By Jacob Stockinger
A reminder: It’s spring break. Because of staffing for the blog, your comments may take a bit longer to get posted. But don’t despair — they will get there.
Hey, this is no April Fool’s joke.
First, it was a best-selling novel.
Then it was a popular and award-winning movie with James McAvoy and Keira Knightley as the main chacters (below).
And now British author Ian McEwan’s novel “Atonement” – a rich plotted and beautifully written story about class society, love and World War II – is set to become an opera.
It’s a timely announcement, especially since McEwan (below top) has a new novel “Solar” (below bottom) just out in the U.S.
Here is a link to the story:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2010/mar/19/ian-mcewan-atonement-opera
What do you think of the idea?
It certainly is ripe with suggestions for sumptuous sets and landscapes.
Take a look at the original trailer for the movie, which has had more than one million views on YouTube:
Just the idea seems to guarantee success, no? But it’s funny how second-rate poems and novels can make for first-rate songs and operas, and how first-rate novels and poems can make for second-rate music.
What singers should play the main characters?
What other novels – by McEwan or anybody else – would you likle to see made into an opera?
The Ear wants to hear.