{"id":55070,"date":"2018-08-08T12:08:32","date_gmt":"2018-08-08T16:08:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=55070"},"modified":"2018-09-16T10:38:56","modified_gmt":"2018-09-16T14:38:56","slug":"coffee-break-see-a-video-excerpt-of-rufus-wainwrights-new-opera-hadrian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2018\/08\/08\/coffee-break-see-a-video-excerpt-of-rufus-wainwrights-new-opera-hadrian\/","title":{"rendered":"COFFEE BREAK | See A Video Excerpt Of Rufus Wainwright’s New Opera, Hadrian"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Johannes
Johannes Debus and the COC Orchestra. (Photo: Gaetz Photography)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Canadian Opera Company (COC) have quietly released a video excerpt of Rufus Wainwright’s anticipated second opera, Hadrian<\/em>, scheduled for a\u00a0world premiere\u00a0in Toronto Four Seasons’ Centre for the Performing Arts on October 13<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now approaching 10 years after the premiere of his first opera Prima Donna<\/em>, which many critics called more of an endearing love letter,\u00a0rather than an opera<\/a>,\u00a0Hadrian marks Wainwright’s second bite at the craft.<\/p>\n

The story is set in the classical era,\u00a0and tells the tragic story of Hadrian, a Roman emperor from 76-138 AD), who falls in love with\u00a0Antinous, who has drowned. Wainwright actually began composing\u00a0Hadrian<\/i>\u00a0before\u00a0Prima Donna,\u00a0<\/i>and was inspired by Yourcenar’s 1951 book\u00a0Memoirs of Hadrian.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

The video excerpt,\u00a0release\u00a0by the COC this week, features Johannes Debus conducting a hesitant sounding COC Orchestra through “Entr’acte” (“Between the Acts\u201d). The music,\u00a0with spritely plucked strings, and a lone oboe that emulates an\u00a0ancient Roman tibia (not the bone variety). The music serves as a transition between Act I and II, and\u00a0features the main theme\u00a0gradually creeping forwards in the footsteps of the timpani,\u00a0and under some slightly distant\u00a0counterpoint.<\/p>\n

While the excerpt is not nearly enough to make a judgement call, it certainly piques the interest as to what we can expect.<\/p>\n

Judge for yourself, and watch the video below:<\/p>\n