# Ben-Hur



## graziesignore (Mar 13, 2015)

Why was there never an opera of Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur? Seems like the great opera subject that got away (and then film took it...)

Now I seem to recall that someone did write a Ben-Hur opera but it was never performed? 

It's interesting because when I watch the 1950s Ben-Hur, it's almost exactly like watching an opera without singing, in both good and bad ways. Yeah, the chariot race would have been tough to stage :-; but...


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

graziesignore said:


> Why was there never an opera of Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur? Seems like the great opera subject that got away (and then film took it...)
> 
> Now I seem to recall that someone did write a Ben-Hur opera but it was never performed?
> 
> It's interesting because when I watch the 1950s Ben-Hur, it's almost exactly like watching an opera without singing, in both good and bad ways. Yeah, the chariot race would have been tough to stage :-; but...


Great idea! And Ben-Hur would, of course, be a baritone role!


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Wasn't their an opera Been Her about the transition of Buck Angel the M2F transexual. It was cancelled because of casting probems. This is hearsay.


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## graziesignore (Mar 13, 2015)

Sospiro... in my dreams... but you know darn well Messala would have been the baritone. (But think of the awesome friendship duet they'd have in Act I, and the hate-filled death aria Messala would have near the end...)

And Arrius would be the basso, of course.

Five acts, obviously - Act V being the Miracle of the lepers.

You actually don't need the chariot race on stage, it can just be a ballet with horse costumes 

LET'S DO THIS


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

graziesignore said:


> Sospiro... in my dreams... but you know darn well Messala would have been the baritone. (But think of the awesome friendship duet they'd have in Act I, and the hate-filled death aria Messala would have near the end...)
> 
> And Arrius would be the basso, of course.
> 
> ...


Oh I don't know ... there might just be enough room to squeeze them on to the stage


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## graziesignore (Mar 13, 2015)

Forget Live in HD... let's have that Live in 3-D!!


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

sospiro said:


> Great idea! And Ben-Hur would, of course, be a baritone role!


No, definitely a heroic tenor- but sadly they too have all gone the way of the ancient Romans- all dead.


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## graziesignore (Mar 13, 2015)

(But the Last of the Romans IS, in fact, a baritone...)


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

How many Acts are you going squeeze this story into? 

This reminds me of another thread a while back when people were thinking of books that should be the source of operas. Nearly all were very complex stories. Not the sort of thing you could do in 3-4 Acts. 
Moby Dick works because 90% of that book is about whale classifications and rope. Once you omit the boring parts, all you're left with is:
1. Meeting Queequeg, 2. Chase whales and 3. Whale vs Ahab

Imagine cutting out everything but 3 scenes from something like Ben Hur!


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## graziesignore (Mar 13, 2015)

Oh, like I alluded earlier, this is definitely a 5-act grand opera. I was thinking, Act I: Ben-Hur's fall from grace and imprisonment, Act II: Ben-Hur's slavery and rescue of Arrius, Act III: Ben-Hur's return to his homeland, reconnecting with Esther and meeting up with Chariot Sheikh (can't remember his name), Act IV: chariot race and death of Messala, and a short little Act V (just as in the movie) with the crucifixion and miracle of the lepers.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

I've always wondered why no one ever thought to make an opera out of Zola's _Germinal_. It's got all the ingredients.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

...as long a they don't cast Russell Crowe and make him sing. Of course, that would never happen (oh, wait...)


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Couac Addict said:


> ...as long a they don't cast Russell Crowe and make him sing. Of course, that would never happen (oh, wait...)


 

Or Russell *The Voice* Watson ....


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