Comments on: Vatican's New "Rock" Opera

Vatican's New "Rock" Opera

sluglicker — Sat, 19 May 2007 13:00:54 -0800

Dante's The Divine Comedy (trailer/text) has inspired an opera by the Vatican's music administrator, the choirmaster of St John Lateran, Monsignor Marco Frisina. The premiere is scheduled for fall of 2007. Although traditional orchestral music predominates, Monsignor Frisina says that he is using punk, rock and jazz to represent the Devil because its "violent and rebellious tones help create a hellish atmosphere" (The Clash, Straight To Hell YouTube).

By: grobstein

grobstein — Sat, 19 May 2007 13:14:47 -0800

Awesome, non-ironic characterization of rock as devil music.

By: jake3456

jake3456 — Sat, 19 May 2007 13:56:29 -0800

I've had The Inferno sitting in my to-read pile for about a year now. I suppose I should get around to reading it.

By: vronsky

vronsky — Sat, 19 May 2007 14:18:50 -0800

Straight to Hell is hot!

By: Pallas Athena

Pallas Athena — Sat, 19 May 2007 14:21:13 -0800

I'd be interested to know how Maestro Frisina proposes to maintain the viewer's interest past the first opera? The Inferno's got all the exciting bits; the Paradiso is one long snore. Also, if the Vatican is staging this, presumably they'll have a problem with the number of Popes and churchmen Dante places in hell.

By: vronsky

vronsky — Sat, 19 May 2007 14:25:00 -0800

mohawk!

By: Mojojojo

Mojojojo — Sat, 19 May 2007 15:58:09 -0800

I just kept on clicking on the You Tube Clash bits. Rock!

By: BrotherCaine

BrotherCaine — Sat, 19 May 2007 17:18:56 -0800

While I applaud the idea of punk, rock, and jazz in a classical opera, I hope that Frisina has the chops to pull it off. It sounds like he's versatile from the web page though, so good sign.

By: vronsky

vronsky — Sat, 19 May 2007 19:42:37 -0800

You wanna play mind-crazed banjo On the druggy-drag ragtime U.S.A.? In Parkland International Hey! Junkiedom U.S.A. Where procaine proves the purest rock man groove and rat poison The volatile Molotov says- PSSST... HEY CHICO WE GOT A MESSAGE FOR YA... SI... VAMOS VAMOS MUCHACHO FROM ALPHABET CITY ALL THE WAY A TO Z, DEAD, HEAD Go straight to Hell, boys Go straight to Hell, boys Straight to Hell