Minnesota Opera is going to perform the world premier of “The Manchurian Candidate” this Saturday. Music by Pulitzer prize winner Kevin Puts, libretto by Mark Campbell; the performance is described (by Director Kevin Newbury) as an event like a rock concert and expects the performance should be appealing to Broadway fans.
It helps that this opera is in English and, given the subject matter, couldn’t be more timely. A number of representatives from other American opera companies will be attending this weekend to determine if it’s a production they want to under take.
I’m wondering, what other political thriller would make a good opera? How about the “Innocence of Muhammad” as the basis of a real tragic story. Oh, not the low budget movie by Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, but the use of his film as an excuse for the U.S. consulate in Benghazi getting over run by Islamic terrorist. There are so many operatic characters who scheme and lie, the libretto nearly writes itself. The only downside is the good guys (Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Brad Doherty) die in this story, while all the bad guys get away with it.
Three Days of the Condor, set in the U.S., and with the assassin successful.
They could just put up a live feed of the White House living quarters on CSPAN and tell the same story.
I had an idea for an opera called “Knuckleheads” about the Clinton administration.
I even got the theme song down, but I don’t know where I put it.
“The Bacchae” by Euripides with Obola as the character of Pentheus.
“The Manchurian Candidate” this Saturday.
Does Brock O’Bama play the lead role?
A little ‘Seven Days in May’ wouldn’t hurt right about now.