tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Jul 27 05:31:14 2010
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'u': the first authentic Klingon opera on earth
- From: Klingon Opera <[email protected]>
- Subject: 'u': the first authentic Klingon opera on earth
- Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:29:34 +0200
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It was just mentioned on the list, so I thought I'd present some more
information about the Klingon opera 'u'.
To quickly answer Steven Boozer: yes, Marc Okrand is involved with the
project. There is also a personal video message from him on the
website: http://www.u-theopera.org
Now for the full lowdown:
'u' : the first authentic Klingon opera on earth.
The Klingon are known as passionate opera-lovers.
However very little is known about their highly evolved form of
musical expression here on earth.
Floris Schönfeld has managed to lay his hands on some fragments of a
masterpiece of the batlh jachlut or Honorable Battle opera.
Its title is ‘u’, which can be translated as ‘universe’ or
‘universal’. It will be the basis for the opera ‘u’, the first
complete, authentic Klingon opera here on earth.
Klingon opera uses the principle of musical combat. Beauty in Klingon
music comes from the impact of two opposing forces. To quote a well
known Klingon proverb qa’ wIje ‘meH masuv or ‘We fight to enrich the
spirit.’ The Klingon orchestra is made up of various indigenous
Klingon instruments, some that have never been heard on earth before.
The Terran Klingon Research Ensemble has been set up further develop a
coherent Klingon musical practice amongst human musicians.
The libretto of ‘u’ is based on the epos of Kahless the unforgettable.
Betrayed by his brother and witness to his father’s brutal slaying,
Kahless is pitted against his bitter enemy the mighty tyrant Molor. To
regain his honor he must travel into the underworld, create the first
Bat’leth, be united with his true love the lady Lukara and fight many
epic battles. Through this awe inspiring adventure Kahless redefines
what it is to be truly Klingon. With the help of Marc Okrand, the
worlds leading Klingon language expert, we have managed to piece
together the stories in their original epic-poetic form for the first
time.
The project ‘u’ has been running for about two years now. In this time
the KTRE and Floris Schönfeld have given numerous performances and
lecture in The Hague, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, as well as being
invited to the artist-in-residence program of Robert Wilson’s
Watermill Center in New York.
The premiere of the opera is planned for the 9th of September at the
Zeebelt theater in The Hague, The Netherlands.
Joris Favie (on behalf of the 'u' team)
PS the best way to keep updated is to join the Facebook page:
http://facebook.com/u.the.opera
PPS I'll post an occasional update to this list, if that's OK