Howard Shore at the Met

[Figo 2]

I realize this is next to no notice, but I just found out myself. Howard Shore and Martin Scorsese are going to be featured during the first intermission of today's Metropolitan Opera Broadcast of "The Marriage of Figaro." They'll be discussing their love of opera, and I wouldn't be in the least surprised if Shore talks about his use of leitmotif in "The Lord of the Rings." The break is scheduled to begin at 2:19 ET. Check your local classical stations. I'll post a link, if I can find one.

[Figo 2]

Here's a link to stations streaming the Met. The breaks go on for a while, so Shore may not be featured first thing. Remember, 2:19 ET.

http://www.operacast.com/met2004.htm

[Marian Schedenig 8,207]

Nozze is a fantastic opera. Only I don't see what it has to do with Shore. :roll:

Marian - listening to the Rene Jacobs-conducted version of Nozze right now.

[Figo 2]

So did anyone hear it? I missed a few minutes, since my f***ing landlords of course picked that time to drop by the shop to check one of the tenants' fuse boxes. Assholes.

As predicted, Shore talked about The Lord of the Rings. Scorsese elaborated on the influence of music on the filmmaking process, how rhythm guides his creative decisions, even when there is no actual music involved. He said he had originally wanted to use the second movement of Beethoven's 7th in The Aviator. And I think he said they actually tried it out on a scene where one of the characters is shaving?

He also talked about his Sicilian immigrant parents, the use of Cavalleria in Raging Bull, and why he made the musical decisions he did for Casino. He compared the finale of The Gangs of New York to Wagner's Gotterdammerung, but neglected to explain why Elmer Bernstein was taken off the project. In fact, Bernstein wasn't mentioned at all, although oddly the music for Cape Fear was.

Shore catalogued all the operatic singers who influenced him in the writing of his Ring cycle. And did I hear correctly -- is he doing an opera on The Fly?!!!

I hate my landlords...

[Figo 2]

Marian, Nozze di Figaro is one of the reasons I didn't kill myself a long time ago. It's gotten me through some very difficult periods in my life. If there is a greater, more life-affirming opera, I have yet to hear it. I bad-mouth Mozart a lot, I'm ashamed to say, kneejerk reactionary that I am, simply because his music is so overplayed. But in sober moments, I realize just how much I owe the man. There is a scene in the film Manhattan where Woody Allen is reciting into a tape recorder all the things that he thinks make life worth living. One of the things he mentions is the slow movement of Mozart's Jupiter Symphony. For me, it is Figaro.

[Marian Schedenig 8,207]

Just wanted to mention that the Rene Jacobs recording of Le nozze di Figaro I mentioned above won the Grammy for Best Opera Recording - and deservedly so. :spiny:

I'm not that much of a Mozart fan myself, really, except when it comes to his vocal writing. His operas are great, and so is the Requiem (see the music reading thread)...I don't really know much of his other choral stuff too well yet.

Marian - who might go watch Nozze at the opera again this season.

[Saxbabe 28]

I noticed that! And Shore won the score Grammy for Return of the King. Into the West won for Song.

Garden State won for Compilation soundtrack.

And how about John Adams who completely cleaned up with Transmigration of Souls, Best Classical Album, Best Orchestral Performance, and Best Classical Contemporary Composition! :spiny:

Greta - who will definitely pick up that Transmigration she was eyeing at B&N recently

[ChrisAfonso 186]

I can only recommend it, stunningly beautiful and moving piece. :spiny:

-Chris, Adams-Fan