[OutVoice] musical things of interest in recent related gay works

[themusenyc at aol.com]

Hey gang -

playing catch-up and while I'm thinking of it - here's some musical 
things of interest related to recent gay films, books, etc. - RU

In speaking with author Armistead Maupin recently, I learned of a 
musical work that was new to me - of interest to queer music 
enthusiasts -

"Maupin's literary works have lent themselves to all kinds of artistic 
treatments. As a librettist, he collaborated with composer Jake Heggie 
on Anna Madrigal Remembers, a musical work based on Tales of the City. 
Perhaps the only choral chamber piece ever written for a transsexual 
character, the composition received its world premiere in 1999 in San 
Francisco." - RU

my full profile of Maupin is up at: http://www.afterelton.com
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I've had to cover many "gay" films released this summer at gay film 
fests. My fav of all i think is actually a foreign film -  It's called 
GO WEST and is not just a "gay" film, but also a fascinating anti-war 
film - with music as one of its underlying themes. - I highly recommend 
this film.

"Homosexuality and aesthetics act as metaphors for each other in Go 
West. Kenan as Milena resorts to playing his cello to try and maintain 
his sanity. His music, his art, his gay nature are clearly contrasted 
against all the war driven madness around him. Music is especially 
positioned as a lone civilizing element in a country falling apart." - 
RU

my full review of GO WEST at: 
http://afterelton.com/movies/2006/7/gowest.html
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by the by, I've also heard that composer Jake Heggie and lyricist 
Terrance McNally are at work on a new opera about MOBY DICK (!)
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speaking of Maupin -  I had the pleasure to meet and talk with NIGHT 
LISTENER star Toni Collette and director Patrick Stettner recently - my 
profile of them is at:
http://afterelton.com/people/2006/8/collette.html

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Robert Urban
URBAN PRODUCTIONS, NYC
www.roberturban.com
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