The Birth of an Opera – First March Workshop

In March, 2014 Music Director Jeremy Denk, composer Steven Stucky, director Mary Birnbaum, and Artistic Director Thomas W. Morris gathered at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, where Jeremy is currently artist-in-residence, for the first of two workshop sessions for ‘The Classical Style: An Opera (of Sorts). With the help of eight singers from the New England Conservatory, the work received its first run through and gave Jeremy and Steven a chance to work through and refine the score. Thomas Morris wrote the following letter to Festival supporters on the incredible experience of these first workshops:

March 10, 2014

Dear friends:

I am sitting in Calderwood Hall, the gorgeous small performance hall in Boston’s venerable Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The rectangular black box hall is the centerpiece of the stunning light-filled Renzo Piano addition to the Gardner.

I have just heard the second run-through of Jeremy Denk and Steven Stucky’s The Classical Style, the comic chamber opera premiering on June 13 at this year’s Ojai Music Festival.

That Charles Rosen’s classic book, The Classical Style, is fodder for an opera defies expectations and, to some degree, common sense. And of course, that is its appeal. The book is a classic description of what the so-called “classical style” of Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn is, how it came to be, and how it was ultimately superseded by the dynamic continuum of musical evolution. Rosen’s brilliant prose eloquently and poetically makes this case, albeit with extensive musical examples and a broad perspective.

Jeremy completed a draft of the libretto in fall 2012. Steve began working with Jeremy on the libretto at that point, and then dove into the actual composition in late summer 2013, taking a sabbatical from his Cornell teaching position in order to devote himself full-time to the task. The piano vocal score was completed two weeks ago.

An opera is complicated – not only are there questions of building a musical and dramatic arc, but questions of balance, pacing, inflection, and comprehension. When the project was conceived, we built into the planning an extensive three-week workshop at the Gardner Museum, made possible by Jeremy’s ongoing role as its artist-in-residence. The Gardner truly embraces the idea of creativity while at the same time being a venerable showcase for some very great art. As part of the Renzo Piano addition, the Gardner constructed two wonderful apartments for its artists-in-residence to reside and work in, no strings attached – in essence being a true incubator for the creation of art.

Eight marvelous young singers from Boston’s New England Conservatory plus a pianist, Steve, and Jeremy, spent the weekend working through the score, all under the watchful eye of our dynamic director Mary Birnbaum and our creative consultant Peter Kazaras. Peter and Mary bring keen and experienced theater eyes to the project at this very early stage.

A workshop is just that – an opportunity to work on the piece itself, away from the pressures of preparing for performance. It is intense, intimate, tedious, rewarding, frustrating, and wildly stimulating. The weekend began Friday evening with a read-through of the entire score. Saturday and Sunday, the team worked with the singers on specific sections of the score – rehearsing, changing, cutting, adding, fixing, shaping, and refining. It was simply incredible to witness the concentration and commitment of all.

This morning, we heard a second complete run-through of the whole piece. It was amazing to see and hear how it had developed and the increasing life it had taken. The selfless and tireless determination and energy of Steve and Jeremy was astonishing as they debated, revised, adjusted, and refined the score.

However, we are far from the end. Jeremy and Steve will confer throughout this week to synthesize all the changes, additions, and subtractions decided upon into a new piano vocal score. Steve departed five minutes ago for his six-hour drive back to Ithaca. He teaches all day tomorrow and retreats to his studio at 4pm for an all-nighter to produce the new score, with the great help of technology and his long-time copyist, Ken Godell. The plan is for a revised score to emerge Thursday morning, in time to be sent to the singers in Boston so they can prepare for the next workshop at the Gardner that starts at 5pm Friday. Next weekend will be a real working session with the singers, pianist, and Jeremy.

The following week, yet another working score will be produced based on changes and modifications decided next weekend. We all gather in Boston again March 21-24 for a final workshop of coaching sessions, rehearsals, and several full run-throughs. At that point, the final working piano vocal score will be completed, to be sent to our marvelous cast, and Steve will complete the full orchestral score and parts. Orchestra rehearsals take place in New York with The Knights around June 1, and the cast, director, and production team arrive in Ojai on June 3 for a week of rehearsals.

So what is The Classical Style like? First, the piece is very funny – a true comic opera. The text, not surprisingly, is clever, full of mischief, and fantasy. It is also a remarkable blend of irreverence and reverence – it pokes fun at musical clichés, describes and dramatizes musical form, but also celebrates poignantly the glory of music. It is very fast paced – a true comic romp. Second, Steve’s inventive and sparkling music mirrors and illuminates Jeremy’s clever libretto. Given the subject of the musical style evolution, you will hear music that embodies that musical evolution – moments of hilarious musical jokes and quotations imbedded in a wildly creative and gorgeous score. Third, the ending is very powerful and touching, particularly after the romp that precedes it. The piece makes you think and genuinely embraces the wonders of great music.

Having seen this project from being just an idea to a libretto to a score to a first performance, and now to witness its further refinement as a finished work of art has been breathtaking. Jeremy and Steve have produced a piece of magic, an amazing achievement given neither has ever written an opera, and they never worked together before this. Ojai is in for a real treat.

Read Tom Morris’ second report from Boston here >>

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