Musical Theater Composers Composing for the Opera

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 2/13/06 at 4:08pm

There's an article about this on BWWorld, and also one in the Times today. I think it's a cool notion. Guettel, Tessori and LaChiusa all already flirt with non-traditional music conventions in their work for the musical theater and the opera has been flirting with musical theater lately (An American Tragedy and putting on productions like The Most Happy Fella). Of course the Lincoln Center already supports these guys in their endeavours but I think it will provide a unique outlet for more unique musical voices.

It's disheartening to think that these composers would defect to the opera stages but I don't think it's necessarily the case. I don't think the article on BWWorld mentions it but they also signed up Rufus Wainwright to write one. Now that's going to be something to see! Rufus Wainwright has a great contemporary pop musical voice and if he does finish something it'll undoubtedly be really compelling and raw. It might also interest him in writing for the theater a lot more... *crosses fingers*

Traditionally when a musical that resembles opera comes along it's considered ahead of its time and it takes some years before it is fully appreciated (if ever). Most things find fans though. I'm wondering what route the composers'll take, operetta, traditional opera, musical theater disguised as opera, or something totally different? And does this mean we'll be seeing a lot of performers crossing over?

I've felt lately that it's a good time to see a promiment new art form (theaterwise specifically) emerge, so this is exciting!

Updated On: 2/13/06 at 04:08 PM

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 2/13/06 at 6:05pm

This is really exciting news for someone who's heart belongs in musical theatre, but who's money maker is in singing opera.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/13/06 at 6:10pm

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=886773&dt=2

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 2/13/06 at 6:13pm

Oops! Sorry.

[broadwaygiant19122]

Posted: 2/13/06 at 6:22pm

This idea thrills me. LaChiusa and Kushner writing for opera,whoa whoa whoa. So far away though!!!.. speaking of kushner and opera, does anybody have any more info as to when PBS will be showing last year's Angels In America.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 2/14/06 at 1:27am

Well it's not exactly new. I mean Bernstein was in different worlds too. Why on earth would you find this disheartening? I think it's great. Actors don't do just one thing. Musicians don't. Painters dont always paint in 1 style. WHy should composers? Besides the two worlds are coming closer and closer together. People are calling Sweeney Todd and Marie Christine operas. I think whatever the pieces are they'll just be them. LaChiusa's already written an opera. It'll be what it'll be. I think the major difference will be in the performers and the whole process of creating this work. Not the work itself.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 2/14/06 at 1:58am

I said the idea of composers defecting to opera (in other words abandoning the musical theater) was disheartening, but I then went on to say I didn't think it would happen because I felt like the genre lines were being blurred for the better. I also ended my post with a long thing on how I think it's cool when people cross over, so we are in agreement on all the issues.

Yes, Bernstein wrote for the operatic stages, Loesser also wrote a musical that resembles an opera. Back in the day most musicals had operetta-ish music. But Bernstein, Loesser, and Sondheim were anomalous examples until the 90's, and I think we're seeing a new genre emerge, which is exciting.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 2/14/06 at 2:17am

I saw what you read. I wasn't disagreeing with you. I was just typing. At any rate I don't even think it's a new genre. I mean really Operetta has been around forever too. Jerome Kern wrote popular music, George Gershwin wrote all different types of music. It's not really new. People have been talking about this "new Theatre" but I really think Broadway has just been popified a bit that people don't realize that it's been like this for a while. Composers studied classically and knew how to really compose full scores or just a 32 bar popular song. I'm actually interested in the other side. If you look at a new opera like Margaret Garner, what Denyce Graves does is comprable to any actor on broadway. There's a lot more acting going on in opera. I think there's a bigger change in the Opera scene than in the musical theatre scene.

[IssaMe]

Posted: 2/14/06 at 9:17am

Six years away? Guettel is a perfectionist and it takes him years to write a project...plus he has his next commercial musical to complete as well. So the time frame seems to be right.

Rufus writes in mini-pop opera style anyway and he will be BRILLIANT at this.

What a wonderful idea.

[Liz_Bennet]

Posted: 2/14/06 at 9:27am

I'm very interested in seeing where this leads. Let's hope for some comedies. Modern opera is always so serious.

I hope they don't resort to microphones, though. Mikes in the Met would be a sign of the Apocalypse. Get a good orchestrator on the case.

[Barihunk]

Posted: 2/14/06 at 9:39am

I don't think these composers will be "defecting" to the world of opera. The point of this announcement stresses that these composers have been approached about workshopping new pieces for possible production at LCT or the MET. This is a big change for the opera world where the commissioning of new works usually happens three to five years in advance. The commission happpens, the composer works, (hopefully) delivers a finished score and the opera company is pretty much "stuck" (for lack of a better word) with what the composer gives them as a final draft. This new system would allow them to write, re-write, etc., which is not the usual process for opera. The statement from the MET also says that while these pieces may be workshopped, there is no guarantee they will be produced. Currently the MET is only holding one slot open in a "future season" per Peter Gelb.

Broadwaygiant - The Great Performances Website lists "Angels in America" to be broadcast in spring/summer 2006. Nothing more specific than that...

[Scooter]

Posted: 2/14/06 at 10:52am

i think this is fantastic, opera is DEFINITELY in need of fresh direction and composition. i especially applaud peter gelb for having the guts to inject new life into an incredibly creaky opera house! no doubt he will catch plenty of flack from all those old opera folk who are the first to rush out of the Met before the last note of every performance. well good on you mr. gelb!

i would like to address the issue of sound amplification. so many people like to speak to the HORRORS of amplification in opera. well, to that i say bunk. yes, if opera starts to be as OVER amplified as broadway now is... yes, start to panic. as it stands now, MANY prominent houses use some discreet form of amplification...but they'll never tell you. if discreet amplification frees the performer to act normally instead of always facing out, i am ALL for it. most operas were not meant to be sung in our huge US opera barns anyways, being performed in smaller european houses instead.

anyways, there's my rant. i have never been impressed with Met performances and i love opera. yes, the voices can at times be AMAZING, but usually i would rather they have just done a concert version under no pretense of there being actual drama on stage.

[Liz_Bennet]

Posted: 2/14/06 at 12:40pm

Opera is damn hard to pull off, and can easily be unconvincing, as Scooter says. But when the whole cast and music just clicks somehow even the immensely improbably becomes dramatically transporting. It's not just about the singing, though I know that's what most opera fans concentrate on.

I hate to use Wagner terminology because it comes with such baggage, but opera really is a Gesamtkunstwerk (complete/total art work), and I think if you leave out the staging you're missing a lot. There can be drama, and I've seen it. It's possible, and it's just amazing when it works.

Maybe I'm a complete traditionalist sap, and I know all my experimental theater friends think I am because of this, but I totally love big and extravagant opera productions. Yes, breaking boundaries is good and I don't shy away from fringe theater, but sometimes enormous sets, fancy costumes, and 100 people on stage is simply impossible to resist. (And I've seen modernist minimal opera that has worked beautifully as well.)

Topic? Uh....I loved Caroline and Piazza, so bring it on. And get Michael John LaChiusa to join in if his one-act for Audra is any good.