THE
GENESIS
Over two years ago, Eric Whitacre and David Noroña had an
idea to create an epic opera that would speak directly to their
generation. Both have classical training. Whitacre holds a masters
degree in composition from Juilliard and has had a stunning career
as a classical artist, with his commissioned concert works being
performed regularly throughout the world. Noroña received
his BFA in drama from Carnegie-Mellon University and has had dozens
of starring roles on Broadway and in television and film. Both men
share an unquenchable passion for storytelling.
Their goal was to seamlessly blend two seemingly disparate genres:
opera and electronica. Opera, with its grandeur and sophistication,
provides the dramatic architecture, with layer upon layer of symbolic
narrative. Electronica, with its endless palette of color and texture,
provides the subtle and otherworldly musical language crucial to
the story of Paradise Lost. Together, these two languages
create a powerful and virtuosic vehicle and a completely new way
of telling a story.
Working with this unified vision, Eric and David have already clocked
countless hours together—writing, improvising, imagining a
world that is a brilliant product of their theatrical experiences.
To see them work together is to truly understand the nature of synergy,
and to hear them describe their vision is to realize that Paradise
Lost is not only a profoundly original work, it is a profoundly
original genre. The idea has become reality, and the world anxiously
awaits.
THE OPERA
Paradise Lost is the first serious opera to combine contemporary
classical music and ambient and dance electronica. Inspired by Milton’s
classic epic poem, Paradise Lost is the story of one angel’s
fall from grace and her battle to return to heaven. The singers,
classically trained in the traditional operatic style, will be accompanied
by a breathtaking blend of electronica, world, and orchestral instruments.
Arias, choruses, and recitatives flow seamlessly through a stunning
and fast-paced English-language libretto. Please visit the official
website
to learn more about it.
PERFORMANCES
Composer Eric Whitacre, writer-director David Noroña, and
singers Hila Plitmann and Damon Kirsche present a breathtaking journey
through highlights of their groundbreaking opera.
February 11, 2003—New York City in a stunning 150-year-old
gothic cathedral, with a world-class production team and state-of-the-art
lighting and sound. Click the image to see the venue.
July 3, 2003—The Tempodrom, Berlin, Germany. Click
the image to see the venue.
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