After the premiere of my first opera, LA PALOMA Y EL RUISEÑOR, Opera Director Peter Kazaras suggested I follow in the tradition of composers of yore and make an orchestral suite from the opera. I did just that and wrote it and dedicated it to ORQUESTA SINALOA DE LAS ARTES (OSSLA) and the Director, Gordon […]
La Paloma y el Ruiseñor (Spanish subtitles) La Paloma y el Ruiseñor (English subtitles) Premiere performance of LA PALOMA Y EL RUISENOR (2014) Music by Roger Bourland, Libretto by Mitchell Morris, Spanish adaptation by Placido Domingo Jr, and additional orchestrations and adjustment to the Spanish setting by Scott Dunn. Composer: Roger Bourland Libretto: Mitchell Morris […]
Raúl Rico coordinated several press conferences for the opera. I was delighted to learn later that the premiere was widely publicized throughout Mexico. Scott Dunn and I had one interview with Raúl Rico as our faithful translator. (This has inspired me to become fluent in Spanish so that I don’t ever have to rely on […]
[The next group of posts were written after the premiere of the opera.] Opera director and friend Peter Kazaras insisted that I meet with the singers as early as possible. As our performance was a combination of students and faculty it is especially important to have that early meeting. Peter explained that singers internalize their […]
I have been blessed in my recent collaboration with pianist, conductor Scott Dunn who will be conducting the world premiere of my opera, La Paloma y el Ruiseñor at the Teatro Angela Peralta in Mazatlán, Mexico on November 14 and 15, 2014. Having scored several feature films, I have learned the value of “cutting”——this happens […]
I had the honor of working with a most brilliant soprano on the faculty in Mazatlan, Penelope Luna, who will play Rosa in LA PALOMA Y EL RUISENOR. I made a number of adjustments for her voice and talent. And after I heard this Gliere performance, I felt free to go even higher! You will […]
Many of my faithful readers know that I channel dead composers from time to time. Well, not really, I pretend to and it makes for a good read. But something eery happened recently that was very likely channeling something or someone. And I have a witness. Conductor, Scott Dunn sat with me for several days […]
It’s exciting to see an opera come to life, bit by bit. Raúl Rico has been sending me pictures of the opera in progress: here is a shot of the set from Act 1 being built. I’m fairly sure it’s going to be a boat!
MazatlánLife is a useful website for people going to Mazatlán to hear our opera. They also did several interviews with me last year which can be heard on their website.
Act I On a warm August evening Angela Peralta de Castera, celebrated Mexican soprano, and her 80-person opera company board the S.S. Newbern, an American steamer just arrived in La Paz from Panama; they have booked passage across the Sea of Cortez to Mazatlán, where the company will conclude its summer tour with a week […]