Feb 18, 2011 so much for the soapopera reallife of anna nicole, but what about the opera itself. The opera immortalize the tumultuous life of anna nicole smithstripper, playmate, and formidable tabloid queen. Anna nicole smith family may sue royal opera house as. Opera for full details on this stagework, including synopsis and roles, please visit our opera section. Context is everything, so get even closer to big, brash, blond spectacle with this curated selection of articles, videos, and original blog pieces related to the show. Says one opera enthusiast, it was raunchy, but also convincing. Evamaria westbroek plays the title role in anna nicole, markanthony turnages opera about the doomed life of the playboy model. The year you finally read a book about climate change. Composer markanthony turnages biographical opera of the late anna nicole smith will jiggle its way to the u.
Subtlety or complexity is not what is required here, but in the last 20 minutes, both libretto and music rise starkly to the tragedy of anna nicoles. Anna nicole is an english opera in 2 acts and 16 scenes, with music by markanthony turnage to an english libretto by richard thomas. Anna nicole is a very operatic subject, and her vulnerability and background made her what she was disturbed, outofcontrol on drink, drugs and sex and taken advantage of from all sides. The first night audience cheered mightily and uproariously. Anna bolena libretto italianenglish opera by gaetano. Richard joness oliviernominated production mixes comedy and tragedy, and boldly confronts the nature of. Feb 17, 2011 anna nicole, the opera yes, the opera premieres at londons royal opera house thursday.
Markanthony turnages music perfectly matches the libretto, and makes for a very entertaining opera. Drug ballad from anna nicole the royal opera youtube. Brooklyn academy of music, september 19, 20 bam and new york city opera coproduction. Turnages score morphs between pastiche opera and jazz guitars, drums, sax, screaming brass with a lot of frankly feeble fillin. Thomass libretto is far less scabrous than his work for jerry springer. Revival of anna nicole opera comes to london the new york. Sep 18, 20 the tragic life of anna nicole smith makes for audacious subject matter in this unconventional opera by composer markanthony turnage and librettist richard thomas. Anna nicole played by singer evamaria westbroek takes a bow at the curtain call of anna nicole. The royal opera has announced plans to mount a britishpenned opera based on the tragic life of late playboy playmate and former stripper anna nicole smith. The controversial life of model anna nicole smith takes to the stage in the form of an opera at the royal opera house in covent garden.
The anna nicole smith opera debuted in london last night to a rapturous reception. A new opera based on the life of tabloid queen anna nicole smith opened at royal opera house yesterday,february 17. The libretto is dreadful and i hope turnage picks someone capable of at least good. Its a feast for the senses, with a finely crafted libretto. Were left with the uncomfortable feeling that the portrayal of anna s life may well be as fake as her silicone titties. Jul 24, 2014 the razorsharp libretto is by richard thomas, cocreator of jerry springer. Sep 21, 20 markanthony turnage and richard thomas have brought anna nicole smiths siliconeenhanced charms to the brooklyn academy of music, in a coproduction with the new york city opera. Revival of anna nicole opera comes to london the new. Markanthony turnages opera features a libretto by richard thomas, cocreator of the. In a brilliant marriage of lowbrow bawdiness and highbrow operatic craft, british composer markanthony turnage and librettist richard thomas jerry springer. Evamaria westbroek, alan oke, gerald finley, susan. Royal opera to stage anna nicole smith production cbc news. Richard thomass libretto would carry the day even if the score werent as terrific as it is.
Turnage has said his aim was to create a story that morphs gradually into tragedy. But british composer markanthony turnages opera on the short life of the busty anna nicole smith, set to a libretto by richard thomas of jetry springer. With a libretto by richard thomas and music by markantony turnage, it starts with a promising pedigree. A revival of 2011 opera anna nicole has opened at the royal opera house, covent garden. I find it ironically revealing that both glass the perfect american and turnages anna nicole, both of which explore the corruption and death of the american dream, had their premieres in england, and that the latter was the opera that failed to save new yorks city opera from closing this is a stunning production, with a totally zizzlingly fearless evamaria westrbrook in the title role. The opera fame, is a surprisingly entertaining, colorful candy floss pink is the prevailing tone and poignant work. Anna leaves with her ladies, henry with all the followers of the hunt. Scene 9 gabinetto nel castello che mette allinterno delle stanze di anna. Her son daniel died mysteriously, aged 20, while visiting her in hospital where she had just had another baby a girl called. Markanthony turnage anna nicole 200810 opera in two acts richard thomas librettist antonio pappano conductor richard jones director royal opera house, london 17 february 2011 world premiere 212326 february 14 march view the royal opera house trailer for anna nicole visit the royal opera house website for tickets. Anna nicole at the royal opera house the new york times.
Composer markanthony turnages new spin on the remarkable life and tawdry death of the glamour model who married a billionaire has got the opera critics in a tizz. Turnage opera anna nicole conductor antonio pappano. The life of the texasborn stripper who married a multimillionaire more than 60 years her senior. Sarah joy miller and robert brubaker, seated, in anna nicole. Id certainly recommend anyone over 16 to see the royal opera houses production of anna nicole. Based on the life of american model anna nicole smith, the opera received its premiere on 17 february 2011 at the royal opera house, covent garden, london, directed by richard jones. New york city operas 2014 season and bams 20 next wave festival begin today, sept. Sep 20, 2014 but anna nicole which i saw thursday night at the royal opera house in london is such a work. E dove alcuna me qui vedesse, ella pur sa che in quelle. After the anna nicole smith opera, whose turn is it next. I think it is underpinned by genuine compassion for anna nicole and genuine scorn for the forces that mould, and then destroy her. Not the life of anna nicole smith, stupid though the american bimbo who died of a drug overdose in 2007, aged 39, epitomised both. Seeking its own sugar daddy, city opera recently announced it will go out of business unless it can.
Composer richard thomas is hard at work on the libretto for an opera about the late playboy centerfold and tabloid star, to premier in 2010 at londons royal opera. Anna nicole was commissioned by the royal opera house. The tragic life of anna nicole smith makes for audacious subject matter in this unconventional opera by composer markanthony turnage and librettist richard thomas. Jan 01, 2011 anna nicole smith was the waitress who became a playboy pinup and billionaires wife, before dying penniless at 39, the bloated laughing stock of reality tv. The librettist, richard thomas, was behind jerry springer. A fine example is anna nicole, a work that arrived with a bang at londons royal opera house in 2011. Anna comparisce dal fondo seguitata dalle sue dame, da paggi e da scudieri. Her son daniel died mysteriously, aged 20, while visiting her in hospital where she had just had another baby. Anna nicole is different because of its hybridity of genre. Anna nicole runs at the bam howard gilman opera house from september 1728.
Not your average night at the opera house, but anna nicole, which opens in london on thursday night feb. For if the life and death of anna nicole smith were not sensational enough as an idea for an opera, the libretto was written by richard thomas. What makes this opera so exciting, however, is that turnage seems to have found precisely the right musical idiom for such a drama an americana, brashly orchestrated and violently propulsive which embraces jazz, blues, musical comedy, and lounge smooch so ingeniously and responsively as to transcend mere pastiche. Anna nicole the opera in pictures music the guardian. With a life full of contradictions, her biography could easily have provided ample material for a daytime soap. And the ott story of anna nicole smith is a fitting subject, operatic in its sweep. The show, entitled anna nicole is described on their website as a celebrity. Anna nicole smith family may sue royal opera house as father. Evans, royal opera chorus, orchestra of the royal opera house, richard jones, antonio pappano. Anna nicole smith family may sue royal opera house as father of her daughter blasts sleazy opera. There was an awful lot of tragedy involved in the anna nicole story.
Anna nicoles true life rags to riches and as yet, unfinished story is by turn comic, tragic and farcical. Rochefort takes percy with him in another direction. Shock opera anna nicole at the royal opera house is a real triumph. Smith died at the age of just 39 after an overdose. The genteel world of opera collides with that of lurid headlines, strip clubs and playboy thursday when a new work based on the life of the late anna nicole smith has its premiere at londons.
Its not a great opera in the tradition of berg, britten and birtwistle, but its punchy, clever and engaging. Aug 29, 2014 anna nicole plays on two predilections. The flamboyant life and tragic death of anna nicole smith inspired markanthony turnages opera, commissioned by the royal opera. Sep 12, 2014 were left with the uncomfortable feeling that the portrayal of annas life may well be as fake as her silicone titties. Anna nicole runs at the royal opera house until 4 march. Mar 31, 2010 there was an awful lot of tragedy involved in the anna nicole story. Tutti le dan luogo, e rispettosamente le fanno corona. The flamboyant life and tragic death of anna nicole smith inspired markanthony turnages opera, commissioned by the royal opera and first performed in 2011. Anna nicole is an english opera in 2 acts and 16 scenes, with music by mark anthony turnage to an english libretto by richard thomas. Turnages heavy orchestral score matches thomas extreme language libretto for. Always larger than life, anna nicole smith gets opera.
Composer richard thomas is hard at work on the libretto for an opera about the late playboy centerfold and tabloid star, to. Anna nicole smith opera opens for business bbc news. Seeking its own sugar daddy, city opera recently announced it will go. Hessisches staatstheater wiesbaden anna nicole, music by. The music is by mark anthony turnage, the libretto by richard thomas. For if the life and death of anna nicole smith were not sensational enough as an idea for an opera, the libretto was written by richard thomas, the. What makes this opera so exciting, however, is that turnage seems to have found precisely the right musical idiom for such a drama an americana, brashly orchestrated and. New york city opera s 2014 season and bams 20 next wave festival begin today, sept. Feb, 2011 for if the life and death of anna nicole smith were not sensational enough as an idea for an opera, the libretto was written by richard thomas, the author of the infamously rude and risque. Anna nicole, which the nearly cashless company coproduced with bam, may be its last party. Doomed anna nicole gives opera cosmetic enhancement.
506 1120 169 813 115 1185 1128 51 607 459 7 560 1138 768 1542 1149 1099 114 283 27 1133 558 1171 838 757 1209 337 902 970 1073 115