Cover, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
I read Michael Chabon's novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay back around 2000 or 2001; my paperback copy of the book looks exactly like the graphic above, so I bought the book after it won the Pulitzer Prize for literature. I loved the book's immense sweep and its colorful characters.
I raised an eyebrow when Mason Bates and Gene Scheer's Metropolitan Opera commission was announced, because, really, it didn't seem like a great candidate for an operatic adaptation, given the scope and complexity of the novel. I was surprised that the opera wasn't listed for an HD broadcast this season, and I decided against a quick NY trip, given various writing responsibilities I have.
Now the reviews are coming in and it seems reasonable to start a media round-up.
- Joshua Barone, NY Times
- Justin Davidson, Vulture/New York, who incorporates a critique of Peter Gelb
- Heidi Waleson, WSJ (paywall)
- Sylvia Korman, Parterre Box
- Alex Ross, The Rest is Noise (a glancing blow only)
- Alex Ross, The New Yorker (a body blow)
- George Grella, NY Classical Review
- David Gordon, TheaterMania
- Financial Times (so paywalled I have no idea who wrote it)
5 comments:
In the course of arguing that opera benefits from simplicity, Barone writes that Wagner's Ring could be summarized in just a few minutes.
Actually, Wagner's Ring has been effectively summarized in just two sentences.
Hello Lisa! Well - I did see it, because as you know, I go to all the new operas as much as I can to see what is being supported, how people are making their work, and what are the types of work that I find resonate with me. A composer friend of mine who was at the same "K & C" performance said to me, "I have a lot of thoughts about this opera," to which my reply was, "I will share mine, but only under the cone of silence!" I jest, of course - I share my opinions all too freely I am afraid, although a "cone of silence" would probably serve me well. "K & C," the Met & their recent commissions + their upcoming commissions, Gelb - what to say? I am glad someone is doing it. I am glad SF Opera is doing more new music than SFS. But regarding "K & C" specifically, it is not that it is a miss as much as it is a waste. That novel is so rich - the possibilities it holds for a truly spectacular libretto, and subsequently an even more astounding, inventive operatic score is simply overwhelming. And yet..genericissimo, at best. Blandando most of the time. If it were not for the creativity of the production and level of singing artistry, I am unsure what would have become of the evening. If you asked me now what I remember of the opera, nothing about what I recalled would have to do with music, sound, plot, words or story; staging, production, performance - YES! That is not the way I should be answering such a query.
It's an amazing book! I read it 25 years ago and loved it so much.
I mean....I thought the music for "Steve Jobs" was very appealing. But after "Moby-Dick," why would you think Gene Scheer was the right person to turn a big, complicated book into a libretto?
We will never know the answers to many of these questions.
At least I'll get to see it, since there will be an HD broadast after all! Apparently the last two performances sold out, and they're bringing it back for four more live performances. I gather that its a well-performed and entertaining spectacle even though the music isn't what one might have hoped for.
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