Opera on Broadway?- Page 3

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 5/16/07 at 11:58pm

Eric (btw, did I ever mention, you're one of my favorite peeps on here to chat with?)

here's the thing though, by having those definitions, the fans of OPERA never see any MT that they might like because they only like OPERA, and of course vice versa.
Imagine if it was all called Music Theater, and the famous "operas" were called "Classical Music Theater" and modern musicals were called something like "Contemporary Music Theater" obviousl each camp would have its supporters, but I bet there would be a lot more overlap. Im obviously not pushing for a change in how we name things, those need to be organic, they need to happen by themselves (you can ask people not to call you-know-whats "Soundtracks" all you want, but it has to happen organically or it won't stick)

Its not really a question of snobbishness, its really about words and how they affect our perception. Fascinating subject, really.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 2:04am

THat's a great point and I completely agree with it. But I dunno if just a few of us can change such big definitions (the lines are blurring more and more--especially modern composers like LaChiusa where there works have premiered as musicals and as operas--when I'd probably put it osmewhere in between)

That said having finally found a copy of Bernstein's A QUiet Place it's obvious some composers--and not just audiences--see opera and musical theatre as VASTLY different genres and addresses them that way. Still-_i agree with you as to how I'd like it to be. Who knows maybe soon people will start calling opera recordings, soundtracks too!

[Claire4]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 8:54am

La Boheme staged by Baz Lurman (Moulin Rouge) from a few years back.

Oops. Already mentioned! Sorry!
Updated On: 5/17/07 at 08:54 AM

[sharon1]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 9:14am

Crossovers are great. Maria Friedman and Bryn Terfel are doing Sweeney and Michael Ball and Faith Prince with the Eno in Kismet with Alfie Boa and Sarah Tynan.

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 9:32am

As much of a fan of Bernstein as I am, (and I'm a HUGE fan of his)
A Quiet Place is not his best work, but it's interesting you should say that because I was in a class the other day where we were talking about Trouble in Tahiti, which Bernstein later incorporated into A Quiet Place, and one professor refused to call it anything other than a musical, and I certainly would call Trouble in Tahiti an opera.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 6:45pm

Well I sorta see in a tiny way what he means--Tahiti is at any rate mor emusical theatre than Quiet Place (And I *love* it) but it's still an opera IMHO

Quiet Place fascinates me. Such a bloated weird soap opera of a show... But I keep on listening to it

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 10:29pm

Yeah, I think its an opera too, especially with all the fighting scenes, but I think the Jazz (doo-a...Morning sun, etc) makes people think twice, which is just such total bullsh&t