FINAL BLOG EVER!!!

Despite the blood trickling down from my ears, as I listened to Sarah Brightman, I appreciated the “classical” voice being integrated into the Repo. The perennial topic of how to gain more opera lovers is always up for constant brainstorming and discussion. All I have to say is Sarah Brightman is one of those figures who has helped bridge the gap between popular and classical music whether you like it or not. As is it was said class, if it wasn’t for Brightman, Andrea Bocelli, and maybe Josh Groban, many of us wouldn’t be sitting in this class writing blogs about opera. Thanks to them, some of us were intrigued at an early age to start exploring the grand world of opera.

With that said let’s talk about Repo- the Genetic Opera. I think I could potentially be addicted to it. It wasn’t until last year that I was introduced into the world of graphic novels, The Watchman being the first one I read. Never, ever did I think I would find myself submerged into such a fantastical world of super heroes, but now I understand another reason why I’m drawn to opera. Repo was like watching a graphic novel, only it had singing! Sorry for the digression. Now, going back to the topic of Sarah Brightman. Although the clips we saw were the “dream cast” of the director, I would have casted differently. The fact that it is labeled a rock opera screams to me that it needs to have an eclectic mix of performers, which would tie the operatic and pop cultures together. First of all, I love the charged energy you get from rock music and the fueled rhythm that drives every song. Secondly, I love opera because like rock it can be so extreme and exciting. Juxtaposing the insane dynamics and resonance of opera with the driving force of a rock beat would be AMAZING! Just imagine a soprano singing a D6 executing a messa di voce over a head banging, ear shattering rock beat!!!!!! Again, sorry for the digression.

Casting… Instead of Sarah Brightman for Blind Mag, I would cast Dawn Upshaw (as a genre cross over) and for the role of Rotti Largo I would cast Anthony Hopkins because he’s just stellar as an evil creeper. For the role of Shilo Wallace I would cast either Hayley Williams from Paramore or Amy Lee from Evanescence because both have a big following in the rock genre, especially with the younger crowd. Repo Man, I’m not so sure who I would cast. As I was listening to Zydrate Anatomy I can’t help but wonder if Thomas Hampson couldn’t pull it off, with an opera chorus making George Crumb-like sounds. It would certainly be interesting or maybe I should just cast Rob Zombie?!? Last but not least, I have no clue who I would cast as Amber Sweet, but it definitely would NOT be Paris Hilton!

Food For Thought

In pervious classes we talked about the evolution of the microphone and it’s lasting effects on singing and the way people perceive natural projection. We also talked about how kids aren’t singing and using their imagination for entertainment, instead they are bombarded with entertainment. However, this has caused shows like Glee and American Idol to become popular and I think that’s because kids are starving for music and to be able to make music. Either way, modern views on singing are very different today because of the microphone. If one was to go to a rock concert then go to the opera the next night, obviously one would say the rock concert was louder, even if Deborah Viogt was the Diva of the night! Yes, the rock concert may be louder, but I don’t think average audience member takes into account the lack of amplification being used in an opera house. For instance, my boyfriend, who has never been to an opera, decided to take me to see Madame Butterfly last year. I know, so sweet of him! During intermission he made a comment about how well the microphones were camouflaged, which was when that I had to inform him that there were no microphones. I use this as an example because he is a jazz musician and he loves musical theater, so when he found that there were no microphones he developed an appreciation for the demands of operatic singing.

This leads me to another story that my teacher told me during my voice lesson a week ago. We were talking about Sarah Brightman and The Phantom of The Opera and she went on to tell me that her friend was in a production of Phantom. Keep in mind her friend is a classically trained, professional singer and she was cast in a production of Phantom as Carlotta. Carlotta’s character sings higher and louder than Christine’s role at certain points, because of this, the whole cast had to use microphones. Apparently, no one, except the Phantom, was allowed to sing louder than Christine because she was the heroine. So poor Carlotta’s high D was toned down, while Christine’s microphone was cranked up. Hmmmmmmm. Not so sure how I feel about that, but it is certainly some food for thought!

Get Out Of The Box!

I thoroughly enjoyed Kiya Heartwood’s presentation in class on Tuesday! I thought she presented a new way of looking at the operas we have been studying, especially coming from a compositional approach. She pinpointed what I haven’t been able to articulate as clearly regarding music versus culture; the idea of listening to the music for the sake of listening music as apposed to listening to music for the sake of culture. Our society tends to put a premium on aesthetics, so a rock star could very well take a country tune and make it a rock hit. Does that mean it’s still a country song? I say a good song is a good song, but our culture has a tendency to create barriers that box us into categories, which was one of her reasons for having different websites for her different works. This leads me to another topic, her versatility as a composer and writer.

I’ll be honest, writing a simple poem or story is not one of my strong points. If I ever got the gumption up to attempt at writing an opera or a musical, I don’t think I would get past the first two lines of text. The ability to write lyrics that flow with the language and then set them to music seems impossible. Although I haven’t listened to all of Lying to the Sea Gypsy, the songs I did hear seemed cleverly written both musically and lyrically, especially since they catered to younger performers and incorporated adult humor. Additionally, her music was catchy and I can definitely see younger performers having fun doing this show and learning simutaneously. I then decided to You Tube her old band, Stealin’ Horses, and listen to those lyrics and style of writing. Here is the link to her band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4zoiuZH2TI After listening to this, it’s apparent that she has a knack for writing creative lyrics that flow with the music. I can’t even begin to express how fascinated I am by this. Yes, there have been many brilliant composers in the past, but many of them had a librettist. I realize that Kiya’s style versus Mozart’s is very different, but the fact that she can write lyrics and music is very impressive, especially since she said that she has “a lot of catching up to do.” So what! I realize I’m being rather emphatic about this, but it hits home for me. My boyfriend is part of a band, which has a rather eclectic make-up of five guys. The leader of the band/lead singer/drummer, writes all of the lyrics and music for them; more importantly he doesn’t read music, and he is a self taught drummer and guitarist. Two of the other guys don’t read music, even though one understands chord progressions by ear. Finally, the bass player and my boyfriend did their undergraduate degree together in jazz and classical performance. I guess what I find most intriguing is that the drummer/lead singer, the one who is untrained, heads it all up and it’s great! I’m not just saying the band is great because my boyfriend plays piano, I’m saying they are genuinely good and very musical. The music is catchy, but inventive and the lyrics are memorable but not overly simplified. Check it out: http://vimeo.com/7868453

I guess where I’m going with this is anyone has the ability to create music. It doesn’t matter what his or her background maybe. Personally, I think it is so cool that Green Day’s songs have been turned into a rock opera. I used to obsess over Green Day when I was in high school, so I was a bit skeptical about hearing their music in a different way. However, I was pleasantly surprised, which brings me back to Kiya’s comment about music versus culture. What I’m trying to get at is the idea that there are do many styles of music out there, all of which present their own challenges. Like Aaron said today in class, if Renée Fleming had sang her jazz songs well we would have loved it, however that is not the case. It doesn’t matter what style you may choose to identify with, just as long as you do it well!

Preserving The Tradition

I have to admit, I am not one of those people who rushed into classical music with verve and excitement. Music wasn’t my declared major when I started my undergraduate degree. In fact, I had never listened to an opera nor had the desire to and I was a huge musical theater, pop music, teeny bopping eighteen year old. With that said, the idea of putting oneself into an elite classical box seems ridiculous to me and very limiting. In almost every class I’ve been in, since I started studying music, the decline of classical music audiences is a topic for conversation along with ways of trying to save it. (Please forgive if I happen to vomit, for lack of a better word, on this blog. I tend to stand on a soap-box regarding this topic.) Anyways, it got me thinking that we need to start approaching things differently. Instead of resisting contemporary music or new ways of doing things for the sake of our classical egos we need a new out look. It boils down to preserving tradition, reinventing the old and progressing with the new. Tradition keeps the past connected to the changing times and it reminds us of our origins. Without the past we wouldn’t have the future.

Often times during these discussions, people will say that marketing and catering to a younger audience is the answer, which I agree with, but no one ever defines how young. In between my undergraduate and graduate degree I took a year off and taught pre-school in a public school, additionally I had just finished my student teaching at the primary and secondary level. With that said, I can honestly say that music is severely lacking in schools and kids are more inclined to listen to their Ipods rather than sing on their own accord. The lack of singing and music in schools can be linked to a growing decline of appreciation of the fine arts. For example, because of amplification and the microphone most people can’t grasp how amazing it is to hear a classical singer fill a hall with sound without the help of amplification. Projection is a foreign idea now because of the microphone, which can be linked to supported, resonant singing. I think a major way of preserving the classical tradition; as well as enabling society to go forward musically is to give our children a decent music education. Future generations aren’t exposed to this music like the past generations and so they haven’t a clue.

However, on a positive note, there are sources out there that promote the “classical” genre, which could help classical musicians bridge the gap between the classical and pop culture, starting from an early age. When I was home on break, I was watching Wonder Pets with my segregate niece and it is surprisingly very close to that of an operetta. It’s mostly singing and has a classical sounding accompaniment but the only blaring difference is the way the singing is executed. I defiantly think it would be a great way to introduce the idea of the orchestra to primary age children. Maybe, if someone was really creative the could make it into an opera and actually incorporate some classical elements of singing so children can get used to that sound. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxlWvE2U0nw

Another element that we need to keep in mind is that society is in need of visual stimulation. Television, video games and other forms of technology provide children with visual stimulation that is vivid, animated and interesting. Although opera is a grand event, I don’t think it is as visually exciting to a child. We need to be aware of this and be able to “conform” or try to gain a child’s interest through this medium as well. The Bug Opera, by Geoffrey Hudson combines the classical music element with the need for an aesthetically pleasing visual for younger audiences in a live performance, here is a link: http://www.hybridvigormusic.org/TheBugOpera.html

Basically, what it boils down to is finding creative ways to keep an old art form alive as well as move forward keeping the integrity of music and promoting it as a fine art. I guess what I’m getting at, in a long-winded, round about way, is that art is art. We talked about preserving opera and classical singing, but as artists we need to embrace different forms of art and realize that different genres of music present their own challenges. It’s through composers like Kiya Heartwood and G.Hudson who branch out and use an amalgamation of styles that could pique a child’s interest into learning to love the classical style.

Project Process

I must admit, over spring break I geeked out and wrote ninety percent of my paper and finished ninety percent of my project. In my defense though, to geeking out that is, I had access to the main tool that I needed to complete my project; a sewing machine. Since the creative portion of my project is a quilt, I kind of needed to utilize the short amount of time I had with my sewing machine. I will be going home this Thursday for Easter and I plan on finishing my quilt between Friday and Saturday. The only thing I have left to complete is cutting out and pasting/sewing on silhouettes of the Puritans and Mohawks. The only problem is that I haven’t found an outline of these cultural stereotypes that would translate well onto fabric.

Through this whole process I’ve discovered that hardest part in making my project was the actual designing of the quilt. As I started delving into my opera more, there was so much that could be talked about or represented in a creative way. I think I spent the majority of my time with a box of colored pencils and computer paper figuring out what to do. Finally, after a trash can full of colorful attempts I knew what my game plan was! Trying to illustrate an opera through fabric art is a bit of a challenge, more that I expected. I’m not a seamstress, by any means, so I had to keep in mind what I could within my limits. Yet, the goal of my quilt is for someone to look at it and understand what is going on in the opera and also identify the differences but see how they are “sewn” together. Either way, this project has forced me, in a good way, to dig deeper and be more creative.

Paper Progress

Where to begin… Well, the initial goal of my paper was to look at Paula Kimper’s opera, The Captivation of Eunice Williams, and discuss how homosexuality has impacted her compositions as well as other musicians of the past. I was well aware that the topic of sexuality and music is an extensive topic to delve into; I just didn’t realize how extensive. I have finished my paper, and have handed it in for a review, but I feel like I have opened a can of worms and the worms are escaping from me!

One of my main problems is trying to limit what aspect of sexuality in music I want to discuss. Two of my resources, The Queen’s Throat, and Queering the Pitch, have presented me with some great, enlightening information, but now I don’t know what to talk about anymore. Initially I wanted to discuss how Kimper’s opera is about acceptance and being able to live in accordance with one another even though we are different. Because of this, I was going to compare the issues in the opera to issues of today regarding sexuality, which directly affect her. Additionally, I wanted to discuss how homosexual composers and musicians of the past have paved the way for Kimper to be able to compose so freely and that sexuality is represented in her music very different from that of Britten, Bernstein, and etc… Well, as I started reading I came across some differnt material that discussed the voice as an androgynous entity. What to do?! This is rather interesting because now opera could be viewed very differently, especially when you think about it form a compositional aspect.

Lastly, I began to stress about my paper because there was so much to talk about and not enough time! So now I’m wondering if I should completely revise my paper and discuss my project in great detail. I just don’t know!!!

A View From The Bridge

My feelings about William Bolcom’s, A View From The Bridge, are rather ambivalent. Part of me thought the story was twisted and enticing, but NOT as an opera. Would I go out and read the book? Maybe, but I wouldn’t go out and buy a CD of the opera. Class, this semester, has been interesting because a lot of the 20^th Century operas we have looked at don’t fit the “classical” operatic story that you get from Mozart, Puccini, Rossini etc… Twentieth century composers have had to become more creative regarding the story line; how they write the music and the staging, which could be partially attributed to the evolution of time and society.

The Aspern Papers, The Death of Klinghoffer, Satyagraha, Candide, and A View From A Bridge all share something in common; they don’t succumb to the traditional mold of opera. Besides A View From a Bridge, love and deception don’t really come into play. I realize Candide shows the relationship between Candide and Cunegonde, but their relationship isn’t (to me) the forefront of the show. These operas present the idea of the hero in a non-traditional sense; the stories really hone in on real-life, and tangible situations, which deal with social, political and domestic issues. Additionally, none of these operas are particularly humorous nor do they conclude happily-ever-after. Do 20^th Century composers purposely want to highlight the negative aspects of life to bring awareness to our current situations? Is the goal of these operas to evoke a strong reaction, thus provoking thought? I really have no idea, but I do know that some of these stories work, whereas others definitely do not (I say this subjectively). I attribute this challenge to the story line and finding the ideal spot for a climactic moment that induces a response from the audience.

As a general, extremely broad, statement, many people really enjoy Mozart, Rossini, Puccini, and etc operas. Yes, there maybe certain ones that people don’t like, but overall, people tend to be very receptive to the ‘old chestnuts.’ Really folks, who doesn’t love Marriage of Figaro or Tosca???? Contrastingly, I have found, throughout the course of this semester, the class has had differing views on all the operas we have covered. For instance, A View From A Bridge, was well received by some of my classmates, while I was not a fan. This all goes back to whether or not a plot is going to work. I think it’s the combination of choosing a laudable story, but more importantly being able to set it musically. The Death of Klinghoffer was by no means traditional and it was exceedingly controversial, however the music added to the momentum of the story, thus making it successful in my opinion. Conversely, A View From A Bridge, had a horrible story and the music was a confusing mish mash of sound. I thought Bolcom tried to create music specific to each character, plus illustrate his or her emotions, plus create a contrast between the two nationalities, which ended up being a hot mess. I appreciated his ability to write in such a manner that lends well to acting and word inflection, but overall I wasn’t really thrilled with the whole thing, which only validates my opinion that he should have picked a different story!