Wednesday, March 25, 2009

A bit of sunny news from rainy Belgium!

This is on a bit of a personal note, but I found out yesterday that I have been passed through to the finals of the Opera Europa Directing Prize. There are 4 of us remaining in the finals, from an original 40 or so. The prize this time around is for a concept proposal for Mozart's "La Finta Giardiniera". For those of you that know this opera, it is a very funny piece that, despite lots of problems and awkward sections, harkens the young genius' growth to maturity. Our propsal, however, focuses on a potential dark side of the work, and looks at the issue of domestic violence in emerging economies of the eastern block. In any event, I will fly to Barcelona for the 2009 Opera Europa conference this April to present the concept and to direct a group of singers at the Liceu in the Act I Finale.

That was a great way to begin the day!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Clips from across the pond.

Here are two short clips from AOT's January production of Philip Glass and Allen Ginsberg's opera "Hydrogen Jukebox". One is a trailer of the entire production. The second is the movement Wichita Vortex Sutra which ends act one. It is my favorite movement of the piece, and the one which never failed to move me every performance - it is a tremendous statement to the strength and endless capacity for hope of the human spirit.