Posted on 08/18/2005 11:02:00 AM PDT by sitetest
LONDON A British opera institution known for black tie picnics hopes to draw in a new generation by staging a "hiphopera," a reworking of Mozart's melodies set to sampled drum beats and pulsing bass lines.
Glyndebourne, which has staged operas for more than 70 years on a country estate in East Sussex, aims to shed its exclusive image with a modern twist on Mozart's Così fan tutte, The Guardian reported Monday [August 15].
Tickets for the production, which is expected to open in March, will start at £5 (7 euros; US$9), the newspaper said. Normally, Glyndebourne tickets can cost up to £155 (225 euros; US$280) each.
"Mozart was young himself and Così's themes, about two young men testing their lovers' fidelity, are constant, " Katie Teale, the head of Glyndebourne's education department was quoted as saying by The Guardian.
Glyndebourne spokeswoman Emma Whelan said she would not discuss the production until October, after details were finalized.
The new production of Così fan tutte, often translated as "All women are like that," has been provisionally titled "School4Lovers" and will be a co-production with German and Finnish companies, The Guardian said. There are plans to tour Finland, Germany and the Baltic states, the report said.
The opera's setting will shift from 18th-century Naples to an inner-city London public housing estate and the main characters will be roadies embarking on a rap tour instead of soldiers headed for war, The Guardian said.
(Excerpt) Read more at andante.com ...
Well, isn't that just funky fresh.
Classical Music Ping List ping.
So, are most folks as appalled by this as me?
Or am I just an old f*rt?
The new work will be tentatively entitled "You Know How Bitches Be, Playa."
Dear wideawake,
LOL.
The working title, at least for now, is "School4Lovers."
Yech.
I'm gonna go hide in a pile of Bach CDs.
I just ordered a couple of Angela Hewitt's yesterday.
sitetest
LMAO.....nice!
Good luck, me thinks it won't be able to sniff the jock of "Breakin' II - Electric Boogaloo"
Owl_Eagle
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
UNNNGH!
I'm going to hip-hop across the room to my CD player and fire up some Mozart. Be right back.
An inherently criminal concept. There ought to be some beatings in the future of whomever shat this idea.
Sounds like crapera.
So when are they going to rework one of the Romeo and Juliet operas with all gay casts?
Dear Petronski,
"There ought to be some beatings in the future of whomever shat this idea."
You must be in a mellow mood.
;-)
sitetest
The only "Hip-Hopera" worth seeing.
" So when are they going to rework one of the Romeo and Juliet operas with all gay casts?"
Sssshhhhh!!!!!! Don't give them any ideas!!!!!
AP articles don't have to be excerpted.
As for Mozart with a pulsing bass line......I'd have to hear it first.
You know, they could just eliminate the music entirely and hire the cast of 'Stomp'...
I've never understood changing something so that it becomes accessible to new audiences. It destroys the purity of the work for the fickle at the expense of true admirers.
If these folks don't like Mozart now, they after this they still won't like Mozart--because what they will be hearing is an auditory abortion. Music is eternal and should not be butchered to become fit for the unworthy. It was bad enough that Bruckner's "friends" slashed his music while he was alive--at least he was around to object or defend his creation. Mozart doesn't have the luxury.
This reminds me of a particular pet peeve of mine--commercials usurping masterpieces to hawk their wares. It demeans the music and causes it to become associated with some gimmicky product. The way our laws are written it is the music that is in greatest need of protection that is most vulnerable. Meanwhile, mediocre works of only ephemeral interest are carefully guarded.
Please put me on the classical music ping list. Thanks!
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