Doowopera
I feel like it is now time for a complete change of pace. I’m sure that you are reading the title of this post and wondering what in blazes a doowopera could be. Well the only way to really find out is to watch the video below, so do it now you’ll be glad you did.
So why am I posting this? The first reason, and probably the most important is that I absolutely love it. But there’s more to it than that.
I think that this is an incredible piece of work, the singing is technically difficult and done extraordinarily well, it also works so well as a piece of comedy. Often when people try to do cross style musical parody it falls flat because it doesn’t work on its own. In this piece, it’s so successful for me on many levels.
But it also goes a level deeper for me personally. In the last two days I’ve made posts about the massive vandalism of pianos at my alma mater Ithaca College. This piece connects me to Ithaca in a special way. You see, the Puccini aria O mio babbino caro which forms the basis of this piece is from the opera Gianni Schicchi. As a junior at Ithaca College I was the sound designer for a production of this opera as a part of the theater department’s main stage season. I remember very clearly being in rehearsal and looking forward to hearing it night after night. To me, this is somehow one of the most perfect pieces of music ever written. I don’t know why, it just is. And to see it transformed through such musical and comedic genius really makes me happy.
What you think of the video? What you think of opera? Please comment below.
I am not an opera fan. Yes, I know. I’m an aging gay man which means I should be. I also don’t swoon over Judy Garland or Barbara Streisand and I don’t dress well. I do have a cat, though, so I can still keep my Gay Membership card, but it is stamped “Probation.”
That being said, I laughed heartily while watching this video. I love successful juxtaposition of diverse imagery, in writing, art and music, and this was more than successful. It puts me in mind of a fellow who put out an album many years ago (when there still were albums) – improvised music using Beatles’ themes done in the style of various Classical musicians. It was brilliant. If I had a turntable, I’d play it now.
Geoff
Hi Andy, just a small tip: On YouTube, you can customize the video before you embed it. If you choose 480×295 the video won’t go beyond your left sidebar…
C ya!
Claus
Ooops, I ment your right sidebar!
Geoff-
That’s part of what I like so much about this piece – you don’t have to be an opera lover to enjoy it.
I do enjoy opera when it’s extraordinarily well done – that is to say both sung and acted very very well – which is unfortunately very rare.
Claus –
thanks for the tip – I actually made it that size intentionally – I decided I wanted it big rather then making it fit in the column.
Take care,
Andy
How fun! I have not seen a Doowopera before. Made me smile.
Sheila
Great. My wife loved it from another room. Wonderful. They did a great job with this. Keep up the good work and hope they catch the piano vandals.
Dan and Sheila,
Thanks for your comments!
Andy
What a fun piece. It was so fun to listen too and what lungs on that gal. What a combination!
Loved it.
Hi Kathy – Thanks for the comment – she is really a wonderful singer – that’s part of what makes this work – if either the doo wop group or the opera singer were less then terrific then the whole thing would come apart.
Andy