Things are pretty strange in Saint Paul these days, as we well know. Also as newly retired from the saint paul public schools it was time to reassess my older work. I noticed that several of my operas were only in vocal scores so it was time to orchestrate them.

In a broad sense I believe I am one of the last composers who still think that they must be the creators of their own work --no influence, no commissions that dictate subject matter or style or audience. I believe in the artists voice. That composers have some insight into the human condition and and a responsibility to the art itself. As you might image this does not go with the flow.

My Opera "A character..." is a comedy, homage, and satire of grand opera.  I was surprised to find that the world of musical arts has zero sense of humor about itself. Ok I found that out in 1986. I believe that this is for several reasons (some exclusive to the USA)

1. the general insecurity of the busness.
2. everything that is happening in politcs today is also happening in the arts.
3. No one is in control of the arts.
4. no money
5. composition is a competitive, zero sum game.
6. Classical music works under the same rules as the popular music.
7. Success is no longer about pleaseing the audience its about the gatekeepers.
8. Thin skins
9. Telling truth to power has repercussions.

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So in itself my opera is a white elephant of a composition. Then again, so are my serial symphonies. Or anything I write.

So by this post and online activity I am trying to go direct to the audience. Sigh, this is no longer as easy as when I started my online activity. When I started I reached people--that did not last as the major institutions took control and odd ball sites like mine were left in the dust.

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There is an educational component to these arias as I have arranged them for my students and as concert work. the Honors march https://youtu.be/HHgj1JqOudk?si=M1AsacQlmLIhtEq0

Also educational for me as responses to hearing and understanding--or misunderstand other composers.

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So, how did this come about?

Well at first it was just a few satirical arias in styles I composed for fun.  This was the opera Bob stuff. Then it occurred to me that I could make an entire opera of these arias.  Sort of a variety show approach.

Quotations?

So lets talk about the quotations.  Well there are a few: some direct and purposeful(cast a diva) and some by coincidence from the musical rhetoric involved in the style.   Many composers have similar passages in their work and that does not mean they stole them.   Of course “quotation music” was a style in the USA for a time.  So is the Neo-romantic which I have no interest in .

But Locket Arias is also tonal and in styles?

Well yes. That was what I thought that these characters -they were real people—needed to live in their own world again. To modernize them, for me, would require modern characters.  It was a theatrical choice to turn Ruth’s prose into an opera libretto and set it as a grandopera.  This was something I could do.

Lets be clear-Am I composing this because my 12-tone music can’t get performed? Hmmmm. Good question.  I have not renounced any of my music and whentimes are better I will finish my 8^th symphony.  No, no 9.

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I am posting the opera on soundcloud--some arias have been performed--they are on youtube.

See you later.

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Phil

here it is

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