Friday, March 28, 2014

The Most Eloquent 
Musical Indictment 
of Government Bureaucracy
Ever Written

To This We’ve Come

THE CONSUL

" ... My child is dead; John's mother is dying, and all you give me is papers – papers – PAPERS! ..."

An Opera in Three Acts

Music and Libretto by 

GIAN CARLO MENOTTI

Gian Carlo Menotti c. 1949

EILEEN FARRELL, soprano

6 comments:

  1. I wonderful indictment, no doubt. I prefer Laibach's approach, though. It's a little "scarier".

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  2. Not being an opera aficionado, I had to look up The Consul. The anguish in this aria (correct term?) is palpable.

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  3. It's a little easier to contrast and compare and expose the dangers inherent in present-day culture (contrast the possible illustrations between two renditions of the same music shown at the link).

    No one is likely going to confuse "the Consul" with an episode of "The West Wing".

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  4. They should try "comedic" opera... ala Terry Gilliam's Brazil. ;)

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  5. It saddens me to see how few appreciate neither the profundity and transformative power of this work nor the sensitivity and vocal splendor of the uniquely-American lyric-dramatic soprano, Eileen Farrell. Both should leave an indelible impression while inspiring awe and wonderment with their humbling effect.

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  6. Milton Krass said

    This is just gorgeous singing. Fantastic.

    ReplyDelete

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