# Modern High Phantasy as Opera Subject



## Cesare Impalatore (Apr 16, 2015)

I have a dream that one day a great modern composer will write a neoromantic opera influenced by wagnerian Musikdrama style with a story from A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) as subject. Seriously, all the great high phantasy literature from Tolkien to G.R.R. Martin could be an infinite source of operatic librettos just like greek and nordic mythology were in the old days. I can already see the titles before me, _Daenerys in Essos_, _Robb and Talisa_, _La clemenza di Ned Stark_ ...


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Cesare Impalatore said:


> great modern composer will write a neoromantic opera (...)


You got it impossible even before you brought it to your major point.

Personally, I'd prefer opera based on _The Bold and The Beautiful_ or _The Dynasty_, it's about the same depth and value + _Ridge & Brooke ossia Il Matrimonio Da Capo _ sounds better than these laboured fantasy names from GoT.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

As far as i'm aware, there are still no operas based on GoT, but here there is one about Tolkien's _Silmarillion_:






http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/956-Interview-with-Paul-Corfield-Godfrey.php


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Cesare Impalatore said:


> I have a dream that one day a great modern composer will write a neoromantic opera influenced by wagnerian Musikdrama style with a story from A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) as subject. Seriously, all the great high phantasy literature from Tolkien to G.R.R. Martin could be an infinite source of operatic librettos just like greek and nordic mythology were in the old days. I can already see the titles before me, _Daenerys in Essos_, _Robb and Talisa_, _La clemenza di Ned Stark_ ...


ooo! let me make the roles!

Daenerys in Essos
*Daenerys Targaryen:* dramatic coloratura soprano
*Khal Drogo:* basso cantante
*Jorah Mormont:* dramatic baritone
*Daario Naharis:* spinto tenor
*Baristen Selmy:* dramatic tenor
*Dathraki Witch:* contralto

Robb and Talisa
*Robb Stark:* spinto tenor
*Talisa:* spinto soprano
*Tywin Lannister:* dramatic baritone
*Walder Frey:* basso profundo
*Jaime Lannister:* lyric baritone


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## Cesare Impalatore (Apr 16, 2015)

BalalaikaBoy said:


> ooo! let me make the roles!
> 
> Daenerys in Essos
> *Daenerys Targaryen:* dramatic coloratura soprano
> ...


Very good suggestions, thanks! :tiphat:

For _The Clemency of Lord Stark_ I imagined something like this:

*Eddard Stark:* Heldentenor
*Cersei Lannister:* Dramatic Mezzo-soprano
*Joffrey Baratheon:* Lyric tenor (the douchy kind like the Duke of Mantova :lol
*Sansa Stark:* Soprano
*Lord Varys:* Countertenor
*Littlefinger:* Lyric Baritone


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## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

There really are lots of possibilities in Tolkien or GoT. I cant even imagine how great LOTR would be as an opera. This really is a great idea. Why hasn't these all ready been done? Beats me.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Cesare Impalatore said:


> Very good suggestions, thanks! :tiphat:
> 
> For _The Clemency of Lord Stark_ I imagined something like this:
> 
> ...


I have trouble picturing Ned Stark as a tenor. I saw him as more of a dramatic/Verdi baritone. 
the first thing you notice about Ned Stark are:
- grounded
- sense of paternal calm
- authority
....not very tenor-y
the rest sound good (unless you wanted to make Joffrey a trouser role lol)

Cersei would make SUCH a good dramatic mezzo role! though, at the same time, I most picture her being played by Maria Callas, so maybe she could be one of those Lady Macbeth-esque roles in between dramatic mezzo and dramatic soprano


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Diminuendo said:


> There really are lots of possibilities in Tolkien or GoT. I cant even imagine how great LOTR would be as an opera. This really is a great idea. Why hasn't these all ready been done? Beats me.


With all due respect to Tolkien, however great the source material and no matter how good an opera of LOTR might turn out, the operascenti would cry, "poor mans DRDN" before the critics could say "Derivative!"

N.


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## PAUL CORFIELD GODFREY (7 mo ago)

Further to Schigolch's comments above, the whole of the epic scenes from my cycle _The Silmarillion_ are now available on four double-CD sets from Prima Facie Records: _Feanor, Beren and Luthien, The Children of Hurin _and _The Fall of Gondolin. _All of these use texts exclusively by Tolkien, and as such the cycle is certainly the most substantial setting of any Tolkien material available. The recordings feature singers from Welsh National Opera. And, despite, the further comments above, critical opinion has been highly favourable: Chris Seeman in the Tolkien Music list refers to _Beren and Luthien_ as "the most potent actualisation of Tolkien's writing I have heard" and Brian Wilson in MusicWeb International compares the ending of _The Children of Hurin _with Wagner's _Ring _cycle as "worthy of mention in the same sentence."


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

PAUL CORFIELD GODFREY said:


> Further to Schigolch's comments above, the whole of the epic scenes from my cycle _The Silmarillion_ are now available on four double-CD sets from Prima Facie Records: _Feanor, Beren and Luthien, The Children of Hurin _and _The Fall of Gondolin. _All of these use texts exclusively by Tolkien, and as such the cycle is certainly the most substantial setting of any Tolkien material available. The recordings feature singers from Welsh National Opera. And, despite, the further comments above, critical opinion has been highly favourable: Chris Seeman in the Tolkien Music list refers to _Beren and Luthien_ as "the most potent actualisation of Tolkien's writing I have heard" and Brian Wilson in MusicWeb International compares the ending of _The Children of Hurin _with Wagner's _Ring _cycle as "worthy of mention in the same sentence."


It would need to almost be a short story as these epics are much longer than Wagner's Ring. Great staging. I don't think any modern composers other than John Williams could be up to creating the beautiful music this type of subject needs.


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## PAUL CORFIELD GODFREY (7 mo ago)

I don't know what you mean by a short story. The music of my epic scenes extends over more than nine hours, not quite as long as Wagner's _Ring _although a concluding evening entitled _The War of Wrath_ which I wrote a couple of years ago (to be recorded and released shortly) brings it up to near-Wagnerian duration. A great deal longer than any other work employing Tolkien texts, or indeed than any score by John Williams. I do not know how you can say that nobody other than John Williams could tackle the task, without hearing any of my scores; Chris Seeman reviewing _Beren and Luthien _commented: "As the opera progresses, recognisable motifs are established for key characters and events, and the composer allows time for each of these themes to emerge organically from the narration and dialogue. There is no rushing from one scene to the next; it takes however long it takes." Stuart Sillito, reviewing the same release for MusicWeb International observed that "it does fell as if you are listening to the retelling of a great story which is portrayed very dramatically without being operatic. As such, the music serves the text rather than the text serving the music, which gives the work the feeling of a modern take on an English music drama from the Victorian era, with more than a hint of Wagner being thrown in for good measure." Brian Wilson, reviewing _The Children of Hurin_, refers to "music of loss shot through with hope and tenderness" and "often hauntingly beautiful." Excerpts from some of the scores can be heard as part of YouTube introductions to the music and other talks.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

PAUL CORFIELD GODFREY said:


> I don't know what you mean by a short story. The music of my epic scenes extends over more than nine hours, not quite as long as Wagner's _Ring _although a concluding evening entitled _The War of Wrath_ which I wrote a couple of years ago (to be recorded and released shortly) brings it up to near-Wagnerian duration. A great deal longer than any other work employing Tolkien texts, or indeed than any score by John Williams. I do not know how you can say that nobody other than John Williams could tackle the task, without hearing any of my scores; Chris Seeman reviewing _Beren and Luthien _commented: "As the opera progresses, recognisable motifs are established for key characters and events, and the composer allows time for each of these themes to emerge organically from the narration and dialogue. There is no rushing from one scene to the next; it takes however long it takes." Stuart Sillito, reviewing the same release for MusicWeb International observed that "it does fell as if you are listening to the retelling of a great story which is portrayed very dramatically without being operatic. As such, the music serves the text rather than the text serving the music, which gives the work the feeling of a modern take on an English music drama from the Victorian era, with more than a hint of Wagner being thrown in for good measure." Brian Wilson, reviewing _The Children of Hurin_, refers to "music of loss shot through with hope and tenderness" and "often hauntingly beautiful." *Excerpts from some of the scores can be heard as part of YouTube introductions to the music and other talks.*


You do realize that you can post links to YouTube here, don't you? Since all your posts appear to be advertisements for your music, giving us some samples seems a logical step, and the best way to make what you're telling us meaningful.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> It would need to almost be a short story as these epics are much longer than Wagner's Ring. Great staging. I don't think any modern composers other than John Williams could be up to creating the beautiful music this type of subject needs.





PAUL CORFIELD GODFREY said:


> I don't know what you mean by a short story. The music of my epic scenes extends over more than nine hours, not quite as long as Wagner's _Ring _although a concluding evening entitled _The War of Wrath_ which I wrote a couple of years ago (to be recorded and released shortly) brings it up to near-Wagnerian duration. A great deal longer than any other work employing Tolkien texts, or indeed than any score by John Williams. I do not know how you can say that nobody other than John Williams could tackle the task, without hearing any of my scores; Chris Seeman reviewing _Beren and Luthien _commented: "As the opera progresses, recognisable motifs are established for key characters and events, and the composer allows time for each of these themes to emerge organically from the narration and dialogue. There is no rushing from one scene to the next; it takes however long it takes." Stuart Sillito, reviewing the same release for MusicWeb International observed that "it does fell as if you are listening to the retelling of a great story which is portrayed very dramatically without being operatic. As such, the music serves the text rather than the text serving the music, which gives the work the feeling of a modern take on an English music drama from the Victorian era, with more than a hint of Wagner being thrown in for good measure." Brian Wilson, reviewing _The Children of Hurin_, refers to "music of loss shot through with hope and tenderness" and "often hauntingly beautiful." Excerpts from some of the scores can be heard as part of YouTube introductions to the music and other talks.


I take it all back. I speak in ignorance of modern opera. Sorry. I do know that epic novels often suffer movie adaptations unless one can do three installments like the Lord of the Rings did so I extrapolated to opera. Williams is one of the few modern composers who's classical type compositions I like and are familiar with. I only know and like a handful of operas composed since the mid 20th century.


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## PAUL CORFIELD GODFREY (7 mo ago)

In response to Woodduck, I would perhaps suggest that my entry into the discussion was not intended so much as advertisement as a response to the lament from some quarters regarding the dearth of operatic settings of Tolkien, and to point out that such settings not only did exist but were already available. And also to give notice of the forthcoming recording and release of _The War of Wrath_, which has nowhere been as yet the subject of any advance publicity or advertisement.

Those, including Seattleoperafan, who would like to hear and know more about my _Silmarillion_ cycle, are recommended to consult my website (link below) which gives not only the full texts of the sets of epic scenes, but explanations of the editions employed and analysis of the musical construction - as well as translations from the Elvish where appropriate, and details of the recording process etc. The website also furnishes links to recordings of various musical extracts, as well as spoken introductory talks - which will probably be more readily accessible than trawling through a raft of YouTube listings.

HOME | The Music of Paul Corfield Godfrey


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## OffPitchNeb (Jun 6, 2016)

I wished the great Toru Takemitsu had written an opera or opera cycle with materials from Japanese folklore and literature. Imagine he had set "The Tale of Genji" to music.


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## AlexD (Nov 6, 2011)

Diminuendo said:


> There really are lots of possibilities in Tolkien or GoT. I cant even imagine how great LOTR would be as an opera. This really is a great idea. Why hasn't these all ready been done? Beats me.


Because Wagner's Ring cycle had inspired Tolkien. so you could argue that it had been done before. 

That said, the Hobbit would probably make a great opera to get children interested in the format.

A kind of Peter and the Wolf for older children.


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