[Maciek]

So I happen across this yesterday:

“an opera about Senna’s life has been jointly commissioned by New York’s Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera. Due to premiere in London in autumn 2012, Senna (as it’s called) will feature music by post-minimalist composer Michael Torke and a libretto by Michael Korie” http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1965:ayrton-senna-the-opera&Itemid=12

Now, aside from the fact that, like me, this may leave you searching the far reaches of your assorted cultural references to figure out what the **** ‘post-minimalist’ compositions might sound like, this does not at all fill me with optimism about how the image of Senna’s legacy will be affected. I was a big admirer of Senna’s talent and to a point fascinated by his quasi-religious relationship with racing. I was telling myself for years that he would make a fantastic subject of a biopic/documentary and so when news of Senna (the movie) came out I couldn’t have been happier. The Portuguese and Japanese trailers we’ve seen literally leave me with goosebumps and I can’t wait to see all that footage on a big screen with big sound. But hearing about this thing just fills me with dread that after years and years of passing under the public radar, Senna and perhaps other historical F1 figures will all of a sudden be overly exposed in increasingly dreadful attempts to commemorate/cash in on the sport’s history.

Anyhoo, I could probably go on and on, but this project just screams CHEESY. Seriously, an F1 opera!? I mean, it sure sounds like hilarious sketch material, but anything beyond that just seems, for lack of a better word, unnecessary.

So what do you think? Am I overreacting? have I got this wrong? And, on another note (har har), what other hilariously bad attempts at F1 dramatisation can we come up with? Flavio Briatore: the Opera, I could believe in.

[Hare]

I’m about to go to bed, and really couldn’t make a decent comment on cheese let alone ‘post-minimalist’ operas about Senna and the like. I can just about comprehend what a ‘minimalist post’ might be. The music that came from it would be pretty minimalistic too. Anyways, I don’t think this thread got the attention it deserves and to see it languishing with just one commento, I decided to make an effort and applaude yours.

[Scribe]

I have this to say.

*giggle*

Oh wait i’ve nothing to say.

[US_Peter]

I think I just barfed in my mouth a little.

[Author]

Posts