters will have?



—I have a pretty clear picture about it. Jack will be a lyric tenor. Ennis is a bass-baritone with several spoken parts. He only sings in some passages. There is a quite marked difference between the two personalities.



—Have you thought about any singers for these roles?



—I have some in mind, but it is too soon to give out their names. To tell you the truth, I have definitely specific people in mind for the two main characters and also for one or two of the secondary roles. But I would not like to give out their names because I have only thought about them and we haven’t yet contacted them.



—But would they be well-known singers or young singers?



—I generally prefer young singers, especially for this opera. We need artists who bear some resemblance to the role and who are capable of acting. We cannot have some 70-year old singer.



—And what about the female characters? The wives…



—Their role in the opera will naturally be less important than that of the main characters. I know their vocal types, it’s something I’ve already decided on, but I have not decided on any particular singer.



—What kind of orchestra have you considered for your work?



—I think it will be a standard-size orchestra, which is slightly smaller than an orchestra for a large symphony. It will probably consist of 80 musicians instead of a 100.



"Mass audiences are not interested in serious things"



—One tends to think nowadays that the creation of contemporary music distances itself from mass audiences. Do you agree with this opinion?



—Yes, it is true. But all serious art is distanced from mass audiences.



—Why?



—Because mass audiences are not interested in serious things. Serious art, of any kind, but specially music, requires an effort from its audience. You have to pay attention, have a certain education, know something, develop a taste for it … And most people don’t do that, they’re not interested. What you compromise in order to obtain mass audiences immediately becomes very superficial entertainment.



—When people talk about opera, they think about a melody. Can there be opera without melody? ...


Offline tizi17

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #70 on: Apr 24, 2009, 02:30 AM »
oh thomas thank you so much....  ^f^
this sounds very reasonable and positive, i am glad.
is there a second part? or did i miss it? when he talks about the music... i just deeply hope it's not too schoenberg...

so. this means a World Get Together for ennisjack in madrid, june 2013...  ;) :clap:
".. a love that dare not speak its name.." oscar wilde

Offline tpe

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #71 on: Apr 24, 2009, 06:06 PM »
oh thomas thank you so much....  ^f^
this sounds very reasonable and positive, i am glad.
is there a second part? or did i miss it? when he talks about the music... i just deeply hope it's not too schoenberg...

so. this means a World Get Together for ennisjack in madrid, june 2013...  ;) :clap:

What a great idea, tizi!  We should propose it.  Thanks!!!  :)


Offline chameau

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #72 on: Apr 24, 2009, 10:14 PM »
What he said :)
La dictature c'est ''ferme ta geule'', la démocratie c'est ''cause toujours''
 Jean-Louis Barrault

Offline tpe

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #73 on: Apr 27, 2009, 07:34 AM »
I'll PM Tammy about this thread -- just in case...


Offline tizi17

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #74 on: Apr 28, 2009, 01:51 AM »
good idea thomas.. we can't start early enough...
wow! i can picture that.... :clap:
".. a love that dare not speak its name.." oscar wilde

Offline tpe

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #75 on: Apr 28, 2009, 09:47 AM »
good idea thomas.. we can't start early enough...
wow! i can picture that.... :clap:

I am definitely looking forward to such a meeting! 

And we can all dress up as cowboys/cowgirls!   ;D  :)

Offline myprivatejack

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #76 on: Apr 28, 2009, 10:49 AM »
I am definitely looking forward to such a meeting! 

And we can all dress up as cowboys/cowgirls!   ;D  :)

It's a beautiful idea,Thomas¡ I'm really very moved that the opera about BBM will be released in Spain¡(it's not Barcelona,in the Liceo,but it's the same...).Long time waiting,however... :)
Ennis’s eyes gone bright with shock, mouth opening then closing again. “Love?” Ennis said finally, voice strangling in his throat.

Jack smiled sad. “Yeah, Ennis. Love.” Leaned forward and kissed Ennis’s temple, whispered, “What’d you think it was, all this time?”
("If I asked")
                         ----------------
Heathcliff Andrew Ledger (1979-2008)/Rajel Karen Ashkenazi (1986-2008)
You will be forever in my heart,friends.

Offline tpe

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #77 on: Apr 28, 2009, 12:39 PM »
It's a beautiful idea,Thomas¡ I'm really very moved that the opera about BBM will be released in Spain¡(it's not Barcelona,in the Liceo,but it's the same...).Long time waiting,however... :)

Yes, I really wish it would have been  much much sooner!

Perhaps we can plan a Barcelona meet before this!  ;)


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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #78 on: Apr 30, 2009, 05:09 AM »
God, I am so thrilled about this!!!  :clap: :clap: :clap:  &**) &**) &**) I know, I know, still a long way till we get there, but, hell, I was so worried thinking that I’d have to cross the pond to go and see BBM The Opera there, but, OH MY GOD , it will be here!!  (t) (t) (t) (t) I can’t believe it!!!

The Teatro Real is one of the greatest Opera theater in the world. It has one of the best acoustic boxes in the whole world, with 21 metres high. There is a part in the stalls called “The Paradise”. It was a famous opera composer who gave the name to that part of the stalls, because he said that the sound was so perfect there that it seemed that you were in the Paradise. I saw “Il Trovatore” and “Carmen” there, and I can’t agree more.

Also the Theatre owns a Goya you can visit in one of its halls. All the carpets and tapestries are hand made, and the columns are made of beautiful ebony.

And the famous, really gorgeous restaurant inside displays the original wardrobe of operas like “Aida”. And the food is yummy, yeah... <^( <^( <^( <^(

I am very curious about the libretto, though I know that it’ll be great since Annie was the one writing it. But I am truly interested in finding out what the music will be like. About the stringed instruments, it will be all violins and stuff or it’ll have Classical and Spanish guitars too? I mean, the score will be based in Middle West music like Gustavo S’s compositions? And no, I am not talking about country music, but just about guitars. I know that “Aranjuez’s concert” is not an Opera, but the mix or guitars and violins is just breathtaking, and I wonder if we’ll hear something like that here.

And, of course, my home is home of every brokie out there, so you all are very welcome here.  ^f^
« Last Edit: Apr 30, 2009, 07:52 AM by Tammy »

Offline tpe

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #79 on: Apr 30, 2009, 08:18 AM »
Thanks Tammy.  I am also looking forward to this, and to watch it in Madrid.  :)

Not so sure how the music will shape uo.  For all we know, it could develop along more contemporary avant-garde lines, which may not be everyopne's cup of teas.  Then again, it might be more like a modern-day musical, in the sense that therer may be spoken passages along with songs that are more lyric and popular in character.

However it might develop, I would really like to see it!  :)

I hope we get news of its progress in the coming months...


babytammy7

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #80 on: Apr 30, 2009, 08:24 AM »
Thanks Tammy.  I am also looking forward to this, and to watch it in Madrid.  :)

Not so sure how the music will shape uo.  For all we know, it could develop along more contemporary avant-garde lines, which may not be everyopne's cup of teas.  Then again, it might be more like a modern-day musical, in the sense that therer may be spoken passages along with songs that are more lyric and popular in character.

However it might develop, I would really like to see it!  :)

I hope we get news of its progress in the coming months...


Yeah, I think you could be right. I read above that Ennis part will be mostly spoken, so perhaps it'll be more like a musical, maybe saving the lyrical parts of the score for certain powerful scenes like the DE or Jack's death?

I so want to see this!!!!  <^( <^(

babytammy7

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #81 on: Apr 30, 2009, 08:33 AM »
And also I am very excited about this because I think we are gonna learn new things about Ennis and Jack. I mean, the article above says that Annie wrote Ennis and Jack thoughts for the parts where in the film there was only silent and close ups. So, it means that we are gonna finally know what Ennis and Jack were thinking in key scenes like the first time they met, when Ennis looks at Jack up on the mountain, or Jack looks at the camp at night, or when Jack stares at Ennis leaving the camp both in the DE and in the confrontation scene, and, above all, what Ennis was thinking when he got the postcard with the bad news, when he found the shirts and when he said that "Jack, I swear".

God, I can hardly wait....
« Last Edit: Apr 30, 2009, 11:55 AM by Tammy »

Offline bowl_of_glow

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #82 on: Apr 30, 2009, 11:49 AM »
I just read all of this and ooooh, I'd so love to be there!! Spain is not that far!!
But 2013? It's a long time to wait!  ::)
It would be great though...
"Tell you what, we could a had a good life together, a fu**in real good life. You wouldn’t do it, Ennis, so what we got now is Brokeback Mountain. Everthing built on that. It’s all we got, boy, fu**in all."
(Annie Proulx- Brokeback Mountain)

Offline bowl_of_glow

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #83 on: Apr 30, 2009, 11:50 AM »
I just read all of this and ooooh, I'd so love to be there!!  <^( Spain is not that far!!
But 2013? It's a long time to wait!  ::)
It would be great though...

EDITED: Ops, I quoted myself... Sorry about that!  :8
"Tell you what, we could a had a good life together, a fu**in real good life. You wouldn’t do it, Ennis, so what we got now is Brokeback Mountain. Everthing built on that. It’s all we got, boy, fu**in all."
(Annie Proulx- Brokeback Mountain)

Offline tpe

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #84 on: Apr 30, 2009, 12:29 PM »
Yeah, I think you could be right. I read above that Ennis part will be mostly spoken, so perhaps it'll be more like a musical, maybe saving the lyrical parts of the score for certain powerful scenes like the DE or Jack's death?

I so want to see this!!!!  <^( <^(

Whatever final form/shape it takes, I want to see it.  :)


Offline tpe

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #85 on: Apr 30, 2009, 12:30 PM »
EDITED: Ops, I quoted myself... Sorry about that!  :8

That's OK, bowl_of_glow  ;D  Yes, a lot can happen between now and 2013.  But be patient!  And hope we can all meet there and then.  :)


Offline tizi17

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #86 on: May 03, 2009, 02:27 AM »
And also I am very excited about this because I think we are gonna learn new things about Ennis and Jack. I mean, the article above says that Annie wrote Ennis and Jack thoughts for the parts where in the film there was only silent and close ups. So, it means that we are gonna finally know what Ennis and Jack were thinking in key scenes like the first time they met, when Ennis looks at Jack up on the mountain, or Jack looks at the camp at night, or when Jack stares at Ennis leaving the camp both in the DE and in the confrontation scene, and, above all, what Ennis was thinking when he got the postcard with the bad news, when he found the shirts and when he said that "Jack, I swear".

God, I can hardly wait....

you're right tammy...
notthat i think we can learn more about our boys..  ;)  ;D
but surely the fact that annie does it, is a good sign...
".. a love that dare not speak its name.." oscar wilde

Offline chameau

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #87 on: May 03, 2009, 10:03 PM »
Looks like a trip to Madrid is in the plans for 2013, huh?  I'm in.  ^-^ If the army don't get me.  :P
La dictature c'est ''ferme ta geule'', la démocratie c'est ''cause toujours''
 Jean-Louis Barrault

Offline bowl_of_glow

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #88 on: May 04, 2009, 07:49 AM »
Looks like a trip to Madrid is in the plans for 2013, huh?  I'm in.  ^-^ If the army don't get me.  :P

;D ;D ;D ;D ...hope not. ^f^
"Tell you what, we could a had a good life together, a fu**in real good life. You wouldn’t do it, Ennis, so what we got now is Brokeback Mountain. Everthing built on that. It’s all we got, boy, fu**in all."
(Annie Proulx- Brokeback Mountain)

Offline tpe

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Re: BBM the Opera
« Reply #89 on: May 04, 2009, 09:39 AM »
Looks like a trip to Madrid is in the plans for 2013, huh?  I'm in.  ^-^ If the army don't get me.  :P

Yes, it is!  :)  Talk about long-term planning.   ;D