Should we be very afraid?

June 25, 2008 5:58 AM

The Fly: The Opera.

David Cronenberg directing, Placido Domingo conducting, Howard Shore composing. There's the possibility that this could be interesting. And yet, something tells me that there are Things Man Was Not Meant To Librettize.

posted by waraw (16 comments total)

'the Hell? The Opera?
posted by steef at 6:13 AM on June 25, 2008

I can't wait to hear Brundlefly belt out "HEEELP MEEEEEEEEEE!!!" in a booming baritone.
posted by DU at 6:16 AM on June 25, 2008

It'd be funny if life art wasn't so sacred.
posted by nola at 6:19 AM on June 25, 2008

I am the very model of a Brundle/fly mutation
I’ve lost my hands and feet to more insectile adaption
To crouching on the celing I’ve developed acclimation
And now I sit and wait for all the further augmentations

I hope to be acquainted with some feats of aviation
Before they all insist on some more permanent vacation
In short, though in sore need of more compelling appellation
I am the very model of a Brundle/fly mutation.

Be thankful, it was going to "So Please You Sir, We Much Regret"
posted by Jofus at 6:29 AM on June 25, 2008 [12 favorites has favorites]

This is good.

I would see this, without hesitation.
posted by Dr-Baa at 6:29 AM on June 25, 2008

FUCK YES.
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:48 AM on June 25, 2008

'the Hell? The Opera?

The Fly The Colon The Opera The Full Stop. Definitely the genuine article. Or vice versa.

My, my, Mr Brundlefly,
You've got a lovely spiky 'do.
No, don't just go and trundle by,
Come have a seat upon this poo...

No, no, don't feel shy about
Your mutating and peeling
Perhaps you'd like to fly about
And tiptoe round our ceiling...

posted by pracowity at 6:49 AM on June 25, 2008

The movie was already operatic in scope. The melodramatic and sweeping music, the Grand Guignol set pieces, the over-the-top premise itself. This could be a really fun opera, and it'll be great to see what Cronenberg can do on the stage. This is his first time directing theater, so I hope people will be kind. Maybe Cronenberg will do some more opera in the future!
posted by ChickenringNYC at 7:17 AM on June 25, 2008

What's the buzz on it?
posted by hojoki at 7:56 AM on June 25, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Paging #17897.
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:58 AM on June 25, 2008

I can only hope for the audience's sake that the music used in that TINY-SIZED promo video is NOT representative of it's best number.

I loved the movie, this looks like an aberration of the story of an abomination.
posted by Busithoth at 9:00 AM on June 25, 2008

aw. i was hoping for a pic of the costumes.
posted by fuzzypantalones at 9:43 AM on June 25, 2008

You know what attracts flies...
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 9:51 AM on June 25, 2008

Video of live theatre is one of the worst ways by which you can possibly evaluate it. Especially opera. 90% of what's powerful convincing, or moving about a theatrical performance doesn't survive the transfer. That's because every atom of effort mustered by the designers and performers is focused on the live audience's experience.

It really bothers me that shows feel such pressure to put these promos on their websites, I think it does a real injustice to what they're selling. After seeing August Osage County I wanted to do a post about it, but found the videos on their site really flat and disappointing, and couldn't bear for that to be people's initial impression of one of the best plays I've seen in quite a few years.
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 10:18 AM on June 25, 2008

Cheeseburger.
posted by Wolof at 7:31 PM on June 25, 2008

Love Cronenberg, love Howard Shore, loved The Fly... but already not fired up. These attempts to take works of art that are already distinctive and completely succesful on their own terms and infuse them with some kind of "greater profundity" by turning them into opera -- the art form for the ages, after all!!! -- just kinda make me feel embarassed on behalf of the people involved. This is made worse by the fact that the music always has to sound like something out of Bad Playhouse (no video link -- wish I had one).
posted by scatman at 10:36 PM on June 26, 2008