'EL NINO'S' PASSION WILL BLOW YOU AWAY.Byline: Damian Kessler Correspondent JOHN ADAMS' ``El Nino'' (The Boy) has many heads but one heart. After almost three years since its first showing in Paris, the production finally came to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center (which is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the United States). The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt Disney Concert Hall. on Thursday night. ``El Nino'' is a complex piece of work that started with the composer's idea of trying to write another ``Messiah.'' Like many Italian oratorios (but not ``Messiah''), El Nino consists of two parts (the division between them occurs after the miraculous birth and the appearance of the Christmas star, ending with the journey into Egypt). The chorus reflects on the events and the soloists are not limited to singing specific roles. In this work, Adams seeks to explain the miracle of birth through the story of Nativity told from the point of view of Mary, who could be any Mary. The libretto includes some of the biblical texts, the Apocrypha, verses by Hildegard von Bingen Hildegard von Bingen (born 1098, Böckelheim, West Franconia—died Sept. 17, 1179, Rupertsberg, near Bingen) German abbess and visionary mystic. She became prioress at the Benedictine cloister of Disibodenberg in 1136. , and poems in Spanish by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz Jua·na I·nés de la Cruz See Juana Inés de la Cruz. , Rosario Castellanos, Ruben Dario and Vicente Huidobro. But ``El Nino'' is more than just music; it's a multimedia event. A silent film directed by Peter Sellars (who created the first productions of Adams' ``Nixon in China'' and ``Death of Klinghoffer'') translates the Nativity story to the Latino community of Southern California. Joseph and a beautiful pierced Mary are young Latinos seeking refuge on pale deserts, public beaches and parking lots. The Wise Men are security guards who eat fast food. Images of modest kitchens, laundry rooms, refinery plants and busy eateries suggest that miracles can happen anywhere. The eyes get very busy; there were also super titles in English and Spanish. On stage, a trio of dancers dressed in casual clothes (Nora Kimball, Daniel Graca and Michael Schumacher) parallels the story with subtle movement turning into enclosed agitation during ``Memorial de Tlatelolco,'' Castellanos' lament about the 1968 bloodbath in Mexico City. All this happens while the singers sing with amplified voices, sometimes from tongue-tied positions. Soprano Dawn Upshaw and mezzo Lorraine Hunt Lieberson Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (March 1 1954 – July 3 2006) was a renowned American soprano then mezzo-soprano, originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. [1]. Her Life alternated the roles of Mary with sensibility and conviction. Jamaican bass Willard White was the confused Joseph and a strong presence as an enraged en·rage tr.v. en·raged, en·rag·ing, en·rag·es To put into a rage; infuriate. [Middle English *enragen, from Old French enrager : en-, causative pref. Herod. With amplification in mind and everywhere else, the text was delivered clearly. Three countertenors (Daniel Bubeck, Brian Cummings and Steven Rickards) incarnated the angel Gabriel and commented on the action in intimate and beautiful harmonies. The Los Angeles Master Chorale The Los Angeles Master Chorale is a famous professional chorus in Los Angeles, California. Grant Gershon has been its music director since 2001, succeeding Paul Salamunovich. , dressed in designer khakis and bare feet, became the voices of the people. From the orchestra pit came the best sounds - from the hidden Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LAP) is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. History Founded in 1919 by William Andrews Clark, Jr. . Esa-Pekka Salonen held all the pieces together with his baton, the only instrument without an attached microphone, but ``secretly synchronized'' to the images of the film. Not in the background, but at the heart of ``El Nino,'' we could hear the pulse of Adams' music with its entire DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. : dense counterpoint, asymmetrical phrases, cyclical repetition, conflicting meters - and more. Adams' orchestration is always creative. The inspiring opening, ``I Sing of a Maiden,'' grows from its repetitive and intoxicating in·tox·i·cate v. in·tox·i·cat·ed, in·tox·i·cat·ing, in·tox·i·cates v.tr. 1. To stupefy or excite by the action of a chemical substance such as alcohol. 2. patterns into a full chorus. There is an astonishing a·ston·ish tr.v. as·ton·ished, as·ton·ish·ing, as·ton·ish·es To fill with sudden wonder or amazement. See Synonyms at surprise. new version of the ``Magnificat'' and a rhythmic ``In the Day of the Great Slaughter.'' Moreover, Adams created beautiful vocal melodies that evolved from medieval harmonies through the beats of contemporary popular music. The work ends with ``A Palm Tree,'' sung by Los Angeles Children's Chorus The Los Angeles Children's Chorus (LACC) is a community children's choir for girls and boys with unchanged voices from the Los Angeles area ranging from ages 8 to 17. Founded in 1986 by Rebecca Thompson, the 5 levels of choirs have given more than 300 performances, including accompanied only by a guitar. ``El Nino'' is more than a Nativity oratorio, a passion, an opera or a multimedia event. It is the stunning telegram of Adams' optimism. EL NINO - Four stars What: Los Angeles Philharmonic's production of John Adams' work. Where: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. When: 8 tonight, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $14 to $82; (323) 850-2000 or online at www.laphil.com. In a nutshell: Nativity story set in Southern California's Latino community impresses on all levels. |
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