Three days out
from Tuesday, June21st of the year2011.
Wow, so, big gestures, big motions. We’ve done the thing where we made a big mess and are now cleaning it up. It’s like that moment when you pack for a trip when the house looks like a tornado hit it and then suddenly pants are rolled, smocks folded, socks packed inside shoes and suddenly things have a shape, an organizational itinerary, and a purpose. That’s where we’ve just gotten this afternoon — things that yesterday I thought to myself, “oh my god I am the worst composer in the world I cannot believe I did that” are now seeming okay and, dare I say without jinxing it, pretty good? Such is the strange ballet, I’m learning, of this genre. The music requires all these other elements to sing along in order for the whole thing to work. If the music’s good but the staging is weird, it doesn’t work; if the video is genius but the music is wrong, it doesn’t work. The whole thing is a giant series of trust-falls. We had some clean pairs of ears in last night, which is really useful. I was thinking the other day about how many composers conduct their own operas — Tan Dun and John Adams come to mind immediately. I don’t know how they do it. I would go completely and absolutely insane. Rumon Gamba, Jamie Burton, and the music staff here are outrageously patient and collaborative in a way that I think I’d stop being after about ten minutes of the stop-and-start it requires to technically work through a show this complicated. Anyway, that is my quick update for the day. Everybody go buy the Bon Iver record, and also Seeing Is Believing, which are both out today in the US.
15 Comments
June 21st, 2011 at 10:23 pm
brilliant work, sir, bravo! so much love for the brightness and effervescence of every note, phrase, and song. thanks to Q2 i’ve heard it a bit and now i can let it sink into my bones. dually, best of luck with two boys premiere! i’m sending all my london mates and waiting for the new york premiere!
June 22nd, 2011 at 4:17 am
I heard a few pieces recorded on Seeing is Believing on Q2 as well; I think my favorite is actually By All Means! It’s such a well-crafted piece of music. Also I now have a mancrush on Nicholas Collon.
June 22nd, 2011 at 8:53 am
Toi Toi Toi!
June 23rd, 2011 at 7:42 am
Toi toi toi to the Two Boys posse! Today, I’ll receive my Seeing is Believing disc and I’ll be listening to Q2.
June 23rd, 2011 at 4:16 pm
Do they say “break a leg” in operaland? If not, I wish the appropriate greeting. I am sure it will be great. Bravo. Hug. John
June 24th, 2011 at 6:42 am
Wonderful!! Listening as we speak. Hold steady, dear man; your team is doing it’s job.
June 24th, 2011 at 6:42 am
oh no——grammatical error. “its” job please forgive! 😀
June 24th, 2011 at 10:38 am
Opening Night! I am so excited you would think I had something to do with it. Or could be there to cheer. But I will cheer here! Congratulations!
June 24th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
Congratulations!
June 24th, 2011 at 5:10 pm
Just back from the opening night of Two Boys at the ENO. Absolutely stunning. How it all came together so seamlessly is simply amazing. Nico’s music is full of light and shade, always fleet of foot, with spot-on orchestration, and the Thai gongs bring a wonderful, unsettling queasiness to the proceedings. The staging is extraordinary and really transforms the production into a theatrical experience that perfectly captures the duplicitous world of cyberspace. My boyfriend was totally won over and he’s the guy who walked out of ENO’s production of Berg’s Lulu. We were totally and utterly gripped. Many congratulations, Nico!
Regards,
David
June 30th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
Congratulations!
When does it come to the Met? 🙂
June 30th, 2011 at 7:44 pm
hey Nico, when you are not BUSY AS FUCK (so in forty years or something) would love to know yr thoughts on the Bon Iver album!
[Nico replies: I love it! Love his voice. Love listening to it. Very happy.]
July 1st, 2011 at 5:41 am
“When does it come to the Met? ”
The 2013-2014 season, in the ENO production. I hope it’ll be “Live in HD”! I received “Seeing is Believing” last week. Love it.
July 1st, 2011 at 11:17 am
Travelled from dc to London for opening night. Really enjoyed the opera, Nico.
July 19th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
Can’t wait for this to come state-side! I’m totally there.
Also Nico, I wanted to say how much the “Seeing is Believing” concerto has meant to me. My bromance and I have been listening to it on repeat for a few weeks, and it is precisely what I want music to sound like right now. So mature; so many nooks; so thought-out; so rewarding. You’ve won my total admiration a little more with this one. best