Multi-directional Opera
for the 21st Century
for the 21st Century
Whaletone Opera - Act Three
- Curing Tonosama
February 2005- Curing Tonosama
WHALETONE DAY 4
Nomu (which means drink by the way) wrote out a scedule for the evening.
3 guest artists arrived and we all ate at Italian Tomato (and some of us actually had tomatoes). Yamakawa a tuvan throat singer, (amazing overtones) Umezu, a sax player (he has played with John Zorn and did the last tour with Ian Dury and the Blockheads before he died as Davey Payne was too ill, he can play two saxes just like on the original) and the baroque early music singer Ayako.
At the evening rehearsal Zo Kaba (which means elephant hippo) also came with three of her friends.
We worked on the song for Tonosama`s lament. This worked very well. Next we did the Hippo telephone piece, a bit in the style of Perotin.
During this one I left to rehearse the wind band who played my piece ok, they are a little unconfident, were missing 2 players and of quite mixed abilities. But they seemed to enjoy it. Of course I had conducting arm-ache at the end.
While I was out the group did more on Hippophone and also a laughing piece. 4 groups with different style laughs. This was inspired by Zo (Elephant). I rejoined them for the masked ball, a waltz with sections improvised and the game of hippo pairs.
Five minute break and then Nomura swapped to rehearse band and I had the workshop. yamakawa worked with the `emotional singing` group, Umezu with the plum forest group and Ayako and I wrote a `Cats` style song with the rest.
The lyrics are
chorus
The power of love
The power of life
The power of hope
The power in your heart
verse 1
I believe in miracles
A light shining forever
verse 2
If you can find happiness
Please take me forever
A song mostly in 3, but with a 4/4 bar, but works really well. Kaori sings the verses solo.
We shared some of the pieces, but already it was late. Those who stayed went to hear Nomura`s piece with the wind band (his arrangement of Act 2 - or 2nd curtain if you prefer.
We went back to the hotel and light snowing.
Interlude
Thankyou for the words Pete, as it has turned out we are improvising the black and white words, but I especially like `black thoughts on a white day` and will sing at least that one. I think I will make this into a song though for my own consumption. That strange thing when you have an individual idea and a group idea and what you can make out of it can go in so many ways.
Sleeping. More snow overnight.
