You have GOT to check this out.
Musician Damon Albarn, who you might know from the band Gorillaz, wrote an opera about the infamous 16th century mathematician and occultist John Dee which was directed by Rufus Norris.
As you might imagine, all aspects of this make me basically explode in giddy fits of fanboy hysterics. Followers of this blog know John Dee is obviously a source of fascination, and the guy from Gorillaz writing an opera (small amounts of Elizabethan music and mostly modern balladeer type songs) has me ready to either change my pants or simply put on adult diapers in reaction.
And right i am to do so. Because LOOK at it! Yeah you gotta sit through the obligatory audience reaction “Wow that was really (positive expletive). I was (positive past tense verb)!” but it’s worth it because… LOOK at it:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p2BLQGIens]
Ooooooooohhhhhhh. I want to put caramel syrup on that and EAT it looks so awesome.
And thus songs are lovely. To wit:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ3CmQx3to]
AND it was inspired by Alan Moore. Alan ‘Watchmen/Marvelman/I’m A Wizard Now Harry’ Moore. What does that do to my geek meter? I’ll tell you:
The performance premiered in summer 2011 and just had another run at the English National Opera. If you want to know more about the piece in general i suggest watching this video.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4juXgHIZ6E]
