The Birth of an Opera: Second March Workshop
At the end of March, Jeremy Denk, Steven Stucky, Thomas W. Morris, Mary Birnbaum, and the New England Conservatory singers reconvened at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum to read through the revised version of ‘The Classical Style: An Opera (of Sorts). Tom Morris again wrote to Festival supporters to give an update on the work’s progress:
March 25, 2014
Dear friends:
I have just returned from Boston where again we had workshops on The Classical Style project.
The first set of workshops was held at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum the weekend of March 7-10, and I reported on those two weeks ago. The purpose of the workshops was for the composer (Steven Stucky) and librettist (Jeremy Denk) to work through the score with a marvelous group of young singers from the New England Conservatory and a pianist. With the luxury of time and without the pressure of a performance, it was possible to fine-tune the structure of the piece, make changes, correct errors, and generally find out what is working and what needs further work.
After the first weekend, the singers and pianist rejoined Jeremy on March 14-18 for another long weekend of work. Steve and Jeremy had done many revisions from the first weekend, and Steve had miraculously produced a completely revised piano/vocal score for this second weekend, thanks to the incredible magic of technology and his wonderful copyist, Ken Godel.
The group then reunited this past weekend in Boston for a final weekend of work. We spent Saturday and Sunday working through the changes developed from weekend two. Further changes were made as the work progressed. Watching the energy and concentration of the singers, Jeremy, and Steve was astonishing – changing a word of text here, a note there, a phrase, adding a pause, etc. Throughout the whole process, you could see and hear how these young singers began to inhabit the roles themselves. The work is complex for them, since seven of the eight singers perform multiple roles, and all have moments of singing and speaking.
Finally, on Monday, we had a complete run-through performance. To add to the magic, the composer himself played the piano part. Luckily, the performance was captured on video and audio so it can be used to help the final cast learn their parts. Listening to the work in the elegant Calderwood Hall was a real treat, and having the added magic of the Steve playing the piano proved captivating. The piece is charming, funny, clever, sophisticated, and moving.
Adding to the occasion was having Henri Zerner present. Henri was closely associated with Charles Rosen and shared the story that in 1964, a publisher approached Rosen with a contract to write The Classical Style. While ultimately, the work took eight years and a different publisher to be completed, it is fascinating to know that the premiere in Ojai is happening on the 50 year anniversary of the first contract being signed.
As we enter the two months before the Festival, the final piano vocal score is now being prepared, as is the orchestration. The orchestral parts will be finalized, the piano vocal scores sent to the cast, and performance preparations will begin formally at the end of May with orchestra rehearsals in New York with The Knights, and then with the cast in Ojai starting June 4.
Jeremy and Steve have now also decided on the formal name for the piece – The Classical Style: An Opera (of Sorts).
I look forward to seeing you all in Ojai.