As the footlights dim for the case of Jerry Springer: The Opera, lovers of musical theatre everywhere will be consoled by the thought that an opera entitled Gaddafi: A Living Myth will open at the ENO in a mere 10 weeks time:
Highlighting ENO’s commitment to commissioning high-quality work with a cross-cultural and contemporary relevance the Company presents Gaddafi: A Living Myth, a production that explores a contradictory enigma and the power of myth. Featuring members of the ENO Orchestra and live North African musicians, this new work will draw on real-life incidents to highlight the themes of power, politics and media representation. David Freeman and Es Devlin bring their opera experience and collaborate with an exciting creative team and performance artists in this world premiere.
The New Statesman diary reports that Gaddafi will be played by Ramon “Brother of Tanita” Tikaram, and will somehow involve Asian Dub Foundation. Tony Blair will also be portrayed driking tea with Gaddafi, in a scene in which “the Libyan leader tells Blair exactly what he thinks of him by showing him the sole of his shoe.
I might go to see it.
I quite enjoyed what might have been the first of these current-affairs-as-opera shows: Nixon in China. My only memory of it is that it featured a dream-like sequence in which Kissinger chased Mrs Mao around the stage, while dressed as Groucho Marx.
……
Groucho…………Kissinger
(Hat tip: PC)
