Wagner, anyone?

[barfle]

Nixon In China?

I saw it live on the news.

Admittedly, I haven't seen the opera, so I can't comment on it. I suppose I should say that of the operas I'm familiar with, none of them have gripping stories. Gripping presentation - that's why I go.

Well, I did want to find out what Mazeppa was all about, having first seen it with a Russian program and not even a Russian libretto, but again, it was somebody being guided by thier loins and the rest of the world be damned. If you had seen the same story presented in a Mel Gibson movie, you would ask for your money back.

[Shapley]

If you had seen the same story presented in a Mel Gibson movie, you would ask for your money back.

Hard to say. I've never heard Mel sing...

[Shapley]

Given that an opera takes five minutes to sing what can be said in thirty seconds, I'm sure it's difficult to put together a gripping story and fit your opera into a three-hour performance.

Besides Blood, booze, and bosoms are the formula generally guaranteed to pack 'em in, so librettists compose operas with drunken tenors killing their rival for the heart of a buxom soprano. Beats the Hell out of watching Nixon sip tea...

[dai bread]

in Pagliacci a pretty good singer kills his wife in a jealous rage - more silliness.

There's plenty of that still going on, barfle. Domestic violence is a problem here, though it's not usually fatal.

T.B. isn't very common here any more, though migrants from Asia & the Pacific Islands occasionally bring it in with them.

[Shapley]

I think 300 would make an excellent topic for an Opera. The story is pretty short: The Persians want tribute/the Spartans refuse/ the Spartans go to war/ the Spartans die. Thats about as operatic as they come.

I think the Opera would look something like this:


1. Overture
Act I Scene 1:Introduction "Remember Us" (Dilios)
Arrival of Xerxes' Envoy (Xerxes Demands Tribute... and Submission) (Chorus)
"Well, That's a Problem" (Leonidas)
Death of the Envoys
"Shall we go to war?" (Leonidas)
Before the oracles - Ballet
"The Gods Do Not Favour War" (Chorus)
The Queen's Lament (Queen Gorgo) Obligatory Buxom Soprano Solo
Act I Scene 2: The 300 (Chorus)
"We Shall Take A Walk" (Leonidas)
"With Your Shield, Or On It" (Queen Gorgo)
"Spartans! Prepare For Glory" (Leonidas, Daxos)
"Let Me Restore My Fathers' Honour (Ephialtes)
Entr'Acte
Act II Scene 1: Thermopylae
"The Hills Are Crawling With Our Scouts" (Persian General)
"The Gods Provide The Stones, Xerxes Provides The Mortar" (Chorus)
"Our Arrows Will Darken The Skies/We Will Fight In the Shade) (Persian General/Leondas)
The First Battle
Interlude
The Immortals
"The God King Approaches" (Captain, Chorus)
"No Reason We Can't be Civil" (Leonidas, Chorus)
Act II Scene II Before the God King
"The God King Honours Valour" (Xerxes)
"Kneel Before Xerxes And Know You Shall Be Rewarded"' (Xerxes/Leonidas)
"We're In For A Wild Night" (Leonidas)
"The Return Of the Immortals"
"The God-Kings Anger" (Xerxes/Chorus)
Entr'Acte
Act III Scene I "I Know A Way" (Ephialtes)
"We Are Betrayed" (Dilios/Captain)
"Remember Us" (Leonidas/Dilios)
"Tonight, We Dine In Hell" (Leonidas)
The Last Stand
"A God-King Bleeds" (Leonidas/Xerxes)
The Fall Of The 300
Finale' The Widows' Lament (Chorus/Fat Lady)
"Remember Us" (Dilios)

We could make the libretto a community project. Music by Bignaf?

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

I see that I have a song there, toward the end.

[jamiebk]

What role do you see for OT? He should get to choose...

[Shapley]

Selma: What? Are you wanting to take the role of Dilios?

Shall we give OT the roll of Leonidas? Or perhaps Dilios?

Either way, he'll have to wear these leather briefs:


But after wearing the third sock in The Pearl Fishers, I reckon he'll have no problem with that.

V/R
Shapley

[piqaboo]

Leonidas is clearly a bass.
Xerxes should be the tenor.
Dilios could be tenor or baritone.

I think Selma was referring to the Widow's chorus (Fat Lady) role.
She's got a wicked sense of humor like that.
But I'd cast her as the Queen.

[Shapley]

I just figured that the Opera ain't over 'til the fat lady sings, so we had to have a role for the fat lady at the end.

[jamiebk]

Selma: What? Are you wanting to take the role of Dilios?

Shall we give OT the roll of Leonidas? Or perhaps Dilios?

Either way, he'll have to wear these leather briefs:


But after wearing the third sock in The Pearl Fishers, I reckon he'll have no problem with that.

V/R
Shapley

Oh my....OT in one of those. That may top the ICBM garb.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

.... the Opera ain't over 'til the fat lady sings...

Yup. That's the tradition. :raises hand: Qualified!

I think Selma was referring to the Widow's chorus (Fat Lady) role...

I do fit the part. On both counts.

...But I'd cast her as the Queen.

And I like that idea too! I shall practice being autocratic and demanding. You there! Yes, you, in the leather jockstrap! Bring me tea! Right now!! <Leonidas scurries to kitchen...>

[Shapley]

Tonight, We dine in Hell!

(Leonidas Sings)

Eat! Eat! Enjoy your breakfast!
Eat till your bellies swell!
On Earth this meal will be your last,
for tonight we dine in Hell!

Death be our friend! We'll fight to the end!
To death we'll raise a cup!
Surrender? Never! Who Wants to live forever?
Tonight, with Hades we will sup!

Cravens betray us! Persians come to slay us!
Here you the death knell?
Of fear we've no trace, we'll look Death in the face,
and tonight we'll dine in Hell!

Death be our friend! We'll fight to the end!
To death we'll raise a cup!
Surrender? Never! Who Wants to live forever?
Tonight, with Hades we will sup!

We'll descend to the nether regions and join with all the legions
Who died honourably and well!
Along the way we go, dragging many of our foe
to dine with us in Hell!

Death be our friend! We'll fight to the end!
To death we'll raise a cup!
Surrender? Never! Who Wants to live forever?
Tonight, with Hades we will sup!

To Life! To Death! To Sparta! To Honour!
To the Ones We love so well!
Oh! Do not mourn us, do not scorn us,
for tonight we dine in Hell!

[jamiebk]

(To what tune is this sung?)

[Shapley]

We'll need a new tune. This is supposed to be an original opera.

[piqaboo]

Shap,
I be liking it!

Might need a tweak or two for meter, but until the musics written, we'll not know for sure.
What fun!

There needs to be an ingenue in here somewhere, who has a hopeless love for whatsisname the tenor, and who has a whispy soprano aria along the lines of 'oh no dont go, I love you so'
and who gets completely drowned out by the robust men's chorus singing about glory etc.

She has to stand in contrast to the Queen's "with your shield or on it" attitude.

[Shapley]

Maybe that could be an early role for the fat lady. Her lament at the end could be a sort "told ya' so" song.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Maybe that could be an early role for the fat lady. Her lament at the end could be a sort "told ya' so" song.

No way. I have dibs on the Fat Lady/Queen role, don't want the ingenue bit added at all, at all. Wouldn't suit me anyway. Maybe Eldest Daughter has a middle-school soprano student that'd fit the role.

[piqaboo]

Nope. Ingenue is fixated on Xerxes. The widows/fat lady are for all the soldiers. Possibly Queen could be merged with the w/fl role, but not the ingenue. She's just the necessary love interest for the tenor.
In fact, regardless of the style of the rest of the opera, her aria should probably be as bel as canto can be.