Local composer Don Macdonald expects to finish the first draft of his new opera, KHAOS, by the end of this month.
Based on a libretto written by playwright Nicola Harwood, KHAOS is a re-imagining of the ancient Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone, set in a contemporary world of climate change and looming global catastrophe.
“It’s very exciting to be at the point of actually planning the first performances of the opera I’ve dreamed of composing for years now,” says Macdonald.
“Working with my friend and neighbour Nicola Harwood on this project has been a most rewarding experience. Our easy and productive collaboration has made all the difference for a long and exacting project like this.”
Harwood described the underlying theme of KHAOS as a question: “What, if a civilization’s greed and need for progress prevented Persephone from returning to earth to console her grieving mother? Would the order of the seasons — that spring will follow winter, that the rains will follow the dry season — be broken? If climate change is upon us — what are the myths we will make of this time?”
Asked if this opera would be set in ancient Greece or in the contemporary world, Harwood replied that either was possible.
“We’ve been too busy with the creative work to give much thought to the actual production as yet. I don’t know how we will decide to present the opera for the premiere production but I’m certainly looking forward to focusing my attention on the actual staging of KHAOS,” Harwood says.
Macdonald and Harwood were commissioned to write this new opera by Nelson’s Amy Ferguson Institute.
The institute’s opera commission chair, Marty Horswill, says they plan to have the production company, Nelson Community Opera, mount the premiere production of KHAOS next year.
“The world premiere performance of KHAOS will take place in the Capitol Theatre on March 8, 2012 followed by three more performances on March 9 and 10,” Horswill says.
“We are very pleased that Mr. Macdonald will be our musical director for the premiere and Ms. Harwood will be the stage director.”
Supporters of the Amy Ferguson Institute will be offered a sneak preview of a segment of the new opera performed live at the annual Tapas and Tunes fundraiser at the Nelson Rod and Gun Club April 15.
Members of the recently selected cast for KHAOS will perform a 10 or 15 minute segment of the work, accompanied by Macdonald’s digitally sampled orchestration.
Tickets for Tapas and Tunes are available by calling Horswill at 250-352-2595 or at mar-lena@shaw.ca.