New Operas

Hello,

I'm new to the group and quite new to opera.

In 2014 I saw The Trial opera - music Philip Glass and libretto by Christopher Hampton. The opera was based on Franz Kafka's novel and was a co-production between Music Theatre Wales and Scottish Opera. I saw the opera at Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

Music Theatre Wales and Scottish Opera are performing another new opera this year - The Devil Inside, which recently premiered in Scotland and is due to go on tour around the Uk before travelling to Toronto.

The Devil Inside is based on the short story The Bottle Imp by Robert Louis Stevenson. Music is by Stuart McRae and libretto is by novelist Louise Welsh, (the couple have worked together before). The opera is getting good reviews and I look forward to seeing it at the Rep in April.

Are you seeing any new operas?

I've recently seen Bel Canto, which was based on Ann Patchett's book of the same name, with music by Jimmy Lopez and a libretto by Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz. This was commissioned by Lyric Opera of Chicago. It was very good, though unfortunately Danielle de Niese, who sang the main role of Roxane, was the weakest link. The mezzo, J'nai Bridges, and counter-tenor, Anthony Roth Costanzo, really stole the show.

Thanks for your reply Lilithcat. A shame Danielle didn't do well for you. Was it her singing. I have just watched a video clip of Bel Canto. Intriguing story, though many people want to get away from talk of terrorism. The book seems to have very good star ratings and reviews.

>3 rubicon528:

More her acting. Roxane needs to have charisma out the wazoo to make the plot believable, and she missed on that score.

I enjoyed the book, except for the epilogue which seemed to be of the "I really need to tie things up in a bow and give the survivors a happy ending" ilk. Fortunately, the opera eliminated that bit.

I'm sorry to hear about Danielle de Niese. I fell in love with her when I first saw her, by DVD, in Giulio Cesare. She had plenty of appropriate personality in that. I have liked her singing independent of opera roles too.

I hope that Bel Canto, an opera hard to google, comes out on DVD.

Robert

>5 Mr.Durick:

It was filmed by PBS and will be broadcast, at some point, on their Great Performances series.

Sometimes I tell the cable company sales people that I wouldn't mind having cable so that I could watch baseball and opera. So far that has not been enough for me actually to go through with getting teevee in my house.

Thank you for letting me know.

Robert

Re new operas, Welsh National Opera are currently rehearsing a triple bill: The Barber of Seville by Rossini, The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart and a new opera, Figaro Gets a Divorce by Elena Langer. All using the same modern stage set.

Information about the new opera The Devil inside is available on the production website. There is also the opportunity to download the libretto FREE from the site.

http://thedevilinside.musictheatrewales.org.uk

>9 rubicon528: Are you going to see In Parenthesis, a WNO production of a new opera based on David Jones' WW1 book? I sounds interesting but it gets to London while I am tied up viewing Opera North's concert performance of the Ring.

>10 abbottthomas: In Parenthesis will be available for viewing on demand on The Opera Platform from July 1, 2001. At no charge, of course, with subtitles if you need them.

http://www.theoperaplatform.eu/en/opera/bell-parenthesis