FUNDING FOR "FROM PAGE TO STAGE: THE LORD OF CRIES" SERIES PROVIDED BY THE BANK OF ALBUQUERQUE.

FREDERICK HAMMERSLEY FUND FOR THE ARTS AT THE ALBUQUERQUE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND THE NEW MEXICO PBS GREAT SOUTHWESTERN ARTS & EDUCATION ENDOWMENT FUND AT THE ALBUQUERQUE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION... ...NEW MEXICO ARTS, A DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS WITH SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING BY THE NEW MEXICO CARES ACT AND BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

...AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THIS TIME, ON COLORES!

A REMARKABLE HISTORY, COMPELLING MUSIC AND STORY, EXTRAORDINARY VOICES, BRILLIANT DESIGNS, BEHIND THE SCENES, THE EXCITEMENT OF OPENING NIGHT... FROM PAGE TO STAGE LOOKS AT THE CREATIVE FORCES AT THE HEART OF THE SANTA FE OPERA'S WORLD PREMIERE OF THE LORD OF CRIES.

JOIN US AS ACADEMY AWARD WINNING COMPOSER JOHN CORIGLIANO, LIBRETTIST MARK ADAMO, COUNTER-TENOR ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO, MAESTRO JOHANNES DEBUS AND OTHERS REVEAL HOW THEY BRING THIS NEW OPERA TO LIFE!

IT'S ALL AHEAD ON COLORES!

A STORIED HISTORY.

>>ROBERT K. MEYA: WHEN I SEE THE STAGE OF THE SANTA FE OPERA I THINK, "WOW."

>>IT'S TRULY INSPIRING TO THINK OF ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE ART THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCED ON THE STAGE OF THE SANTA FE OPERA.

OVER THE YEARS OVER 170 OPERAS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED HERE BY 85 DIFFERENT COMPOSERS.

THERE'S LITERALLY SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

EACH SEASON WE PRESENT FAMILIAR WORKS, WE PRESENT LESSER WELL-KNOWN WORKS, AND OF COURSE WE PRESENT NEW WORKS.

FROM OUR VERY FIRST SEASON IN FACT IN 1957 WE HAD A WORLD PREMIERE, THE TOWER BY MARVIN DAVID LEVY, AND SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD 45 AMERICAN PREMIERES AND 16 WORLD PREMIERES.

YOU COULD SAY THAT COYOTES ARE IN OUR BACKYARD [LAUGHTER] [SINGING] >>I'VE SPENT ABOUT 20 YEARS SINCE I WAS AN INTERN HERE BACK IN 1999, I WOULD COME BACK OVER THE SUMMERS AND THERE ARE A FEW PIECES THAT REALLY STAND OUT IN MY MIND AS HAVING BEEN TRULY EXTRAORDINARY MUSICAL EXPERIENCES.

I THINK BACK TO AINADAMAR BY OSVALDO GOLIJOV, WHOSE WORK HAD ITS FULL STAGE PREMIERE HERE IN 2005 AND WAS BASED ON THE LIFE OF FEDERICO GARCÍA LORCA.

THAT WAS AN AMAZING PIECE WITH SETS DESIGNED BY THE ARTIST GRONK, AND THAT WENT ON TO HUGE SUCCESS INTERNATIONALLY.

ANOTHER PIECE I THINK BACK TO WAS VENUS AND ADONIS BY HANS WERNER HENZE.

HENZE WAS A COMPOSER THAT JOHN CROSBY REALLY CHAMPIONED OVER THE MANY DECADES BUT VENUS AND ADONIS IN 2000 WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

THE COSTUMES AND THE CHOREOGRAPHY, IT WAS THE KIND OF PIECE THAT WHEN YOU SEE YOU THINK YOURSELF, "OPERA SHOULD BE MORE LIKE THIS."

AND THE AUDIENCE ABSOLUTELY WENT WILD FOR WHAT WAS OTHERWISE AN UNKNOWN AND PERHAPS EVEN AN OBSCURE PIECE.

I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION DOCTOR ATOMIC IN 2018 BY JOHN ADAMS.

OF COURSE IT WAS REMARKABLE TO SEE THE PARTICIPATION OF OUR NEIGHBORING PUEBLOS ON STAGE DANCING.

AND OF COURSE WHEN THE CORN DANCE WAS PERFORMED THE HEAVENS OPENED AND THE RAIN CAME DOWN.

>>I OFTEN THINK THAT THE GREAT SUCCESS OF THE SANTA FE OPERA HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT IT IS THE PERFECT MARRIAGE BETWEEN ART AND NATURE.

THERE'S A GREAT STORY OF JOHN CROSBY BACK IN 1956, HE WAS AN AVID HORSEMAN.

HE RODE AROUND THE 200-ACRE PROPERTY WITH A GUN APPARENTLY AND HE WAS TESTING THE ACOUSTICS OF THE VARIOUS PARTS OF THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED RIGHT HERE WHERE WE'RE SITTING THAT THERE WAS ALMOST A NATURAL AMPHITHEATER BUILT INTO THE LANDSCAPE AND DECIDED AFTER MANY GUNSHOTS WITH VARIOUS ACOUSTICIANS THAT IT WAS THE PERFECT SPOT TO SITE THE THEATER.

AND SO THE VERY FIRST THEATER WAS BUILT RIGHT INTO THE SIDE OF THE HILL INTO THAT NATURAL AMPHITHEATER SHAPE AND TO THIS DAY OUR THIRD THEATER SITS ON EXACTLY THAT VERY SAME SPOT.

WELL JOHN CROSBY CAME TO NEW MEXICO AS A YOUNG BOY.

HIS PARENTS SENT HIM TO THE LOS ALAMOS BOYS' SCHOOL, I THINK HE MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT 12 OR 13 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME, AND HE JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH NATURE I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

HE LATER WENT ON TO STUDY MUSIC AT YALE AND COLUMBIA, BUT HE WOULD COME BACK OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS DURING THE SUMMER AND RIDE HORSEBACK AND CAMP AND SPEND A LOT OF HIS TIME IN THE OUTDOORS AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT REALLY CONNECTED HIM WITH THIS PLACE.

AFTER HE GRADUATED FROM COLUMBIA HE DECIDED HE WANTED TO START AN OPERA COMPANY.

SO HE CAME BACK TO SANTA FE, HE BORROWED SOME MONEY FROM HIS PARENTS, AND HE BOUGHT A DUDE RANCH SEVEN MILES NORTH OF SANTA FE.

AND HE DECIDED THAT HE WOULD GIVE IT A GO AND CREATE THE SANTA FE OPERA.

THEY BUILT THE THEATER, IT HAD ABOUT 480 SEATS, AND OPENED THEIR FIRST SEASON IN 1957.

AND THERE'S A GREAT STORY AFTER OPENING NIGHT, JOHN'S PARENTS CAME UP TO HIM AND HIS FATHER SAID TO HIM, "YOU'VE GOT A WINNER."

>>WELL THE SANTA FE OPERA HOUSE IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER OPERA HOUSE IN THE WORLD.

ONE OF THE MOST DISTINCTIVE THINGS IS THAT IT ALLOWS THE AUDIENCE TO COMMUNE WITH NATURE.

YOU'RE IN THE OUTDOORS, YOU SEE THE INCREDIBLE NIGHT SKY, THE WIND WAFTING THROUGH THE THEATER, AND OFTENTIMES THE LIGHTNING AND THE THUNDER ON CUE WITH THE STAGE ACTION AND THE MUSIC.

BUT ALSO DURING THIS CURRENT PANDEMIC, IT AFFORDS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A MUCH SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR AUDIENCE AND THAT IS A DISTINCT ADVANTAGE NONE OF US EXPECTED.

BUT IT'S OUR GREAT HOPE THAT BEING ABLE TO PERFORM OUTDOORS, BOTH FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR AUDIENCE AND FOR OUR PERFORMERS, WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL 2021 SEASON.

FROM THE VERY FIRST SEASONS THE VERY FAMOUS COMPOSER IGOR STRAVINSKY CAME TO SANTA FE AND HE SPENT FIVE OF THE SIX FIRST YEARS OF THE SANTA FE OPERA'S EXISTENCE HERE IN SANTA FE.

AND I THINK THAT REALLY PUT THE SANTA FE OPERA ON THE MAP, BOTH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, AND DREW AUDIENCES IMMEDIATELY FROM ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS THIRD SEASON AT THE SANTA FE OPERA, ON JULY 13, 1959, IGOR STRAVINSKY WROTE THE FOLLOWING LETTER: "IN THE SANTA FE OPERA THE UNITED STATES HAS A VITAL CULTURAL RESOURCE.

HERE ARE YOUNG ARTISTS CREATING PRODUCTIONS OF OPERA WITH FRESH IMAGINATION, DELIGHTFUL MUSICAL TALENT, AND A SERIOUS RESPECT FOR THE ENSEMBLE.

MY WORK HAS BEEN PRESENTED BY THIS COMPANY WITH TASTE AND SKILL.

I WISH FOR THE SANTA FE OPERA A LONG FUTURE OF PROSPERITY AND FURTHER ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT."

>>PREMIERING NEW WORKS AND COMMISSIONING NEW WORKS HAS BEEN PART OF THE SANTA FE OPERA'S DNA.

OVER THE YEARS WE'VE HAD 16 WORLD PREMIERES AND 45 AMERICAN PREMIERES AND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THE MIX AND THE BALANCE OF EACH OF OUR SEASONS.

PEOPLE HAVE REALLY COME TO EXPECT SOMETHING FRESH, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING THEY'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE ANYWHERE ELSE.

MOST RECENTLY WITH THE (R)EVOLUTION OF STEVE JOBS WE HAD TO ADD A PERFORMANCE BECAUSE THE TICKET SALES WERE SO STRONG.

SO WE'RE SEEING A REAL RESPONSE AMONG AUDIENCES, IN PARTICULAR YOUNGER AUDIENCES, TO NEW WORKS.

WHAT'S NEXT?

THE SAFEST POSSIBLE REOPENING OF THE SANTA FE OPERA AND THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE LORD OF CRIES.

[CHATTER] >>SO THERE ARE TWO THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE LORD OF CRIES.

THE FIRST IS THAT IT'S BY COMPOSER JOHN CORIGLIANO, ONE OF THE GREATEST LIVING AMERICAN COMPOSERS, AND THIS IS ONLY HIS SECOND OPERA.

HE'S PROBABLY BEST WELL KNOWN FOR "THE RED VIOLIN SUITE," FROM THE MOVIE MADE IN 1998.

AND OF COURSE FOR HIS OPERA, HIS FIRST OPERA, THE GHOSTS OF VERSAILLES WHICH PREMIERED AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA IN 1991.

THE SECOND THING TO KNOW ABOUT THE LORD OF CRIES IS THAT IT'S LOOSELY BASED ON BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA, WITH THE LIBRETTO BY MARK ADAMO.

>>SO OPERA IS AN ART FORM THAT'S OVER FOUR CENTURIES OLD.

IT'S BEEN IN MANY WAYS GIVEN NEW LIFE BY NEW STAGINGS AND NEW INTERPRETATIONS AND NEW WAYS OF PRESENTING FAMILIAR PIECES.

BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS THE CREATION OF NEW WORKS.

AND ONE THING THAT WE'VE SEEN TREMENDOUS SUCCESS WITH IS, WHEN YOU PRESENT SOMETHING THAT'S FAMILIAR OR TOPICAL OR RELEVANT, PARTICULARLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY RESPOND TO IT SO MUCH MORE QUICKLY.

IN A WAY IT'S ABOUT BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS AND GIVING PEOPLE SOMETHING FAMILIAR TO THEM, SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN GRASP, SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND.

BY PRESENTING THE LORD OF CRIES, WHICH IS BASED ON BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA, THERE'S ALSO AN IMMEDIACY FOR NEW AUDIENCES TO BE ABLE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.

OF COURSE IT WILL BE PRESENTED IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE WHICH MAKES IT EASIER.

THE SANTA FE OPERA ALSO HAS THE LUXURY OF A SEATBACK TITLE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO TRANSLATE OPERAS FROM OTHER LANGUAGES, BUT IT REALLY IS ABOUT BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS TO ENTRY AND ALLOWING PEOPLE TO REALLY IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN THE EXPERIENCE AND IN THE ADVENTURE OF OPERA.

COMPOSING THE SCORE AND WRITING THE LIBRETTO.

>>MARK ADAMO: THE RECORDING WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT JOHN AND I HEARD THE PIECE.

YOU BEGIN TO HEAR A WORLD, THE EMOTIONAL WORLD, THE SONIC WORLD, HOW THE WORDS AND THE MUSIC ARE COMING TOGETHER.

>>ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO, COUNTERTENOR: HIS TEMPLE.

HOW YOU PROFANE IT.

BEFORE YOU BUILT THESE MARBLE TOWERS.

BEFORE YOU RAISED THESE IRON GATES.

BEFORE THIS CRIMSON GLASS, THIS GILDED PLASTER, THIS TEMPLE WAS A MOONLIT GLADE, SACRED TO MY MASTER.

>>MARK ADAMO: WHEN I'M STARTING OPERA THE FIRST QUESTION THAT I ASK IS "WHY DO WE NEED THIS NOW?

WHY ARE WE IN THE THEATER HEARING THIS STORY?

WHAT IS IT TELLING US THAT WE NEED TO HEAR, OR WE STILL NEED TO HEAR, OR WE NEED TO HEAR AGAIN BECAUSE WE KEEP FORGETTING IT?"

IT DIDN'T BEGIN WITH INVESTIGATING THE BOOK OR THE PLAY.

IT BEGAN WITH INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE.

THE "LORD OF CRIES" IS DIONYSUS AND IS DRACULA, BUT REALLY IS THE VOICE THAT SAYS "YOU NEED TO LOOK WITHIN.

I'M HERE AND IF YOU DON'T GIVE ME SPACE, I WILL DEVOUR YOU."

>>JOHN CORIGLIANO: ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE TO DO IS WORK WITH VERY PRIMITIVE SOUNDS.

UH, SO OF COURSE THIS PARTICULAR OPERA FASCINATED ME, BECAUSE IT IS VERY PRIMITIVE.

I MEAN, IT'S GOING BACK TO THE ANCIENT GREEK GODS AND PAGAN, PAGAN SACRIFICES AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

THE WAY WE DID IT IS MARK WROTE HIS LIBRETTO AND I HAD INPUT INTO IT AND THEN I WROTE MY MUSIC, WHICH ONLY TOOK 10 YEARS.

UM, IN THOSE 10 YEARS, I GOT TO KNOW THE CHARACTERS AND THE SITUATIONS REALLY WELL.

THE WAY IT STARTS IS THE COMPOSER HAS GOT TO FIGURE OUT, NUMBER ONE, THE KIND OF LANGUAGE HE'S USING, UH, NUMBER TWO, THE KIND OF CHARACTERS THAT HE IS BUILDING, AND WITH ACTUAL NOTES.

IN THIS PIECE SOMETHING RATHER WONDERFUL HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THE VERY NATURE OF THE TITLE OF "THE BACCHAE".

JOHAN SEBASTIAN BACH USED TO TAKE HIS NAME, B_A_C_H, AND HE WOULD USE THE GERMAN LETTERINGS FOR THOSE.

B IS REALLY THE PITCH B FLAT, A IS RIGHT HERE, A.

C IS HERE AND, H IS B NATURAL.

SO THE "BACCHAE " CHORD THAT I DEVISED, STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM AND SPELLING THE NAME UP IS, STARTING THE LOW B FLATS, (PLAYS NOTES IN THE CHORD ON PIANO) THEN THE A, THEN THE C, THEN THE C, THEN THE B, AND THEN THE A, AND FINALLY THE E. AND THEY ALL SOUND TOGETHER AND IT'S QUITE A TERRIFYING CHORD.

AND IT WAS A WAY OF GETTING MATERIAL.

HARMONIC MATERIAL.

CHORDS.

>>MARK ADAMO: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS REALLY THRILLING ABOUT READING THE NOVEL AFTER HAVING READ THE PLAY WAS, YOU KEPT THINKING, STOKER MUST EVEN SUBCONSCIOUSLY HAVE HAD "THE BACCHAE" IN THE BACK OF HIS HEAD.

BECAUSE WHAT ELSE MAKES SENSE OF THE FACT THAT DRACULA CASTS NO REFLECTION?

YOU KNOW, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I JUST THOUGHT, "WELL THAT'S THE HISTORY OF YOU KNOW MONSTER, LORE IT'S NOT REALLY IMPORTANT."

YOU READ "THE BACCHAE" AND YOU REALIZE, OF COURSE HE DOESN'T CAST A REFLECTION.

HE IS A REFLECTION, YOU KNOW.

OF COURSE HE DOESN'T HAVE A REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR.

HE IS OUR REFLECTION.

AND I THOUGHT, "WELL THAT..." .

NOW, YOU GET THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NOVEL, WHICH KIND OF BELONGS TO THE HISTORY OF HORROR, UM, AND TRAGEDY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT GETS TO SOMETHING DEEPER PSYCHOLOGICALLY.

AND SO THE STOKER STARTED ME THERE, THE EURIPIDES TOOK ME FURTHER, AND THEN BOTH OF THEM LED TO THAT THAT QUESTION, WHICH WE ARE STILL DEALING WITH.

>>JOHN CORIGLIANO: IT'S A LONG ROAD.

I MEAN.

IF I SHOWED YOU ALL THE HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF THIS, YOU'RE JUST HARD TO BELIEVE.

BUT IT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN MAKE SOMETHING THAT PULLS TOGETHER, THAT REALLY USES ITS MATERIALS, THAT BUILDS.

>> ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO, COUNTERTENOR: >> BEFORE YOUR SCULPTED MOTHER EVE... >>JOHN CORIGLIANO: MARK ADAMO IS A TERRIFIC ARCHITECT WITH WORDS.

AND HE'S GIVEN ME ARIAS THAT HAVE RETURNS AND NEW SECTIONS AND ALL THAT.

AND THEN I HAVE TO BUILD THE WHOLE OPERA SO THAT IT HAS A REAL CLIMAX.

SO THAT HAS REAL TENSION, REAL RELEASE.

>> ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO, COUNTERTENOR: THEY WERE RITES OF FRENZY, RITES OF ECSTASY, RITES OF HUNGER, RITES OF HEAT.

THEY WEREN'T GENTLE, THEY WEREN'T TENDER.

>>MARK ADAMO: THE KIND OF HEIGHTENED EMOTION THAT OPERA PRESENTS SEEMS TO ME ACTUALLY EMOTION AT ITS PROPER SIZE.

I GET TO SAY "WHO ARE WE?

HOW DOES WHO WE ARE SOUND?

HOW CAN WE MAKE SENSE OF THE LIFE THAT WE'RE LIVING NOW?"

EVEN AS WE LOOK AT OTHER SOURCES THAT HAVE TRIED TO ADDRESS THAT SAME QUESTION, WE NEED TO INTEGRATE THOSE INTO A NEW DRAMA, A NEW ART FORM THAT TRIES TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT WHO WE ARE.

AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE THING I LOVE THE MOST ABOUT GETTING TO DO WHAT I DO.

YOU KNOW, I GET TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS.

CONCEPTUALIZING A WORLD PREMIERE.

>>JAMES DARRAH: I MEAN THE MOST EXCITING THING FOR A WORLD PREMIERE IS THAT IT HASN'T BEEN DONE.

>>CHRISI KARVONIDES-DUSHENKO: WHEN I FIRST STARTED WORKING WITH JAMES ON THIS OPERA, THERE WAS THIS QUESTION OF HOW DO YOU INFUSE ANCIENT GREECE INTO THE VICTORIAN ERA AND THEN BUILD THIS WORLD?

>>JAMES: AS DESIGNERS, AS OUR WHOLE TEAM, WE'RE LOOKING AT: HOW DO WE CREATE A WORLD ON STAGE THAT FEELS LIKE A DREAM?

INSIDE OF YOUR DREAMS THINGS THAT IN OUR REAL LIFE WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE, THINGS THAT WOULD SEEM, MAYBE INTANGIBLE OR INCONGRUOUS, THAT WOULDN'T REALLY LINE UP, IN DREAM SPACE, THOSE THINGS ALWAYS WERE.

>>JAMES: SO FOR THE DESIGNERS; THAT WAS LOOKING AT THE MUSIC, AND THE SCORE, AND SO - LOOKING AT THE WAY IT'S ORCHESTRATED, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE SOUNDS IN THAT.

THE DESIGNERS AND I, THEN TALKED ABOUT: HOW DO ALL OF OUR DESIGN CHOICES FEEL LIKE THE MUSIC?

>>CHRISI: AS I'M DRAWING, I'M CONSTANTLY TRYING TO CHANNEL WHO THESE CHARACTERS ARE AND THEN THE GREATEST JOY IS ONCE THE SILHOUETTE IS CREATED, AND THE DIRECTOR IS LIKE, YES!

THIS IS WORKING.

I CAN SEE THIS MOVING IN THE WIND!

OR, IT MAKES THEM LARGER THAN LIFE!

THEN I CAN START THROWING THE PAINT ON IT AND THAT'S WHEN I FEEL THE MAGIC REALLY HAPPENS.

>>JAMES: WE STARTED AT THE VERY BEGINNING, THINKING OF WAYS TO INCORPORATE COLOR AND LIGHT AND SHADOW AS ACTUAL NARRATIVE ARCS IN THE PIECE.

THAT LIGHT TELLS A STORY.

THAT YOU COULD WATCH THE ENTIRE PRODUCTION ON MUTE AND NOT HEAR ANY OF THE MUSIC, AND LIGHT WOULD STILL TELL YOU A STORY.

LIGHT STILL GIVES YOU INFORMATION AND WHERE WE LANDED WAS, REALLY INCORPORATING THE IDEA OF THESE VICTORIAN STREET LAMPS, THESE STREET SCENES, THERE'S A LOT OF JUXTAPOSITION OF INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR IN THE OPERA AND SO WE KIND OF CREATED A SET THAT FEELS LIKE BOTH AT ONCE.

AND THESE LIGHTS THEN, ARE PROGRAMMABLE TO UNDULATE LIKE THE MUSIC.

THAT ALL THE LIGHTS CAN TAKE DIFFERENT PROGRAMMING AND MOVE AND DIFFERENT FLICKERING SHADOWS AND LIGHT GLOWS KIND OF FEEL LIKE THEY'RE FOLLOWING SOME OF THE STORY OR ACTIVATED BY CERTAIN CHARACTERS.

WE'VE DESIGNED THE PROJECTIONS TO ALSO KIND OF REACT TO THE CHARACTERS SO DIONYSUS AT ONE POINT ASSIMILATES INTO VICTORIAN LONDON AND HAS A PRINTED SUIT AND THAT SUIT BLEEDS OUT ONTO THE WALLS.

THE PATTERN CAN SPREAD AND TAKE OVER THE WALLS.

,SO THERE IS THIS SURREALIST, KIND OF, GOING TO OUR DREAM IN OUR NIGHTMARE.

IT'S LIKE, THE WHOLE WALL CAN SUDDENLY HAVE THE PRINT OF HIS COSTUME AND HE ALMOST DISAPPEARS INTO IT AND EMERGES FROM THAT WHEN HE WANTS.

WE WANTED TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT FELT LIKE IT WAS ALWAYS SHIFTING, YOU KNOW, THAT WE SHOULD NEVER FEEL LIKE WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT.

>>CHRISI: WHAT ELEVATES THE DRAMA OF THE TEXT AND THE MUSIC IN THE COSTUMES, IS WHEN THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT LARGER THAN LIFE.

WHEN THEY TAKE UP A LITTLE BIT MORE SPACE THAN THEY SHOULD.

THE SKIRTS ARE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

THE HEMLINES ARE A LITTLE EXAGGERATED.

WHEN WE HAVE CAPES, THEY ARE VOLUMINOUS.

IN THE CHOICES FOR THE FABRICS IN "LORD OF CRIES," WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE ELEVATING AND HEIGHTENING THE REALITY OF WHO THESE CHARACTERS ARE.

THE COLORS ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE RICHER.

WE'RE ALSO DOING A LOT OF LAYERING OF SHEERS.

WHERE YOU SORT OF SEE THE FIGURE AND YOU DON'T SEE THE FIGURE.

INSTEAD OF JUST A CROWN ON DIONYSUS'S HEAD, IT'S GOING TO BE THAT HIS WHOLE FACE IS SURROUNDED WITH METALLIC, UNUSUAL OBJECTS, TO FRAME AND TO SHINE LIGHT UP INTO ANTHONY'S FACE.

OPERA IS SO SPECIAL TO ME BECAUSE IT'S A PLATFORM THAT, I FEEL LIKE, I'M EMBRACED AS AN ARTIST, OR AS A PAINTER, AND I GET TO PAINT THE COSTUMES ON STAGE.

>>JAMES: FOR ME WHAT MAKES OPERA SPECIAL IS, IT OCCUPIES A SPACE THAT NOT ONLY IS COMBINING A LOT OF ART FORMS, BUT IN THE PERFORMANCE OF AN OPERA, YOU ARE ILLUMINATING PART OF - HOW WE ALL EXIST AND FEEL IN OUR LIVES, AND THE THINGS THAT WE HOPE FOR, WE DREAM ABOUT, THE THINGS THAT WE YEARN FOR.

THOSE ARE GIVEN LITERAL VOICE IN AN OPERA, IN A WAY THAT IS ALMOST UNABLE TO DEFINE, AND WHEN IT HAPPENS WELL, YOU ARE COMPLETELY ENRAPTURED AND OVERWHELMED BY IT.

BRINGING CHARACTERS TO LIFE.

>>ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO: OKAY.

>>SUSANNA PHILLIPS: OKAY!

>>ANTHONY: ALL RIGHT!

>>SUSANNA: LET'S DO THIS.

I'M EXCITED GUYS.

>>ANTHONY: ME TOO!

HI.

I'M HERE.

>>SUSANNA: LET'S MAKE SOME MAGIC.

>> ANTHONY: DIONYSUS IS FEARSOME.

HE'S RIGHTEOUS AND VULNERABLE.

>>SUSANNA: LUCY'S CHARACTER DOES THE RIGHT THING.

>>SUSANNA: SHE HAS A REAL CHARACTER ARC.

YOU FOLLOW HER JOURNEY.

SHE DOES START OFF IN A SLIGHTLY TENDER, MEEKER, MORE, NOT SUBDUED, BUT MORE KIND OF, PUT TOGETHER, TIED UP, KIND OF PERSON AND THEN SHE BEGINS TO UNRAVEL, AND IN DOING SO, FINDS THIS INNER FIRE, THIS INNER PASSION, THAT IS SOMETIMES UNRULY, AND SOMETIMES HARD TO CONTROL, BUT IS SO REAL, AND PASSIONATE, AND SHE HAS TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THAT.

SHE HAS TO GRAPPLE WITH THAT AND WHAT THAT MEANS.

>>ANTHONY: YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING, AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT IT, AND YOU TELL EVERYONE AND THEY DON'T LISTEN TO YOU AND NO ONE LISTENS TO YOU AND THEN YOU WIND UP BEING RIGHT ABOUT IT?

THAT'S SORT OF WHAT THIS CHARACTER IS FEELING AT ALL TIMES AND HE KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS BUT, AND HE KNOWS HOW THE WORLD SHOULD BE BUT THE ONE THING HE DOESN'T KNOW IS THE LOVE THAT HE WANTS, THE CONNECTION.

HIS ONLY WAY TO GET THAT IS THROUGH THESE TERRIBLE ACTS AND SO IN THAT SENSE HE'S VERY COMPLEX AND I THINK THE COUNTER-TENOR VOICE IS A REALLY INTERESTING CHOICE TO REPRESENT HIS OTHER WORLDLINESS HIS GODLINESS BECAUSE WHAT WE HEAR COME OUT OF MY BODY DOESN'T MATCH WHAT WE SEE AND THOSE, YOU KNOW, NOTIONS OF IDENTITY ARE REALLY INHERENT IN THE VOICE TYPE I HAVE AS WELL AS IN THIS CHARACTER.

>>SUSANNA: SINGING EMOTION, I THINK, IS REALLY HARD, I THINK, SINGING INTENTION IS MUCH EASIER WHEN YOU PUT YOURSELF IN THE CHARACTER'S SHOES AND YOU JUST GO THERE.

IF YOU TRY AND SAY, I'M GOING TO SING THIS PHRASE IN AN ANGRY WAY THAT DOESN'T REALLY WORK FOR ME.

I THINK A LOT OF TIMES, IT'S PUTTING YOURSELF IN THESE SHOES AND SAYING, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO YOU, NOW EXPRESS IT IN YOUR VOICE.

THAT TO ME, IS HOW THE EMOTION BECOMES AUTHENTIC AND REAL.

>>ANTHONY: CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL MUSIC HAS ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF SONIC WORLDS.

>>ANTHONY: AND IN JOHN'S PIECES, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU'RE SINGING A NOTE THAT IS IN THE ORCHESTRA, AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU'RE SINGING A NOTE THAT FEELS LIKE IT IS FROM A DIFFERENT UNIVERSE.

AND SO TO LEARN THAT, TO GET THAT INTO YOUR BODY, IT'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF PRACTICE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST LIKE, I HAVE TO TEACH MYSELF DIFFERENT SCALES, DIFFERENT PITCHES AND HEAR THEM IN MY HEAD OVER THE ORCHESTRA OR THE PIANO.

>>ANTHONY: IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN OLYMPIC ATHLETE.

WE TRAIN AND WE TRAIN AND WE TRAIN AND THEN WE HOPE IN THE MOMENT THAT WE CAN EXECUTE IT WITH THE SAME PRECISION.

>>SUSANNA: MUSIC IS IMPACTFUL, IN A WAY, BECAUSE YOU ARE COMMUNICATING WITH SOMEONE ON A LEVEL BEYOND WORDS.

>>ANTHONY: MY PARENTS ARE BOTH PSYCHOLOGISTS SO, I GREW UP THINKING ABOUT EMOTION A LOT, AND I FEEL LIKE THAT IS AT THE BASE OF THE MEANING OF LIFE.

>>SUSANNA: YOU SOUND AMAZING!

>>ANTHONY: NO, YOU SOUND SO GREAT!

>>SUSANNA: GOODNESS.

>>ANTHONY: OPERA GIVES US A WAY TO HAVE THAT, KIND OF, SUSTAINED EMOTION BUT WITH A LENS OF BEAUTY THAT REALLY MAKES IT PALATABLE IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND SO I THINK OPERA HINTS AT SOME OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL THINGS ABOUT LIFE.

BEHIND THE SCENES.

>>CHELSEA ANTRIM DENNIS: WELCOME TO THE STAGE!

[LAUGHS] >>THIS WHOLE WALL WILL PIVOT DOWNSTAGE TO RUN PARALLEL TO EDGE OF STAGE.

>>THIS IS THE SET FOR "THE LORD OF CRIES".

WE'VE JUST LOADED IN THE SET, AND WE ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE IT FITS ON THE STAGE THAT IT'S ALL WORKING TOGETHER.

THERE WILL BE LAMP POSTS THAT ARE OVER 15 FEET TALL IN THIS SECTION, SO THEY CAN TURN ON AND OFF WHEN DIFFERENT CHARACTERS WALK BY.

LATER TODAY WE'LL TAKE IT OFF THE STAGE AND MOVE IT INTO OUR PAINT SHOP AND OUR PAINTERS WILL GET STARTED ON IT RIGHT AWAY.

AND THEN THIS IS OUR ROOM IN THE BACK; IT'LL BE FILLED WITH CHANDELIERS AND TERTIARIES AND SCONCES.

SO, THE PROCESS STARTS EARLY ON-SOMETIMES TWO YEARS BEFORE OPENING NIGHT OF A PRODUCTION.

THE SET IS UP ON STAGE AND IN THAT PROCESS, WE LEARN A LOT.

WE LEARN THINGS THAT MAYBE WE DIDN'T MEASURE QUITE RIGHT OR THAT AREN'T FITTING QUITE PERFECTLY SO THAT WE HAVE TIME TO FIX IT.

WE'RE STILL 96 DAYS BEFORE OPENING NIGHT SO PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE SURE IT'S READY TO GO.

>>I AM HERE IN THE COSTUME SHOP.

AND HERE NEXT TO ME ARE SOME OF THE FABRICS THAT WILL BE USED IN THE FIRST COSTUME LOOK OF DIONYSUS IN THE PROLOGUE OF THE PIECE, WHERE HE'LL BE FOUND AT THE TOP OF THE WALL CENTER STAGE.

YOU CAN SEE THIS FEATHERED FABRIC HAS SOME AMAZING MOVEMENT AND TEXTURE AND COLOR-WILL DEFINITELY ADD TO THE DRAMA FOR THE OPENING SCENE.

>>WITH A GOD LIKE DIONYSUS ON THE STAGE SOMETIMES IT CAN OVERSHADOW OTHER CHARACTERS, BUT THIS TEAM HAS DONE A BEAUTIFUL JOB PICKING FABRICS FOR THE OTHER CHARACTERS THAT REALLY GIVE THEM A LIFE OF THEIR OWN.

THIS IS FABRIC FOR LUCY, OUR LEADING SOPRANO, AND YOU CAN SEE WITH THE TEXTURE AND THE COLOR WITH BLUES-AND THEN FOR HER OTHER COSTUMES THE PURPLES AND THE PINKS-YOU REALLY DO SEE THAT SHE WILL HAVE A STORY OF HER OWN ON THAT STAGE.

>>WE HAD OUR FINAL DESIGN PRESENTATION FOR THE LORD OF CRIES LAST AUGUST OF 2020 AND ADAM RIGG DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB CREATING THE ENTIRE SET.

SO, THIS IS OUR SET LOOK FOR ACT ONE WITH THE STAGE LEFT WALL, WHICH IS HORIZONTAL TO THE EDGE OF STAGE, AND THEN THE REST OF THE SET IT STAYS IN ITS SAME POSITION THROUGHOUT THE PRODUCTION.

YOU CAN SEE HERE THERE ARE LAMPPOSTS AND THEN WE HAVE THESE LIGHTING EFFECTS THROUGHOUT.

>>AND THEN IN THE BACK THERE IS A ROLLING BARN DOOR THAT REVEALS LATER A SECRET ROOM.

IT'S A VERY DYNAMIC SET WHILE ALSO BEING AN IDEAL PROJECTION SURFACE, SO THERE WILL BE AMAZING PROJECTIONS THAT ARE BEING DESIGNED BY ADAM LARSEN.

[MACHINE NOISES] >>I AM HERE IN THE PROP CARPENTRY SHOP AND ONE OF THE MAJOR ELEMENTS FOR LORD OF CRIES ARE THE LAMP POSTS AND THEY ARE OVER 13 FEET TALL.

AND WHILE THERE'S SOMETHING THEY'RE A PART OF OUR REGULAR WORLD, THEY'RE USED IN THIS PRODUCTION TO REALLY CREATE A MAGICAL SPACE BY TURNING ON AND OFF AS DIFFERENT CHARACTERS PASS BY THEM IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

SO HERE YOU CAN SEE THE TOP OF THE LAMPPOST WHICH IS MADE OUT OF ALUMINUM ON THE BOTTOM AND MDF WITH POPLAR WOOD ON THE TOP THAT'S ALL BEEN TURNED-ALL HAND MADE HERE IN THE PROP CARPENTRY SHOP.

>>SO, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY-HAVE TO HAVE BATTERIES INSIDE OF THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT REMOTELY.

SO, THIS IS A PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE A FEW WEEKS THAT WILL BE CONTINUING FOR QUITE A FEW WEEKS YET.

>>WHEN YOU SEE THE LAMPPOST AT SCALE YOU CAN SEE HOW THEIR PRESENCE ON STAGE, ESPECIALLY FIFTEEN OF THEM, WILL BE QUITE IMPRESSIVE AT 13 FOOT 6 INCHES TALL, SIGNIFICANTLY TALLER THAN ME.

[LAUGHS] [MACHINE BEEPING] >>SO, AT THIS POINT THESE WALLS HAVE JUST COME OUT OF OUR CARPENTRY SHOP TO BE FIT UP ONTO THE STAGE, AND THE NEXT STEP IS FOR THEM TO BE PAINTED.

SO, TODAY'S THEIR LAST DAY WITH THE CARPENTRY SHOP AND IN THEY GO WITH THE PAINT CREW.

>>A UNIQUE ELEMENT TO THE SANTA FE OPERA STAGE IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A FLY SPACE HERE; IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT WITH THIS WIND TO FLY ANYTHING IN AND OUT.

SO, EVERYTHING HAS TO ROLL ONTO THE STAGE.

>>SO, ALL OF THIS BREAKS APART INTO SMALLER PIECES THAT FIT ON THAT ELEVATOR TO BE ABLE TO BE BROUGHT UP TO STAGE, OR DOWN TO OUR SHOPS, OR DOWN TO THE BASEMENT FOR STORAGE.

IN JUNE IT'LL START COMING UP TO STAGE FOR OUR TECHNICAL REHEARSALS AS WE START TO GET INTO LIGHTING AND STAGING REHEARSALS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS IN ANTICIPATION OF OUR OPENING NIGHT IN JULY.

OPERA IS THE ULTIMATE COLLABORATIVE ART FORM, AND WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO BRING ALL OF THESE ARTISTS TOGETHER INTO ONE SPACE AND INTO-TO WORK ON ONE PRODUCTION TOGETHER, YOU REALLY GET TO SEE THE ARTISTRY COME TOGETHER AND FOR THEM TO FEED OFF OF ONE ANOTHER.

AND NOT JUST WITH YOUR DIRECTOR AND YOUR DESIGNERS BUT WITH YOUR CARPENTERS IN THE SCENE SHOP, WITH YOUR STITCHES IN THE COSTUME SHOP, IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD THESE AMAZING PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER WITH THESE VISIONS AND THE FINAL PRODUCT IS ALL OF THOSE VISIONS TOGETHER AND THAT'S WHAT I GET EXCITED ABOUT.

I THINK THERE ARE TEARS IN MY EYES.

[LAUGHS] OPENING NIGHT!

>>>JOHANNES DEBUS: IT'S A VERY VERY GOOD QUESTION.

WHEN DO I KNOW?

UM...

WHEN DO I KNOW THAT IT'S WORKING?

UMM...

I TH- I THINK IT'S THE MOMENT WHEN I FEEL OH, IT'S GOING EFFORTLESSLY.

>>ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO (DIONYSUS): [SINGING] LISTEN!

LISTEN TO ME, O MY SISTERS!

>>JOHANNES DEBUS: FOR ME IT'S ALWAYS AFTER REHEARSALS A BIT LIKE A STATE OF SHOCK.

I'M STILL IN THIS PROCESS OF THINKING OK, WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN NOW IN THE NEXT REHEARSAL AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

>>JOHN CORIGLIANO: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED TODAY IS WE HAD ABSOLUTELY NEVER HEARD THE CHORUS, THE SOLOIST, AND THE ORCHESTRA TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME.

>>MARK ADAMO: RIGHT.

>>JOHN CORIGLIANO: NEVER.

IT'S COMING ALIVE RIGHT NOW.

>>DAVID PORTILLO (JONATHAN HARKER): [SINGING] AHHHHH!

LUCY!

>>JOHANNES DEBUS: IT'S SOMETHING INCREDIBLY SPECIAL I THINK FOR ANY MUSICIAN TO PERFORM THE MUSIC OF A LIVING COMPOSER AND I MEAN HERE IT'S NOT JUST ONE LIVING COMPOSER, IT'S JOHN CORIGLIANO.

PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPOSERS OF OUR TIME.

DURING THE BREAK TODAY I JUST CAME TOGETHER WITH JOHN, AND HE SHOWED ME SORT OF HIS LIST OF THINGS YOU KNOW THAT UHH WE SHOULD TRY TO FURTHER WORK ON.

>>JOHN CORIGLIANO: HEARING THE THE SOLOIST AND THEN SUDDENLY THE CHORUS COMES IN AND THE ORCHESTRAS BEHIND ALL THAT, AND SUDDENLY THE SOUNDS WE IMAGED ARE COMING RIGHT OUT AND I THINK THAT'S THAT'S GOTTA BE ONE OF THE GREAT EXPERIENCES FOR ANY COMPOSER, CERTAINLY FOR ME IT IS AND MARK'S INCREDIBLE LIBRETTO UH WHICH INSPIRED THIS.

>>MARK ADAMO: WELL, I THINK THE THING ACTUALLY THAT IS GREAT ABOUT THE- YOU KNOW AND YOU AS AS WRITERS USING THE TERM THAT YOU KNOW MOST GENERALLY IS THAT, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN UM THAT EVERY ROLE IS A ROLE AND EVERY ROLE HAS A KIND OF ARC IN IT AND YOU CAN YOU KNOW MAKE THOSE DECISIONS ON A PAGE BUT UNTIL YOU SEE YOU KNOW THE BODIES IN SPACE MAKING THEIR PERFORMANCE HAPPEN, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S POSSIBLE.

BUT IF YOU DO WHAT WE DO, WHICH IS TO TRY TO GET AS MUCH OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE AND LEGIBLE IN WORDS AND IN A BLUE PRINT OF SOUND, TO SEE IT ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN WHAT SEEMS TO BE THREE- OR FOUR-DIMENSIONS.

WORD, ACTING, MOVEMENT, LIGHTS, ORCHESTRA, TAMBER EVERY WAY YOU COULD EXPERIENCE SOMETHING.

YOU FEEL IN A CERTAIN WAY LIKE YOU'VE CREATED A WORLD.

WE'RE PLAYING GOD!

>>JOHN CORIGLIANO: WE'RE PLAYING GOD!

[LAUGHING] >>JOHANNES DEBUS: THERE'S ONE ELEMENT THAT FOR THE CONDUCTOR THAT'S A BIT LIKE UM A POLICE COP ON THE STREET WHO REGULATES THE TRAFFIC.

WHEN THAT PART OF MY WORK SO TO SPEAK IS SECONDARY AND IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MUSICAL EXPRESSION.

THEN I KNOW IT'S IT'S GOING WELL.

>>MARK ADAMO: BECAUSE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS GONE AS WELL AS IT HAS, IT MAKES YOU EAGER TO SAY, "NOW I WANT TO SEE THE REST OF IT, I WANT TO SEE IT TOMORROW, I WANT TO SEE IT RIGHT NOW!"

>>ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO (DIONYSUS): [SINGING] BEFORE YOU PAINTED NOAH'S FLOOD.

THE CHERUBIM, THE VIRGIN IN HER CRÈCHE- >>JOHANNES DEBUS: SO ON, ON OPENING NIGHT WHEN THE WHEN THE CURTAIN GOES UP, IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL THING THAT- THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT'S A BIT LIKE FLYING!

[THE SOUND OF THUNDER & COYOTE HOWLS] >>OPERA TAILGATERS: I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU COULD TAILGATE WITHOUT A CHANDELIER.

[LAUGHING] >>OPERA TAILGATERS: YEAH, WE CAME ALL THE WAY FROM FORT COLLINS, COLORADO TO BE HERE.

>>OPERA TAILGATERS: [LAUGHS] WELL THE ATMOSPHERE IS STUNNING.

WE'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU KNOW THE STORM, KIND OF- HOPEFULLY IT'S PASSING BY AND IT'S NOT LINGERING UH I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE WITH REALLY BEAUTIFUL RAINBOWS UMM JUST; PICTURES DON'T DO IT JUSTICE.

>>OPERA TAILGATERS: WE'VE BEEN TAILGATING FOR THIRTY YEARS!

[LAUGHS] >>OPERA TAILGATERS: TO THE OPERA!

TO THE OPERA!

>>OPERA TAILGATERS: [CLINK] CHEERS!

>>OPERA TAILGATERS: [CLINK] TOI TOI TOI!

>>OPERA TAILGATERS: TO BEING TOGETHER WITH LIVE PERFORMANCES AGAIN!

YEAH!

YAY!

LIVE PERFORMANCE!

EIGHTEEN MONTHS!

>>JOHANNES DEBUS: OPENING NIGHT THERE'S TH- THERE'S EXPECTATION IN THE ROOM THEN RIGHT BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE YOU STAND THERE AT THE, THE ENTRANCE DOOR TO THE PIT AND UH MINUTES TURN INTO HOURS.

WAITING IS EXCRUCIATING.

YOU WANNA GO INTO THE ARENA YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA T- YOU WANNA SEE THE WILD BEASTS OUT THERE [LAUGHS] UH YOU WANNA, YOU WANNA BE THE GLADIATOR SO TO SPEAK.

THEN YOU GET THE SIGNAL AS TO GO.

YOU MAKE IT TO THE PODIUM, YOU GREET THE MUSICIANS, TAKE YOUR BOW AND THEN YOU JUST FOCUS ON THE MOMENT.

YOU TRY TO SEE AND TO FEEL THE BEGINNING AND WHERE THIS LONG JOURNEY WILL TAKE YOU.

YOU TRY TO BRING THAT TOGETHER SOMEHOW.

>>ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO (DIONYSUS): [SINGING] I, DIONYSUS, SON OF ZEUS, I CAME DOWN TO THEBES.

I OFFERED THAT CITY THREE CHANCES TO ACKNOWLEDGE ME.

>>JOHANNES DEBUS: THERE'S ONE PART OF MY BRAIN THAT IS COMPLETELY DEDICATED TO WHAT'S GOING ON, ON STAGE.

>>DAVID PORTILLO (JONATHAN HARKER): [SINGING] HOW?

HOW, THE BLUE FLAMES ON THE ROCKY PLAIN?

HOW, >>JOHANNES DEBUS: EVERY PERFORMANCE IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.

>>DAVID PORTILLO (JONATHAN HARKER): [SINGING] NO FACE IN THE SILVER MIRROR?

>>JOHANNES DEBUS: AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE SINGERS AREN'T JUST SINGING, THEY'RE ALSO ACTING.

THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF WHAT I WOULD DESCRIBE RECITATIVO WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE A CHORD IN THE ORCHESTRA THAT IS HOLD AND THE SINGERS ON TOP OF THIS CHORD WILL PROVIDE SOME TEXT AND THERE'S A CERTAIN ELEMENT OF FREEDOM IN IT.

>>KEVIN BURDETTE (CORRESPONDENT): FOR THE WESTMINSTER GAZETTE, 3 AUGUST.

>>JOHANNES DEBUS: AND WHEN THOSE, ALL THOSE ELEMENTS AND I WOULD EVEN INCLUDE THE STAGING.

>>STAGE PERFORMERS: [SINGING] I WOULD NOT CRAVE THE KISS.

[KISS SOUND] >>JOHANNES DEBUS: IF THEY ALL COME TOGETHER AND SORT OF CROSS FEED EACH OTHER, THEN YOU GET THIS IDEA OF WHAT THE GERMANS WOULD CALL GESAMTKUNSTWERK >>JARRETT OTT (JOHN SEWARD): [SINGING] -AND WHAT HE WANTS!

>>JOHANNES DEBUS: SO, THE WHOLE THING IS BIGGER THAN THE SUM OF THE PARTS.

>>STAGE PERFORMERS: [SINGING] ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT: ASK IT IN.

>>JOHANNES DEBUS: WHAT I LOVE ABOUT "LORD OF CRIES" IS THE IMMEDIACY OF EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION.

SO, YOU HAVE A COMPELLING STORY ABOUT SORT OF OUR INNER SELVES, HOW THOSE INNER SELVES MIGHT COLLIDE WITH THE STRUCTURES WE GIVE OURSELVES TO LIVE TOGETHER AND HOW THOSE STRUCTURES MAYBE BECOME HINDRANCES.

>>JARRETT OTT (JOHN SEWARD): [SINGING] MAKE ME ECSTASY AND RUIN: MAKE ME LORD OF CRIES!

>>JOHANNES DEBUS: AND TO SORT OF HAVE THE THE COURAGE TO FIND OUR OWN STORIES AND HOW THAT ALL COMES TOGETHER FROM AN ORCHESTRA IN FULL FORCE WITH MASSIVE BLOCKS OF CHORDS THAT THAT WILL FILL THE SPACE, TAKE THE ROOF OFF IF TH- IF THERE'S A ROOF UM TO MOMENTS OF INCREDIBLE INTIMACY AND AND AND ALMOST SILENCE AND NOTHINGNESS AND WHERE MAYBE JUST ONE SINGLE VOICE IS LEFT.

>>JARRETT OTT (JOHN SEWARD): [SINGING] HE HAS NO PLACE HERE!

>>JOHANNES DEBUS: AND THIS IS IN FOR ME WHAT OPERA IS ABOUT.

IT'S DRAMA THROUGH MUSIC.

>>ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO (DIONYSUS): [SINGING] O >>JOHANNES DEBUS: WHEN NEW PIECES ARE CREATED, WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO LOOK INTO THE MOST ACTUAL ISSUES.

INTO THE THINGS THAT MIGHT RELATE TO US AS LIVING CREATURES OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY.

THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR A PIECE OF ART NO MATTER WHEN CREATED THAT THERE'S A CERTAIN ELEMENT OF UNIVERSALITY IN IT, A CERTAIN ELEMENT THAT STANDS THE TEST OF TIME.

>>SUSANNA PHILLIPS (LUCY HARKER): [SINGING] MY DREAM, AGAIN!

MY PRINCE OF NIGHT!

>>ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO (DIONYSUS): [SINGING] LUCY, WHOSE VERY NAME MEANS LIGHT!

>>>JOHANNES DEBUS: ART HAS TO SOMEHOW PUT A WIDER LENS ON THE QUESTIONS, THE ISSUES WE MIGHT GO THROUGH IN OUR DAY IN AGE.

>>ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO (DIONYSUS) & SUSANNA PHILLIPS (LUCY HARKER): [SINGING] THIS IS THE THIRD TIME YOU/I HAVE COME TO ME/YOU...

ALWAYS, THOUGH, BY MOONLIGHT: AS IF BY LAW.

>>ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO (DIONYSUS): [SINGING] I PREFER THE SHADOW, THE SHADE, FOR AWE.

>>JOHANNES DEBUS: AND ART MIGHT NOT PROVIDE YOU WITH THE FINAL ANSWERS TO THAT.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE ROLE OF OF THE ARTS, BUT IT MIGHT HELP YOU TO EITHER FIND THE NEXT QUESTIONS TO THE QUESTIONS YOU ALREADY HAVE OR TO COME TO CERTAIN CONCLUSIONS.

>>ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO (DIONYSUS): [SINGING] THEN WHAT OF LUCY, TONIGHT?

LUCY, WHOSE VERY NAME MEANS LIGHT?

>>SUSANNA PHILLIPS (LUCY HARKER): [SINGING] STILL IT IS RIGHT.

I CHOOSE WHAT'S RIGHT.

AND TO DO RIGHT IS TO BE GOOD, AND TO BE GOOD IS TO KNOW JOY.

AND SO I SAY: TONIGHT, I >>JOHANNES DEBUS: I-I PERSONALLY THINK THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR, FOR OUR OWN EVOLUTION, THAT THERE IS NEW CREATION, THAT THERE ARE NEW IMPULSES THAT THAT KEEP US THINKING AND THAT KEEP US COMING TOGETHER TO EXPERIENCE THE MOST PRESSING AND THE MOST FORWARD-LOOKING THINGS TOGETHER.

>>CHORUS: [SINGING] DENY HIM NOT - DENY HIM NOT - DENY HIM NOT - DENY HIM NOT - TO VIEW THIS AND OTHER COLORES PROGRAMS GO TO: NEW MEXICO PBS DOT ORG AND LOOK FOR COLORES UNDER LOCAL PRODUCTIONS.

ALSO, LOOK FOR US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.

"UNTIL NEXT WEEK, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING."

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