Transforming Oratorio Into Opera: the Conversion of James Demars's Guadalupe, 2006-2015 by Andrew Peck a Research Paper Pres
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Transforming Oratorio into Opera: The Conversion of James DeMars’s Guadalupe, 2006-2015 by Andrew Peck A Research Paper Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Musical Arts Approved October 2018 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: David Britton, Chair Dale Dreyfoos Amy Holbrook ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY December 2018 ABSTRACT In 2006, composer James DeMars conceived of an opera when he began setting the Aztec legend known as Nican Mopohua, the “legend of Guadalupe.” Many inherent challenges arose as DeMars began to compose his first opera. His unfamiliarity with operatic writing and production, a preference for the aural elements of opera over visual ones, inexperience with dramatic textual writing, and insecurity in his ability to have it produced, encouraged him to detour from his operatic vision altogether and instead write an oratorio. Yet, his original operatic concept revealed itself through the music and text enough to encourage him and others to believe that his oratorio, Guadalupe: Our Lady of the Roses, could be produced on the operatic stage. Despite the oratorio’s success, DeMars persisted in realizing his original operatic vision and began the arduous task of rewriting his opera in 2012. To overcome the challenges, he relied heavily on the input of an “Operatic Advisory Council.” This group of dedicated colleagues and experts in the field of opera revealed to DeMars certain essential elements of opera that were absent from the oratorio, and through the course of three years advised and instructed the composer as he transformed his oratorio into an opera – something rarely attempted in the operatic repertoire. In this document, Chapter 1 discusses the formation of the Council, its members, and the expertise they offered. Chapter 2 presents the areas of concern the Council had during the process. Chapter 3 discusses the methods by which DeMars rectified the flaws in the oratorio’s visual aspects, the vocal writing, and the dramatic elements that needed attention. It also presents musical and textual examples of the adjustments and additions DeMars made during the transition, and discusses their effect on the opera’s staging, vocal writing and drama. The changes DeMars made under the i guidance of the Operatic Advisory Council ultimately resulted in an operatic version of Guadalupe, which premiered at Arizona State University in November 2015. ii DEDICATION This document is dedicated to my mother, who carried me through the darkest hours of this process; and also, to my father who set an example of excellence, teaching me to never settle for less than my best; and to my beloved wife, my companion on life’s adventure. Without your loving assistance, I would not be who I am today. I must also mention my gratitude to David Britton, Dale Dreyfoos, Dr. Amy Holbrook, and all of the teachers who trained me, instructed me, and especially those who maintained high expectations of me, I thank you for seeing in me a better version of myself. I will always be indebted to those who lit a light in the darkness for me to see the path ahead. This document is also dedicated to James DeMars. Thank you for granting me the honor of bringing your vision to life as Juan Diego in the opera’s world premiere. It was a profound joy for me, and a benchmark in my career. Thank you for showing the courage to write an opera that shines as a beacon of your musical legacy, and your dedication to peace. May the light of the peacemakers never be dimmed. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................. vi LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................... vii PREFACE .............................................................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER Page 1 THE FORMATION OF AN OPERATIC ADVISORY COUNCIL. ....................... 4 From Opera to Oratorio ......................................................................................... 9 “An Oratorio With Operatic Elements” .............................................................. 11 “You Know, it’s Not an Opera” ........................................................................... 14 “You Need to Look at How Operas Are Done” .................................................. 18 “Create Something That is Stagecraft Worthy” ................................................... 19 From Oratorio to Opera ........................................................................................ 20 2 THE INPUT FROM THE OPERATIC ADVISORY COUNCIL. ......................... 21 “You’ve Got to Have Something You Can Put Good Staging To” .................... 22 “Can You Put it Up an Octave?” ......................................................................... 24 “We Had This Skeleton of a Dramatic Outline” ................................................. 29 Ready to Adapt ..................................................................................................... 34 3 TRANSFORMING GUADALUPE INTO AN OPERA. ........................................ 35 The Overture ......................................................................................................... 35 Opera No. 22 “The House of the Butterfly” ........................................................ 45 Opera No. 2 “¡Ah, Mi Alma!” ............................................................................. 48 Opera No. 18 “Soliloquy” .................................................................................... 56 Opera No. 3 “Recitative” ..................................................................................... 59 iv CHAPTER Page Opera No. 12 “Recitative” ................................................................................... 63 Opera No. 26 “Recitative” ................................................................................... 68 Opera No. 33 “Concédenos Paz” ......................................................................... 72 The Message of Peace .......................................................................................... 77 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................... 82 APPENDIX A A NUMBER-BY-NUMBER ILLUSTRATION OF ALTERATIONS MADE TO FORM THE OPERA ........................................................................... 84 B INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS ............................................................................ 96 C LIBRETTI COMPARISON ............................................................................... 154 D BIOGRAPHIES .................................................................................................. 179 E OEPRA AND ORATORIO CAST LISTS ........................................................ 194 F CORRESPONDENCE AND CONSENT ........................................................... 196 v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Table 3.1: Breakdown of the measures in Opera No. 33 .................................... 73 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Figure 3.1: Oratorio Overture (in entirety), piano/vocal ..................................... 40 2. Figure 3.2: Opera Overture, Scene 1a, “Memories of Defeat,” piano/vocal ...... 42 3. Figure 3.3: Comparative texts from the Oratorio and Opera overtures .............. 44 4. Figure 3.4: Oratorio No. 2 “¡Ah mi Alma!” measures 183-196 ......................... 52 5. Figure 3.5: Opera No. 2, “¡Ah mi Alma!” measures 183-196 ............................ 53 6. Figure 3.6: Comparison of Oratorio and Opera No. 2 “¡Ah mi Alma!” ............. 54 7. Figure 3.7: Text from Opera No. 18 “Soliloquy” ................................................ 57 8. Figure 3.8: Comparison between Oratorio and Opera No. 3 “Recitative” ......... 60 9. Figure 3.9: Oratorio’s “Victimae Paschali Laudes,” and Opera No. 12 ............. 66 10. Figure 3.10: Text from Opera No. 26 .................................................................. 69 11. Figure 3.11: Text from Opera No. 31 “El Milagro” ............................................ 80 vii PREFACE When the composer James DeMars conceived of a musical treatment of the Aztec legend Nican Mopohua, he originally envisioned an operatic setting. Having never composed an opera before and unsure of his ability to get one published, he decided to write an oratorio instead. Guadalupe, Our Lady of the Roses premiered in Mesa, Arizona, to much acclaim. Yet threads of DeMars’s original operatic concept remained during his composition of the oratorio, which later encouraged him to reconsider its viability as an opera. In 2012, the composer pursued the possibility of having Guadalupe performed at Arizona State University’s Lyric Opera Theatre. DeMars met some resistance from those he asked to stage the opera and realized that essential operatic components needed to be integrated into the oratorio before it could be functional on the stage. He subsequently sought out professionals in the operatic field who could assist him, including Robert Doyle, General Director of Canyon Records; William Reber, former Director of ASU’s Lyric Opera Theatre; Graham Whitehead, stage director; and Isola Jones, operatic mezzo- soprano. These experts formed a kind of “Operatic Advisory Council” for DeMars. The members of this group collaborated with him, educating, advising, and assisting as he worked to adapt his oratorio.