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16 April, 2010

Ayrton Senna: The Opera ?

Quite frankly I'm not sure what to make of this. When I first heard about this production it was being called a "musical" the thought of which horrified me. However as it's going to be an opera after all, and with both the ENO and The Metropolitan Opera commissioning it, I am somewhat more confident of the outcome (which I presume has been sanctioned by the Ayrton Senna Institute). This is going to be something to keep an eye out for, even if the logistics of an opera based on F1 seem mind-boggeling . Due for 2012 apparently. Found on BBC Formula One website

Amendment after thinking some more about this:

The concept of an opera about Formula One seems quite strange, as stated below, the two do not usually mix. So I began thinking about why the ENO and the Metropolitan Opera would even commission such an opera. One possibility, and one more likely to be sanctioned by the Ayrton Senna Institute is for the opera to be more about the man, Ayrton Senna as apposed to his life as a racing driver. Yes Senna was three times F1 World Champion, yes he died in a race accident which shocked the world, but now his life has more meaning to many people than just these racing facts.

Charismatic, determined to win, supremely talented behind the wheel, with an aggressive streak. His death lead to certain facts of his life being made public for the first time such as the large charitable donations he made (kept secret so as not to attract publicity). The Cartoon Seninhna in Brazil, about a boy racing driver styled on Senna, organised by Senna (all proceeds going to charity) just before he died is still very popular for children who never saw him race. Shortly after his death, his family decided to set up the Ayrton Senna Institute, to help poor children in Brazil aim for a better life, through funded projects involving Sport, Health and Education. Today the ASI has helped millions of children in Brazil and this has become Ayrton Senna's legacy. 

"Wealthy men can't live in an island that is encircled by poverty. We all breathe the same air. We must give a chance to everyone, at least a basic chance." Ayrton Senna.

There is more to Senna than just racing, and what there is more of, I personally think will be focused on in the production of an opera.

 Wednesday, April 14, 2010 3:54 PM

Des-Watch: McAnuff working on Formula 1 opera, Dr Zhivago musical

J. Kelly Nestruck

Des McAnuff, artistic director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, spends a lot more time working on freelance gigs outside of Stratford, Ontario, than his predecessors.

Here at Nestruck on Theatre, we are extremely in favour of McAnuff's jet-setting lifestyle, but mainly because we get to pitch work trips to Australia to review musicals based on Dr. Zhivago. (No go on Zhivago, alas.)

Yes, that's one of the projects on McAnuff's plate for 2011 according to a recent interview with Grey Gardens songwriter Michael Korie.

What else is coming up on McAnuff's plate, which perhaps is more of a giant serving bowl? Well, we now know the title and subject matter the new opera he's shepherding to stage for the Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera. Senna, as it is called, will have music by post-minimalist composer Michael Torke and libretto by Korie; the opera concerns the Brazilian Formula 1 world champion Ayrton Senna da Silva, who was killed in a crash during the 1994 Grand Prix.

Says Korie to Playbill: "I was so intrigued by the whole idea of opera and speed. They're not things that you usually associate together."

Surely a contender for understatement of the year.

via theglobeandmail.com

 

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Filed under  //   London   Opera  

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15 April, 2010

How can classical music become 'cool'?

Well the simple answer to this is: I don't think it really can.
This point shouldn't be taken negatively for plenty of things, people and places aren't 'cool' but they are successful. A lot of orchestras have been accused of trying too hard to play the cool card, instead of playing to their natural strengths. Gimmicks don't fool anyone, least of all those they are trying to attract, which in turn risks alienating loyal audience members.

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9 April, 2010

Hull Classical Concert Listings 2010

Here is a list of all the classical concerts I can find advertised being performed in Hull during 2010.

I hope to add to this where and when I hear of new concerts in the calendar. In each entry there are links, where possible showing the page information can be found, the orchestra's website and where they are playing in Hull.

16th April - Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra,

Hull City Hall (Masters Series), Orchestra website in French or German.      

Beethoven, Grieg, and Berlioz

8th May   - Hull Philharmonic Orchestra, Hull City Hall.

Copland, Barber, Gershwin and Bernstein

21st May - Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, Hull City Hall (Masters Series).

Tchaikovsky

Information for concerts in the Masters Series can be found via Hull City Council's website in the form of a PDF. If there are any more concerts that I am unaware of, please contact me to add them to this listing.

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6 April, 2010

Terminal

Tomorrow night I shall be attending an interesting recital of sorts at The Hospital Club in Covent Garden. The contemporary Cellist Peter Gregson will be showcasing his new album "Terminal" in a live performance of electronic cello (and maybe acoustic). The evening will be the starting point for a series of monthly performances by Gregson entitled "alt-classical", at the Hospital Club to coincide with his appointment as 2010 Creative in Resident in Music. The Title "alt-classical" speaks for itself as a different kind of classical music. And that really is Gregson to a tee, utilising technology to give his music a bit of an edge.

I'm looking forward to this event, it will be interesting to see how all the technical jiggery-pokery aspects of the album will be adapted to fit in a live session. I remain intrigued and will report back my findings.

ps Peter's album Terminal is available to buy now via Bowers and Wilkins.

Update:

Here's a helpful hint about travelling in London: Leave earlier than you think you will need to. Unfortunately for me I got snarled up in a "person under a train" AND a fire evacuation tube line closure. Due to these mishaps I have not been able to attend "Terminals" public unveiling tonight. What I did get instead was a proper workout walking up a tube stations emergency stairwell (not recommended, if you're not prepared for seemingly endless stairs!).

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Filed under  //   contemporary music   London  

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3 April, 2010

Wagners Rep

Is there a particular composer whose music strikes fear into you, so much so that you are reluctant to even touch on listening to? I know there is such a composer for me and his name is Richard Wagner. Apart from Die Walkuren, made popular by the film Apocalypse Now, I have to admit not venturing any further.

Wagners reputation precedes him, somewhat unfairly it seems. For in the 19th Century holding anti-semetic views was common. Of course I'm not saying that such views can be apologised for, but I have to take into account the prevailing attitudes of the day before I can even begin to access. Wagner therefore was not alone in his views, the fact that he was Hitlers favourite composers has, unfortunately for him highlighted his anti-semetic views, to the detriment of other perspectives. 

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30 March, 2010

CD's and Children

I've just had a thought. Well I get a few of those, but this one has me pondering.

When I was a child, part of what introduced me to classical music were the CD's my parents had. They didn't have a huge collection, just a few of the compilation CD's that I picked up and played. I didn't do this often, but I listened enough to learn a bit about Tchaikovsky and Beethoven, Mozart et al through their famous pieces.

Now that CD's are becoming less common in favour of mp3's I wonder how children can do the same thing I did. They would have to physically use their parents mp3 player or computer to listen, and that to me seems less likely to happen.

All this depends on people having classical music in their collection anyway, in whatever format. Television has now classical music channels and maybe these are a way to introduce some children to classical music, given a child's need for visual impetus: short and sweet pieces, perfect for when channel surfing between breaks in programmes.

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25 March, 2010

Starting to explore Classical music

Classical music is rich with a variety of music, the advantage of this is that there are often hours of music that a person can explore without having listened to everything: there is a seemingly endless supply something new to discover. The disadvantages to this are often felt by those new to classical music, and the feeling is often overwhelming and off putting.

But if we turn this feeling on its head, music of whatever genre is overwhelming, if I were asked to explore for example hip hop or electronica music, I would feel just as overwhelmed because there is so much I do not know, who to listen to?, what albums?, and why they are worth listening to? It's all a puzzle to me, and the same is so for those new to classical music. I am far from claiming I know a lot about classical music, in fact I'm still very much on the learning curve myself, these are only suggestions on what I've learnt so far.

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22 March, 2010

The (un)cultured classes

Lynsey Hanleys recent article in the 'Comment is free' section of The Guardians website, "The cultured classes" (19/2/10) paints a rather depressing situation in our schooling system. The implication being that unless you are from a middle class background, the presumption by teachers is that pupil have very few cultural extra-curricular activities. I would really love to refute this, and argue that teachers look on every child as an individual open to all possibilities, however my own personal experience from my time at school finds the opposite true.

If a child does not take instrument lessons at school, can that child be said to have an aptitude towards music? Maybe that child does, but doesn't know how to ask for lessons, or did ask and was politely told no (that is my case, and yes I'm still a bit bitter that the teacher thought I couldn't do it and told me "it was a nice idea..but.."). You don't even have to have lessons just to enjoy music, but many presume instrumental lessons are a pre-requisit to enjoyment.

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17 March, 2010

Contemporary Classical Music - Adès and Chilcott

Over the past couple of weeks I have seen two concerts featuring new works by Thomas Adès and Bob Chilcott, at the Barbican (5/3/10) and Cadogan Hall (16/3/10) respectively. It seems I'm entering new territory here, for contemporary classical music has been up until now something I have not sought out. I can honestly say that the music I have recently heard has changed that. Though the pieces I had were in essence very different including scope, Adès delivering a more abstract, modernist piece and Chilcott taking Beethoven as his inspiration, both have shown me that the perception of classical music being a dying art, is very wide of the mark. 

I have to admit Chilcott's work stands out more for me, it was truly sublime, sweeping you along with the music, largely thanks to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Oxford Bach Choir. Adès piece was more of what I would call a thinking persons piece, technically brilliant yet requiring some thought to appreciate fully, I enjoyed it immensely, Emanuel Ax, the Pianist on the night really brought this work home.

Needless to say my somewhat reluctance towards contemporary classical music has been replaced by a need to explore more modern works; some I will like others not, but the fun is in finding the gems, and potentially feeling what listening to Bach, Beethoven and Mozart for the first time must have been like. The fun of being the first to listen to something and finally appreciating that if we do not support contemporary composers, the only modern classical music left will be left for film scores, not for audiences.

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14 March, 2010

How many London based Orchestras have played in Hull since 1980? - part two

Last month I submitted a question to Hull City Council on the What do they know site, a site which allows anyone to request information held by a public body. I asked Hull City Council to provide me with the names of London based orchestras who have played at Hull City Hall (the main concert venue in Hull, run by the council) since 1980. They had until 22nd March to respond with the information requested. 

I received the information on 9th March and am grateful that they responded before the deadline. I was however told that Hull City Council do not hold records before 2000, so all the information I received is dated after this date.

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