blue monday
two blind beggars
a hand of bridge
&
Cowboys and Offenbach is not a combination regularly seen on Adelaide stages, but emerging local company No Tenors Allowed is embracing all things Spaghetti Western for their latest show at the X Space, AC Arts from 6 July 2011.
The interesting combination is all part of the No Tenors Allowed ethos of changing the public face of opera. “When you are asked to think about opera, you think of fat ladies singing or old, grey haired tenors, not young people; but NTA is changing all of that,” says company co-founder, Blake Parham. He hopes to do this “with a production team and cast full of young emerging artists, all of whom are extremely passionate about opera and about making it accessible to a broader audience.” Opera Goes West is a black and white Western take on A Hand of Bridge by Samuel Barber, Offenbach’s Two Blind Beggars and George Gershwin’s Blue Monday.
Blake Parham takes the reins as producer and associate director after the incredible success of the company’s premiere production, The Double Bill: Cox and Box and The Telephone at the 2010 Adelaide Fringe Festival, rated “4Stars” (Ewart Shaw, The Advertiser and Richard Flynn, ATG).
The cast consists of Adelaide Critic Circle’s Best Emerging Performer nominee, Ian Andrew, the 'sparkling diamond' of opera Brooke Window, the 'king of comic opera', John Greene, emerging baritone Spencer Darby, the 'ragging', redheaded mezzosoprano Bethany Ide and 'the father' of the group Andrew Crispe. 'Shakespearean-actor-come-stand-up-comic' (The Golden Phung) Graham Self, will be sure to bring great fun and hilarity to the show after making his directing debut with NTA’s The Double Bill. Self’s direction of The Telephone was described as “a sparkling and fast moving piece” (Laraine Ball, Stage Whispers, 2010). The production’s musical director is composer, arranger and conductor Ian Boath, while the show’s design team is headed by up and coming local designer Ben Galbraith and AC Arts lecturer Peter Riley.Opera Goes West will be moseying on down into town like John Wayne at the X Space, AC Arts from 6 July 2011.
Tickets: Adults $22 Concession $18
Bookings are available online at
www.trybooking.com/LFA
or via e-mail (notenorsallowed@gmail.com)
*All performances are given by arrangement with G. Schirmer (Australia) Pty Ltd.
The interesting combination is all part of the No Tenors Allowed ethos of changing the public face of opera. “When you are asked to think about opera, you think of fat ladies singing or old, grey haired tenors, not young people; but NTA is changing all of that,” says company co-founder, Blake Parham. He hopes to do this “with a production team and cast full of young emerging artists, all of whom are extremely passionate about opera and about making it accessible to a broader audience.” Opera Goes West is a black and white Western take on A Hand of Bridge by Samuel Barber, Offenbach’s Two Blind Beggars and George Gershwin’s Blue Monday.
Blake Parham takes the reins as producer and associate director after the incredible success of the company’s premiere production, The Double Bill: Cox and Box and The Telephone at the 2010 Adelaide Fringe Festival, rated “4Stars” (Ewart Shaw, The Advertiser and Richard Flynn, ATG).
The cast consists of Adelaide Critic Circle’s Best Emerging Performer nominee, Ian Andrew, the 'sparkling diamond' of opera Brooke Window, the 'king of comic opera', John Greene, emerging baritone Spencer Darby, the 'ragging', redheaded mezzosoprano Bethany Ide and 'the father' of the group Andrew Crispe. 'Shakespearean-actor-come-stand-up-comic' (The Golden Phung) Graham Self, will be sure to bring great fun and hilarity to the show after making his directing debut with NTA’s The Double Bill. Self’s direction of The Telephone was described as “a sparkling and fast moving piece” (Laraine Ball, Stage Whispers, 2010). The production’s musical director is composer, arranger and conductor Ian Boath, while the show’s design team is headed by up and coming local designer Ben Galbraith and AC Arts lecturer Peter Riley.Opera Goes West will be moseying on down into town like John Wayne at the X Space, AC Arts from 6 July 2011.
Tickets: Adults $22 Concession $18
Bookings are available online at
www.trybooking.com/LFA
or via e-mail (notenorsallowed@gmail.com)
*All performances are given by arrangement with G. Schirmer (Australia) Pty Ltd.
Synopsis:
In the wild west, two "blind" beggars compete for the best position in front of a salon, one playing on a trombone and the other a guitar. Oddly enough, when passers-by drop coins the beggars are able to see well enough to retrieve them. To impress each other they fabricate wild stories accompanied by singing, the contest fast becomes comically grotesque as they compete for the best spot to act as a beggar. A slapstick comedy that pokes fun at everyone, but which Beggar will win, which will claim victory and the best position in town?
Meanwhile in side the salon we see a snapshot into the life of Two bored couples who are playing their customary game of bridge as they fantasise about their lives (A Hand of Bridge). Sally recalls a hat she saw in a shop window earlier in the day. Bill recalls a former lover and wonders where she is now. Geraldine laments not loving her now-dying mother while she was still well. Finally, David fantasizes about what he would do if he were as rich as his boss "Mr. Pritchett." What will happen to them...and more importantly who will win the game of bridge?
Somewhere else in that same saloon a jazz opera is going on. A jazz opera with the very typical tragic romance feel to it. The gambler Joe and his girlfriend Vi are happily in love. Trouble ensues when the arrogant singer, Tom, sets his eyes on Vi however. Even though Vi rejects Tom’s advances, he convinces her that a telegram Joe just received is from another woman. Vi overtaken with anger accuses Joe of infidelity and demands to see the telegram. All this while Sam the hotel worker laments the drudgery of ‘Blue Monday’. What will happen to Vi and Joe, what does the telegram really tell us and most importantly will Sam ever make it to Friday?
These three works present a different style of opera, both from a musical and narrative perspective; starting with the absurdity of the French operetta with Offenbach’s political and cultural satire, through to a contemporary snapshot of life with its lyrical melodies, complex rhythms and rich harmonies, and finishing with melodious jazz tunes in a tale of tragic romance. All of these situations take place in the one western saloon. The saloon acts as a melting pot where all these situations take place. The concept of a western saloon therefore, brings together the different stories and musical styles, creating a blend of ideas and characters; very much like the stage couch in the western film of the same name, which has served as a source of inspiration for us. This helps the production to change the face of opera, making it more accessible.
With this production NTA is seeking to demolish the myth of opera being a dull and over dramatised show where old, enormous ladies play ‘Aphrodite’ and balding, stout gentleman impersonate ‘Adonis’. NTA is changing this stereotypical perception. Hence, Opera Goes West is being created by a production team and cast full of young emerging artists, all of whom are extremely passionate about opera and are dedicated to making it accessible, insightful and appealing to a broader audience. Our team is determined to produce a high quality shot which involves an innovative use of genres and modern technology to provide entertainment for contemporary viewers, something that is surly a desirable contribution to opera as an art form.
In the wild west, two "blind" beggars compete for the best position in front of a salon, one playing on a trombone and the other a guitar. Oddly enough, when passers-by drop coins the beggars are able to see well enough to retrieve them. To impress each other they fabricate wild stories accompanied by singing, the contest fast becomes comically grotesque as they compete for the best spot to act as a beggar. A slapstick comedy that pokes fun at everyone, but which Beggar will win, which will claim victory and the best position in town?
Meanwhile in side the salon we see a snapshot into the life of Two bored couples who are playing their customary game of bridge as they fantasise about their lives (A Hand of Bridge). Sally recalls a hat she saw in a shop window earlier in the day. Bill recalls a former lover and wonders where she is now. Geraldine laments not loving her now-dying mother while she was still well. Finally, David fantasizes about what he would do if he were as rich as his boss "Mr. Pritchett." What will happen to them...and more importantly who will win the game of bridge?
Somewhere else in that same saloon a jazz opera is going on. A jazz opera with the very typical tragic romance feel to it. The gambler Joe and his girlfriend Vi are happily in love. Trouble ensues when the arrogant singer, Tom, sets his eyes on Vi however. Even though Vi rejects Tom’s advances, he convinces her that a telegram Joe just received is from another woman. Vi overtaken with anger accuses Joe of infidelity and demands to see the telegram. All this while Sam the hotel worker laments the drudgery of ‘Blue Monday’. What will happen to Vi and Joe, what does the telegram really tell us and most importantly will Sam ever make it to Friday?
These three works present a different style of opera, both from a musical and narrative perspective; starting with the absurdity of the French operetta with Offenbach’s political and cultural satire, through to a contemporary snapshot of life with its lyrical melodies, complex rhythms and rich harmonies, and finishing with melodious jazz tunes in a tale of tragic romance. All of these situations take place in the one western saloon. The saloon acts as a melting pot where all these situations take place. The concept of a western saloon therefore, brings together the different stories and musical styles, creating a blend of ideas and characters; very much like the stage couch in the western film of the same name, which has served as a source of inspiration for us. This helps the production to change the face of opera, making it more accessible.
With this production NTA is seeking to demolish the myth of opera being a dull and over dramatised show where old, enormous ladies play ‘Aphrodite’ and balding, stout gentleman impersonate ‘Adonis’. NTA is changing this stereotypical perception. Hence, Opera Goes West is being created by a production team and cast full of young emerging artists, all of whom are extremely passionate about opera and are dedicated to making it accessible, insightful and appealing to a broader audience. Our team is determined to produce a high quality shot which involves an innovative use of genres and modern technology to provide entertainment for contemporary viewers, something that is surly a desirable contribution to opera as an art form.
At the X Space, AC Arts, Light Square Adelaide, South Australia
6, 8, 14, 15, 18, 20 July at 7pm & 10, 17 July at 5pm.
6, 8, 14, 15, 18, 20 July at 7pm & 10, 17 July at 5pm.
Opera Goes West 2011
