As One - A Chamber Opera for two voices and string quartet

My wife and I went to As One last night.

It's an opera written by co-librettists Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed.  The score was written by Laura Kaminsky.  It's loosely based on Kimberly Reed's life and experience as a trans person.

It's wonderful, and if you ever have a chance to attend, it's worth the admission.

~ Liz

Sounds good.

Hi Liz!

Sorry it really is not my cup of tea, though I gave it a listen! Here is a liccle bit of it for everyone!!!

No worries Celia.

This was first live opera I've ever attended, so I don't have a lot to compare with. The story was familiar, powerful and resonated deeply with me. The opening interaction between Hanna Before and Hannah After was particularly powerful and I found tears running down my cheeks. It was sort of a peekaboo interaction where Hanna After was visible then not, there, then gone. It's that thing when before I understood what was going on, when I looked in the mirror, I knew the reflection was wrong. As I became more aware, I could see momentary flashes of Liz - momentary congruence then discord and despair.

That this was performed in a very small theater where the audience was nearly on top of the performers was very intimate. The musicians and conductor were incorporated into some of the dialogue. The set was minimal and showing on the back wall as a film where the scenes were coordinated with the script. Kimberly Reed (one of the librettists and the trans person the story is modeled after) is also an independent film maker and produced the film to match the story and that functioned as part of the set.

She is a native Montanan as am I and my wife, so I suppose you could say that augmented our interest in the whole affair.

When the opera was finished, the cast, conductor and one of the librettists held a question and answer session with any of the audience who wanted to stay. I suppose about half stayed. It was interesting to hear the kinds of questions the audience asked. In this case, the questions were civil (remember, I'm talking about Idaho here) and respectful.

~ Liz

Hi Liz!

Well girl, I am sure I may have enjoyed it live, but it's not that I don't dislike opera entirely, I simply love Bizet's Carmen. Both the modern and traditional versions, it's a wonderful opera. Of course it does not have the tg plus, but life is and will be ever entwined with cis and i enjoy all, regardless.... oh, though I'd love to play a transgender tragical Carmen.         I'd have to get a bit good at singing first though....  

Celia xx

The only opera tune I've ever really liked

Pooh! Sorry dear Lesley, that is rotten!!!! This is what it's all about!!!!!!!

95% of opera (females singing), sounds too much like cats being beaten though. Hard to discern what they are saying. I like the diva dance mainly as it is just a display of an incredible vocal range.