Review: Mozart, L'Opéra Rock
So, I've discovered French rock opera. Sounds like a lot of chaos, doesn't it? You'd be correct in that assumption. However, the French can wrangle that chaos and turn it into something beautiful like no other. We think Hamilton is original? I love Lin-Manuel Miranda and his work [kind of on an obsessive level, actually] but, man, are we Americans behind the times. The French have been doing jamming history musicals [les comédies musicales] for years! For example: "Mozart, L'Opéra Rock." I watched the entire 2010 production on YouTube (with English subtitles) and the music and costuming are both FABULOUS. [Plus: it's already helping me improve my French!]
The production first premiered in 2009 in Paris. With music by Dove Attia, Jean-Pierre Pilot, Olivier Schultheis, William Rousseau, Nicolas Luciani, Rodrigue Janois, and Françoise Castello, lyrics by Vincent Baguian and Patrice Guirao, and a book by Dove Attia and François Chouquet, the musical is a dramatization of the life of the musician-composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, from the age of seventeen until his death. The music includes original pop-rock compositions in addition to existing music by Mozart himself.
My top favorite songs from the show are (in no order but chronologically as they appear in the show):
"Je dors sur les roses:" Slow, sad, lyrical. Very heartfelt melodies.
"Place je passe:" A dancing tune! Upbeat, fun, super energizing!
"Si je défaille:" Sweet, fun, cute. Reminds me of "Helpless" from Hamilton.
"Le bien qui fait mal:" Edgy, head-banging jam. Intense. (My little sister's favorite.)
"L'assasymphonie:" Very passionate, edgy, easy to get into.
"Vivre à en crever:" Emotional, the final number of the show. Very poignant lyrics.
"C'est bientôt le fin:" Fun bonus track, plays during the credits of the film version. (This song also has the easiest lyrics for me to remember.)
My absolute favorite number is probably "Place je passe." The female members of the chorus are done up in hoop-skirt-esque cage tutu-type skirts and it's a pumped up song about freedom and Mozart just quit his job to reclaim his life and make his own decisions and "I am king of my dreams, sovereign of my ideas" and it's great. Go watch the clip. Iffy lyric translation can be found here.
Basically, anything sung by the character Salieri (played in the filmed performance by Florent Mothe) is amazing (all rock and angst and oh my gosh), and Mikelangelo Loconte (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) has a gorgeous voice and I could listen to him all day, as well. "Le trublion" is another great tune featuring him.
The costuming: reminds me of Hamilton, but crazier because...French rock opera. It's a cross between eighteenth century fashion and eclectic modern couture, with sharp angles and unconventional fabrics and lots of big skirts and hats. One of Mozart's coats is leopard-print. Rad. What else would you expect from the French, when Paris is the fashion capital of the world?
Favorite character: Nannerl Mozart, played by Maeva Méline [right]. I wish she'd been a larger part of the story; I love Méline's voice and Nannerl's costumes and songs.
Least favorite: Constanze Weber Mozart, played by Claire Pérot. I'd have probably like Constanze better if not for the interpretation by Pérot-- Constanze was whiny, and I didn't understand why Mozart ended up liking her so much? Perhaps other actresses' performances of Constanze were better. I plan to find and watch clips of one.
When I finished watching the show [online], I thought, the music is great but the character development and storyline are a bit shallow. But then I remembered: I don't speak French. I read subtitles the entire time. So I'm guessing my criticism as far as scriptwriting goes is probably invalid.
At any rate, I will be buying the soundtrack even though I do not yet understand most of it, and I will be watching and listening to more of the French opéra rock genre. Cheers.
The production first premiered in 2009 in Paris. With music by Dove Attia, Jean-Pierre Pilot, Olivier Schultheis, William Rousseau, Nicolas Luciani, Rodrigue Janois, and Françoise Castello, lyrics by Vincent Baguian and Patrice Guirao, and a book by Dove Attia and François Chouquet, the musical is a dramatization of the life of the musician-composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, from the age of seventeen until his death. The music includes original pop-rock compositions in addition to existing music by Mozart himself.
My top favorite songs from the show are (in no order but chronologically as they appear in the show):
"Je dors sur les roses:" Slow, sad, lyrical. Very heartfelt melodies.
"Place je passe:" A dancing tune! Upbeat, fun, super energizing!
"Si je défaille:" Sweet, fun, cute. Reminds me of "Helpless" from Hamilton.
"Le bien qui fait mal:" Edgy, head-banging jam. Intense. (My little sister's favorite.)
"L'assasymphonie:" Very passionate, edgy, easy to get into.
"Vivre à en crever:" Emotional, the final number of the show. Very poignant lyrics.
"C'est bientôt le fin:" Fun bonus track, plays during the credits of the film version. (This song also has the easiest lyrics for me to remember.)
My absolute favorite number is probably "Place je passe." The female members of the chorus are done up in hoop-skirt-esque cage tutu-type skirts and it's a pumped up song about freedom and Mozart just quit his job to reclaim his life and make his own decisions and "I am king of my dreams, sovereign of my ideas" and it's great. Go watch the clip. Iffy lyric translation can be found here.Basically, anything sung by the character Salieri (played in the filmed performance by Florent Mothe) is amazing (all rock and angst and oh my gosh), and Mikelangelo Loconte (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) has a gorgeous voice and I could listen to him all day, as well. "Le trublion" is another great tune featuring him.
The costuming: reminds me of Hamilton, but crazier because...French rock opera. It's a cross between eighteenth century fashion and eclectic modern couture, with sharp angles and unconventional fabrics and lots of big skirts and hats. One of Mozart's coats is leopard-print. Rad. What else would you expect from the French, when Paris is the fashion capital of the world?
Favorite character: Nannerl Mozart, played by Maeva Méline [right]. I wish she'd been a larger part of the story; I love Méline's voice and Nannerl's costumes and songs.
Least favorite: Constanze Weber Mozart, played by Claire Pérot. I'd have probably like Constanze better if not for the interpretation by Pérot-- Constanze was whiny, and I didn't understand why Mozart ended up liking her so much? Perhaps other actresses' performances of Constanze were better. I plan to find and watch clips of one.
When I finished watching the show [online], I thought, the music is great but the character development and storyline are a bit shallow. But then I remembered: I don't speak French. I read subtitles the entire time. So I'm guessing my criticism as far as scriptwriting goes is probably invalid.At any rate, I will be buying the soundtrack even though I do not yet understand most of it, and I will be watching and listening to more of the French opéra rock genre. Cheers.
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