Collaborative Opera Project?

I'm in the middle of writing my third opera now, with plans for a fourth in the works.

I know I haven't been part of the thread - but the device of the pregnant sister is BIZARRE. It really comes out of nowhere. If you want to keep it, you need to introduce it right at the beginning and use it as a parallel structure to the main story. Right now, it feels like, "Oh, we need something to thematically suggest such-and-such - okay, let's stick in this pregnant sister in the middle of the second act."

A more dramatic, less thematic, choice is to have Mary-sue become pregnant, perhaps by Billy-bob? In that way you have the downfall of her family coming from her betrayal of her lover. IS the baby mentally defective? Or is she a pariah because of who the baby's father is?

I think the sister should be the pregnant one, but as CDR said, it should be introduced way earlier, like at the first time we meet mary-sue, as in:

{sister of mary sue:} Mama, papa: I bear your first grandchild! =Definitely not in these words=
{chorus:} Oh, what wonderful news!
--Assorted singing and dancing---

{mary-sue:}--some aria that introduces her to us as a part of the "perfect family"



As for the family being sent into exile... a bit bizarre... and not in a good way.

A better solution IMHO whould be:

-billybob dies
-baby is born
-baby is found to be defective, rejected by mother
-baby is planned to be terminated
-mary sue recognises that the baby is a bit like billybob, and feels guilty for causing his death
-takes baby and runs away from her family, vowing to raise it.


BTW, hi, sounds very interesting so far, would definitely like to participate.

Dave: From my experience, just talking about it is futile, if you want to get it started, kick it out of the nest(eg. choose a plot and give everyone two days to object, do this until plot is found, then assign parts to be written by people, etc.)

I'm interested in working on this. I don't have much experience writing opera, but I'd have to start somewhere.

I would absolutely love to take part in this i would be able to write songs or incidental music or something, but i'll do anything (that sounds quite bad), as im new here it'd be nice to get involved in something like this!

Well, if no-one has started this by friday, I will take the lead.
Good?

I would love to start work on this thing. I think that it needs a bit better organization/ commitment, however.

I have an idea for the plot as well. instead of having the baby thing, perhaps we could go back to one of the beginning ideas of the play culminating in fake girl (who is really a personification of the man himself) attempting to kill the real one. I would suggest that as a fun little plot twist, he fights with the fake girl (himself) in his head (make it a monologue) and eventually tears the gun out of 'her' hands, accidentally turning it on himself, and in the struggle, pulls the trigger.

just an idea.

anyhow, I would love to see this sucker get up and running.


BTW... Hello YC! I haven't posted in a long while... my hiatus is over!

That plot device has been used before. A lot.

That movie with Dakota Fanning and Robert DeNiro...

Well, I would be glad to be the overal orchestrater and composer. A good project over the summer.

I can be coordinator if necessary too. In opera, the composer is the director of the play, he/she dictates what will happen and how it happens through the music.

My suggestion is to get a complete libretto finished, right down to the complete dialouge. Then certain scenes can be assigned to certain composers. I claim dibs on the overture and orchestrations! (since no one else has).

Upon thinking, this would be the orchestra:

Picc.
2 Fl.
2 Ob.
2 Cl.
2 Bsn.

4 Hns.
3 Tpts.
3 Trbs.
Tba.

Timp.
3 Perc.
Piano/Celesta
Harp

Strings

Haven't thought of voices yet.

Originally Posted by Justin Tokke

Well, I would be glad to be the overal orchestrater and composer. A good project over the summer.

I can be coordinator if necessary too. In opera, the composer is the director of the play, he/she dictates what will happen and how it happens through the music.

My suggestion is to get a complete libretto finished, right down to the complete dialouge. Then certain scenes can be assigned to certain composers. I claim dibs on the overture and orchestrations! (since no one else has).

Well, I don't think we should have a single overall composers. But maybe just someone to piece together the parts that people have written, if that's what you mean.