Really love his work The Tyrants, it's an opera set in ancient Rome, based on the life of the emperor Nero and the empress Agrippina.
The thing that really fascinates me about his work is that he works in these two elements; on one hand, the music often has this soft, hypnotic, almost sensual feel, something you could go ballroom dancing to...on the other hand, there's an element of danger, almost threat, as well. It's seductive and almost sexual, but on the other hand there's this foreboding going on as well. Ballroom dance with overtones of impending disembowelment.
And yet these elements don't conflict with each other. It's both seductive and dangerous sounding...really love that combo.
Favorite aria is probably the one in the middle of Act 2 at about 30min 'Galba deserves my womb'. Love how again, that build up from the low notes to the towering fortissimos sounds eerily sensual despite the fact that it's a scene where someone dies. Love Agrippina's arrogance as well - she radiates so much power that they obey her when she sings 'Unhand me!'
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwvnESTE1AuaxpENkyBCozdOz-tVwHyby
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Shame that isn't on DVD.
I'm a fan of opera and his music sounds fine: a mix of modern but not shy about falling back into more conventional material. Not sure I could watch it on a computer screen though. I'd have to learn how to connect my laptop to the telly....not sure my family would be too pleased but....!!!
Yeah I would love a DVD too, I can watch opera on a computer screen, but it's nice to sink into an armchair and detach from the internet for a while!
Dane Aubrun said:
FYI he runs the Contemporary Composers Collective Facebook group