Collaborative Opera Project?

Patience, everybody!! An opera is NOT something that can be written in a couple of days, it takes time! I have written about half of the first scene's libretto, and written one main theme for inclusion in the orchestral Introduction.

I haven't been part of the discussion lately, so I'd like to weigh in on what the instrumentation should be. I envision a large orchestra for this, but as long as there is a decent string count, chamber should be fine. I'd like the orchestration to echo the idea of Flint's character - very layered, very deep and dark. So cutting some woodwinds out (maybe 2.1.2.1) seems appropriate. But brass should be rather full, as the character is incredibly angry at parts and needs some power behind him. I'm thinking 4.2.2.1 for brass. Then harp, possibly piano, timp/perc., and strings. It's not a chamber orchestra, but it's not large. Is this pretty much what people had in mind?

Ok, here is what I have of the libretto so far (attached as txt). I know it's not perfect. I would like comments please, constructive criticism, etc. Anything really! Also, here is a theme I wrote for the opening: dark theme

Looks alright to me. *idea* can we make this the planning thread and make another with OFFICIAL info? Like, with official orchestration, how much of the libretto is done, etc. This will be helpful for us who miss a couple of days and just need to catch up without reading 10+ pages of planning.

That way, Also, people can see if things have changed. Such as if characters are added/taken away, and we can post motifs and such.

Those ranges are for choral singers. In opera a soprano should be able to sing a high C, and Tenor at least a high B natural. Oingo86, lets get together sometime and work on the libretto together.

I like the theme and the libretto for half the first scene. Can you upload some notation for the theme so we can incorporate it into music? I guess I'll pretty much dump my sketch now that we have a libretto and try to incorporate bits of it into future work.

Oingo: I love what you've written so far of the libretto, especially how Flint starts out the opera with this really dramatic poetic speech which the audience later realizes is only because he's a little weirdo. The only thing is, in the beginning, I envisioned that he doesn't really comprehend that he is different from other people, only that perhaps he is admired for his affluence. I think his soliliquy right in the beginning about how other people are closed minded and don't understand him might be jumping the gun a little bit. That way, when the lights come up and reveal that his grandeur is sheer delusion, it's more of a surprise for the audience. Let me know what you think.

I really like the idea of the chorus being real and visible to the maid, even though they are all figments of his imagination and paintings. Sort of like he is the master of his realm, and even the impossible comes to life under his hand. Gives it a really creepy feeling of not knowing what may happen when his very thoughts can come to life if he paints them.

Vernon - you can msg me on AIM sometime: nickthoven99

Dan - I knew I was going to have to move that chunk of text... I'll save it for after the drinking song, when he's getting all pissed off. I'll replace some of his speech there, more about his wealth, and I think I'll keep playing on the idea that he thinks he's some sort of king. Thanks for pointing that out - I definitely want the break into reality to be sudden and surprising for both Flint and the audience!

Well, I'm glad you guys like what I wrote!

Oh - here's mus files of the theme, one orchestrated and one piano-staff.

A 1 S 1 Opening FULL.mus

A 1 S 1 Opening pno voc.mus

Everyone should check out our articles under [[Category:Voice Types]]. Some have been mostly written, others deserve attention. Assuming everybody here is working on an opera because they know how to write for voices, please take a look at these articles - expand them, improve them so others can learn from them. If you are a baritone, you could provide valuable insight into how a composer should write baritone, for instance, so the tenors in the opera project can have an exact idea of what's going on. The wiki is suffering from a lack of such educated and knowledgeable writers. :(

If people do work on these articles, do not upload images of the vocal ranges. Just cite them in the article. I'll find them and illustrate them with the Lilypond capabilities.

Oingo: All good ideas. However, I can't open your .Mus since I'm using 2008 - can you retro-save it?

I'm not really sure how to retro-save in Finale... but here are the files as XML, I'm assuming this will work.

As for setting music to my libretto, I'd like to have someone with a more tonal language set the opening aria by Flint, and I'd like to take the rest of the scene, starting with where the Maid enters. Is this ok with everyone? Rest assured, I'll keep working on the libretto and promise not to bogart the rest of it! ;)

But of course, whoever takes the first aria MUST discuss motives, moods, instrumentation, etc. with us all first. This is just to try and keep the music sounding alike in whatever way possible. My suggestion would be to always think dark and layered, with linking common tones between chords, creating dissonances, resolutions, etc. Take a look at my dark theme (basically just a short chord progression, and the idea of one tone holding throughout), and work from there. Here are the xmls.

A 1 S 1 Opening FULL.xml

A 1 S 1 Opening pno voc.xml

I just heard the opening today, I wonder who is gonna take the first aria??? oingo will you be online today?

Very nice, Oingo, I like it a lot

I'll take the first aria if that's okay with everybody. Just show me exactly where you want me to start (I assume that's the beginning), Oingo and where you want to take over in the libretto.

Whatever is after the first aria, I will do. And yes, the beginning is the first aria.

xiii1408- go ahead and start on the first aria. I think we should write the intro or overture or whatever it's going to be after we write at least the first scene. So for now maybe write a small interlude into Flint singing the aria, and later we'll piece the two together. Also, I'm not quite done working on the libretto for the end of his aria before the Maid comes in. There needs to be a good chunk of text more before she enters. I'll write something soon...

Morivou - I sort of took the rest of the scene after the first aria, but I will continue working on the libretto so hopefully I'll get the next scene down for you guys. Or, you know, anyone else can try to write some of the libretto...?? Those people, of course would have dibs on composing those scenes. ;)

I think we should write the overture after the whole opera is done. Then we will have all the content with which to create the melodies.

I agree; we should write the overture after the opera is done, or at least after we've discussed and created all of the opera's themes, that way it can serve to prepare the audience for all that is to come.

How exciting! I am always wanted to write an Opera.

I would love to take part, I would like to compose and Aria, or something like that.

O_O

Well. You are brand new here... have you posted any works that we can see?

O_O

Well. You are brand new here... have you posted any works that we can see?

Well, that's the trouble I have been composing for a long time, but on PAPER! (You have no idea how muhch manuscript paper I have used....)

I have just got Sibelius, can you tell me how do extrat it to an Mp3 file? :)

I don't use Sibelius, but I have a demo (two, actually), so I'll direct you in accordance with how that demo is laid out. In Sibelius 5 (it's the same in Sibelius 6, too), go to File->Export->Audio... and you should be able to take it from there.

I would like to collaborate, i've got some ideas. Especially what is this opera for? Where will it be shown? I can suggest you the plot, also can write even a poem for this and compose music. If you would like to))

Unexpected complications have occurred, and, unfortunately, I won't be able to do any work on the first aria for a week or so. Feel free to designate somebody else for the first aria or take it yourself, oingo.

I think we have a small enough group right now... Wannabechopin, go ahead and post some stuff and we'll get back to you. But, right now... a smaller collaboration will keep things from getting out of hand. Later tonight... I will make an official completion thread which will contain the Score (however much is done), the libretto (same deal), WHO is working on what at the moment!!, Musical ideas and motifs, character descriptions and ranges, plot, setting, time period, title... etc... AND, it will have WHAT can be up for grabs in the immediate coming days.

It will be posted around 7 o'clock this evening, so WATCH out for it. OH, and it will have all the current collaborators and what they will be doing. IF I see that we could use more help, I will open it up to audition basis. Three of us have to say it's good for any newcomers.

Sound fair to everyone? (sorry, just trying to be organized)

I would have made a thread like what you're describing already, but YC gives me an error message each time I try to, so please go ahead! It will help out a great deal, especially for newcomers.

As to newcomers joining in and writing, that's really not something I'm prepared to let happen. People can't just waltz in and expect to write part of the opera - they MUST be heavily involved in the WHOLE process. And everyone needs to remember to have patience - writing an opera is something that takes time, and a lot of it.

Here's where I am - I'm still working on finishing the libretto for the 1st scene, and I've begun composing the 2nd half of that scene, where the Maid enters.

Oh! Here's the orchestra I'm using: 2/1/2/1-4/2/2/1-tmp, perc., hp, pno, strings 1st Flute doubles Piccolo, Oboe CAN double Eng. hn if needed, 1st Bb Clar. doubles Eb, 2nd doubles Bass, Trumpets in C

Okie day! I am on it!

OH and I see what you mean... if anybody else is coming on, they need to get on NOW. No people coming in at the second act, basically. Right?