So I spent the weekend transcribing the libretto (see sidebar).
The best glimpses of the opera were posted today on YouTube by Teatro Real. The photos at Zimio are just amazing. Bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch looks to be a perfect Ennis. Tom Randle, a tenor, plays Jack, and I hope he's a bit cheerier than he seems in most of the photos. They're both older than Heath Ledger (Ennis) and Jake Gyllenhaal (Jack) were in the 2005 movie, but so what; the roles require the characters to age from 19 to 39. The stills seem to indicate a nice chemistry.
The libretto, by Annie Proulx, author of the original short story, sheds new light on the story. She adds depth to the Alma character, makes it clear that Ennis and Jack did not kiss face-to-face on the mountain that first summer, and makes it clearer, to me, at least, that they loved each other. Ennis becomes more sympathetic than he was in the movie. Ennis's final aria (old fashioned term for an operatic monologue) is heartbreakingly beautiful.
The New York Times ran a preview in its New York edition Sunday, which sheds a light on the more technical operatic details.
Here's an informative video with a few clips from the opera from Agence France Presse.
Teatro Real is supposed to be making a DVD and I've also read that there will be live streaming of the Feb. 7 performance. I'll post details if I can get them.
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* Of course I read the story, saw the movie at least 20 times and bought the soundtrack. I've also read thousands of pages of commentary and fan fiction.
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