Ça Ira (opera)

Untitled

Ça Ira (French for "It'll do" and "Everything will be okay", translated here as There is Hope) is an opera in three acts by Roger Waters to a French libretto by Étienne Roda-Gil and his wife Nadine, based on the historical subject of the French Revolution. The first recording was released September 26, 2005, featuring Bryn Terfel, Huang Ying, and Paul Groves.

History

The work had a long gestation period. Waters, better known for his work in the rock band Pink Floyd, was approached by the Roda-Gils in 1987 to set their libretto. The initial version was completed and recorded by the end of 1988. After hearing it, François Mitterrand was suitably impressed and urged the Paris Opera to stage it for the bicentenial of the revolution the following July. The opera directors, however, were resistant, apparently, according to Waters, because "I was English, and I had been in a pop group." The project was shelved until 1995, when Waters began reworking the material for a professional recording and the premiere performance.

Critical reaction

Ça Ira has received good reviews. The biggest criticism was that the opera is too narrative, which makes staging very difficult - and, as a result, disrupts the flow of the piece. However, most critics agree that the music is very good, and even brilliant in parts (the slaves' liberation and the execution Marie Antoinette were especially praised.) However, others have complained that the score is too conventional and that Waters should have taken more risks with it.

As the opera-world is a fairly conservative one, Waters feared critics would be harsh on Ça Ira, and was relieved to find that their opinions were quite moderate.

Charts

The album hit #1 on both Billboard's Top Classical Chart and Sony's Classical Chart in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

The album appears to be a smash hit in Poland and other European countries, as it has sold platinum in Poland (10,000 copies)[[1]] and the only planned August 25th show, in Poland has sold out.

Performances

So far, there have only been two concert performances of Ça Ira. The premiere took place in Rome on November 17, 2005 in front of a sold-out crowd, and was followed the next evening by another performance. Both shows were praised for the high quality of music, vocal performances, and sound. The choir, orchestra, and soloists were complemented by a projection screen backdrop which displayed images (some photographed by Mark Holthusen helping to tell the story. [2]

A full operatic performance is set for 25 August, 2006 in Poznań, Poland. [3] The project will involve the same number of musicians from the concert performances in addition to more than 200 dancers from the Wielki Theatre in Poznań. There will also be period elements of stage design (such as horses, carriages and war scenes with soldiers and stunt performers) and full costumes. It is expected that over 500 artists will be involved, and the production may cost in excess of €2 million. The musicians will tour the show, with the assistance of local artists, in Beijing, Tokyo and possibly Moscow. [4]

Track listing

Disc one

Act One

1. "The Gathering Storm" – 1:38
2. "Overture" – 4:06
3. "Scene 1: A Garden In Vienna 1765" – 0:53
4. "Madame Antoine, Madame Antoine" – 2:53
5. Scene 2: Kings Sticks And Birds – 2:41
6. "Honest Bird, Simple Bird" – 2:10
7. "I Want To Be King" – 2:37
8. "Let Us Break All The Shields" – 1:45
9. Scene 3: The Grievances Of The People – 4:40
10. Scene 4: France In Disarray – 2:34
11. "To Laugh Is To Know How To Live" – 1:44
12. "Slavers, Landlords, Bigots At Your Door" – 3:36
13. Scene 5: The Fall Of The Bastille – 1:34
14. "To Freeze In The Dead Of Night" – 2:19
15. "So To The Streets In The Pouring Rain" – 4:17

Act Two

1. Scene 1: Dances And Marches – 2:11
2. "Now Hear Ye!" – 2:18
3. "Flushed With Wine" – 4:31
4. Scene 2: The Letter – 1:39
5. "My Dear Cousin Bourbon Of Spain" – 2:48
6. "The Ship Of State Is All At Sea" – 1:46
7. Scene 3: Silver Sugar And Indigo – 0:55
8. "To The Windward Isles" – 4:50
9. Scene 4: The Papal Edict – 1:17
10. "In Paris There's A Rumble Underground" – 6:19

Disc two

Act Three

1. Scene 1: The Fugitive King – 2:21
2. "But The Marquis Of Boulli Has A Trump Card Up His Sleeve" – 4:27
3. "To Take Your Hat Off" – 2:40
4. "The Echoes Never Fade From That Fusillade" – 3:15
5. Scene 2: Commune De Paris – 2:43
6. "Vive La Commune De Paris" – 3:16
7. "The Assembly Is Confused" – 2:41
8. Scene 3: The Execution Of Louis Capet – 1:39
9. "Adieu Loius For You It's Over" – 3:45
10. Scene 4: Marie Antoinette - The Last Night On Earth – 1:39
11. "Adieu My Good And Tender Sister" – 5:09
12. Scene 5: Liberty – 2:51
13. "And In The Bushes Where They Survive" – 6:52

Miscellanea

• The main title (Ça Ira) is a song from the French Revolution (article in French). Waters did not use the original lyrics (circa 1790, allegedly from a street singer called Ladrè), but its spirit remains. The best-known performances of the original song were recorded (and sung live) by Édith Piaf.