A new update about the
Chaslin & Fisher's Wuthering Heights opera. A set of youtube promotional videos has been uploaded with interviews with the singers and the composer:
Meet the artists during the Valencia/London Philharmonia recording sessions in September 2008 of the Chaslin & Fisher opera based on Emily Brontë's classic novel and poetry.
Valencia orchestra (Lorin Maazel, music director) London Philharmonia chorus.
With Olga Peretyatko, Andrew Richards, Leigh Melrose, Constance Haumann, Wolfgang Rauball, conductor: Frederic Chaslin.
EDIT 17/12/2008: Unfortunately, the videos are no longer online. Ms Fisher wrote to us to say that 'there were some small edits to be made before releasing them--they will be ready again soon'. We heartily hope so!
EDIT 18/12/2008 Some videos are on line again (the first three).
Categories: Music, Opera, Wuthering Heights
I was fairly impressed with what i heard there, actually. I usually hate when WH is attempted to be set to any form of music. But i quite liked some of the stuff i heard there. Although, i've never liked the H/C to Romeo and Juliet comparison. It's never seemed accurate to me.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that, and it's certainly nice to see things moving along so swiftly with this opera.
ReplyDeleteGood to see I'm not alone when things don't quite 'click' when people equal/compare Wuthering Heights and Romeo and Juliet.
This attempt at the Opera has moved beyond the juvenile comparison of WH to Romeo and Juliet that so many people make the mistake of doing....
ReplyDeleteThere are far deeper concepts at work here in Bronte's work --more turmoil and less 'fairy tale' resolution. From what I hear this adaptation is doing a fabulous job representing Bronte in true form, and not making the mistake I mentioned above that it seems so many former adaptations attempted to do to reach out to a dumbed down crowd.
Very excited for this project. The music sounds amazing! I looked up the singers too, world class. Awaiting the premiere whenever it will be!!
Thank you "Anonymous" for your comment above. FYI, As the librettist, I do not see the characters of Cathy and Heathcliff as a "Romeo and Juliet-type" couple. In addition, I have structured the opera to encompass Generation One and Generation Two. Emily Bronte did not choose to end Heathcliff's tale with Cathy's death, did she? Best wishes, PH FIsher
ReplyDeleteBased on the clips I've heard, I'm very excited to hear this version of the opera. If the composer/librettist is reading this, I'm curious to know if you've ever heard the first Wuthering Heights opera by Herrmann and what your thoughts are on it.
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