Following Jeremy Ward's apparent suicide last week, the Metropolitan Opera House has made the decision to temporarily close its doors, also putting an early end to Ward's debut show. Peter Gelb, the general manager, thought it best to provide a quick close to the piece in hopes the family would find closure easier. "Allowing Der Freischütz continued to run after Jeremy Ward's tragic death would be both haunting and unsettling. We at the Metropolitan Opera have chosen to close our doors for the time being in honor of this event and those in mourning," he stated at a press conference Monday, March 7th.
Meanwhile, Sam Bardem has stepped forward to direct the upcoming show, titled Incenerite Spoglie. The piece, which was also written by Bardem, is a postmodern opera sung in English following the lives of two rival orchestra directors who happen to be childhood friends. Visually, the opera reads like film noir as characters, dressed to the nines in 1930s suits, take puffs from cigarettes between arias.
Bardem has written and directed several operas before Incenerite Spoglie. However, they were self-funded and appeared off of Broadway in venues such as warehouses and even a parking lot. Bardem is known by his contemporaries for his passion for the art form and his struggle to bring it into modern times by making it accessible while also challenging and relevant. While Bardem admittedly admires Ward Senior's contribution to modern opera, he does not plan to work as closely with popular culture as Ward was famous for. In a private interview with Bardem over the weekend, he explained his intentions. "While I want opera to be widespread, I also want it to be taken seriously. I want it to be a modern art form without becoming a brand name or a commodity. Without Richard Ward, opera would not be receiving the attention it is now. I simply plan to steer it in its own direction."
Incenerite Spoglie is set to open at the Metropolitan Opera Saturday, May 21st.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Jeremy Ward's body found the second night of debut show
Jeremy Ward's body was found by the janitor in his office last night, shortly after his second night of his first show, Der Freischütz. Investigations are still under way, but suicide is suspected. After months of attention from media and opera fans because of his family name, his body was found hanging by the neck.
Several accidents, large and small, took place during the show the previous night,which was his debut as an opera director. During the archery scene in the first act, bows snapped causing the arrow, although dull and harmless, to fly into the audience. Lights also flickered and burnt out, causing main characters to disappear without a working spotlight. In one instance, soprano Shirley Ronalds was singing Agathe's aria at the beginning of Act 3 when her spotlight went out, causing her to lose concentration, miss her notes and subsequently trip on a potted plant used as a prop. Ronalds, who did not appear at the end of the show for applause, quit after opening night. Furthermore, one of the background dancers could be seen crying and the first few rows could hear her sniffling during the final scenes. The reason for her emotional display is not currently known and the dancer so far could not be reached for an interview. She did not perform the second night.
The piece also received harsh criticism, which appeared in print as early as the next morning. Blogs and newspapers alike published articles expressing disappointment in Ward junior's safe approach to the German opera. Many critics highlighted the differences between Ward junior, and his father, Richard. At least a dozen audience members left before intermission.
At a press conference yesterday morning, father Richard Ward briefly stood up to speak to his son's life and death. “Jeremy was always a passionate boy, in his quiet way. He found ways to push back and to follow his own path, despite the parameters his mother and I set out for him. He was strong and turbulent; he was an artist”.
A memorial will be held for Jeremy Ward at 10:00AM March 20th at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Family members request that in place of sending flowers, donations may be directed to The Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts.
Several accidents, large and small, took place during the show the previous night,which was his debut as an opera director. During the archery scene in the first act, bows snapped causing the arrow, although dull and harmless, to fly into the audience. Lights also flickered and burnt out, causing main characters to disappear without a working spotlight. In one instance, soprano Shirley Ronalds was singing Agathe's aria at the beginning of Act 3 when her spotlight went out, causing her to lose concentration, miss her notes and subsequently trip on a potted plant used as a prop. Ronalds, who did not appear at the end of the show for applause, quit after opening night. Furthermore, one of the background dancers could be seen crying and the first few rows could hear her sniffling during the final scenes. The reason for her emotional display is not currently known and the dancer so far could not be reached for an interview. She did not perform the second night.
The piece also received harsh criticism, which appeared in print as early as the next morning. Blogs and newspapers alike published articles expressing disappointment in Ward junior's safe approach to the German opera. Many critics highlighted the differences between Ward junior, and his father, Richard. At least a dozen audience members left before intermission.
At a press conference yesterday morning, father Richard Ward briefly stood up to speak to his son's life and death. “Jeremy was always a passionate boy, in his quiet way. He found ways to push back and to follow his own path, despite the parameters his mother and I set out for him. He was strong and turbulent; he was an artist”.
A memorial will be held for Jeremy Ward at 10:00AM March 20th at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Family members request that in place of sending flowers, donations may be directed to The Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Suspicion builds over Jeremy Ward's debut
Richard Ward's artistic heir, Jeremy, has begun his countdown to his first piece as an opera director. The show is schedule to open March 5th, a little under a month away, and the Ward heir has kept quiet about the event.
The Opera arranged a press release Monday morning stating that young Ward has chosen the German Opera Der Freischüt, roughly translated as “The Marksman” or “The Freeshooter”. Der Freischütz was written by Carl Maria von Weber with libretto by Freidrich Kind. The piece helped put German opera on the map in the early 1800s, especially in the face of the ever popular Italian operas. This piece is especially known for its romantic, emotional undertones and is based on German folk tales and songs, bordering on the supernatural. Ward junior, who received his Masters degree in Romantic Literature at the University of Aberdeen in England, may be drawn to such style because of his educational background. Jeremy Ward offered no comment on his choice.
Opera fans young and old, especially followers of father Richard's work, have been waiting on the edge of their seat regarding the upcoming Ward family member. Many appreciated Richard's personal twists which offered commentary on current social, political and cultural trends and made opera feel more modern and relevant. Louise Edmundson, who has been a member of the Metropolitan Opera for the past thirty years, expects that “Ward senior has passed on not only his passion but also his talent for the art form. After all, my own membership is thanks to Richard, whose early pieces helped me fall in love with opera.”
Meanwhile, toy company Mattel has received costume blueprints from the Metropolitan Opera and plan to release a series of dolls the week before Der Freischütz opens.
The Opera arranged a press release Monday morning stating that young Ward has chosen the German Opera Der Freischüt, roughly translated as “The Marksman” or “The Freeshooter”. Der Freischütz was written by Carl Maria von Weber with libretto by Freidrich Kind. The piece helped put German opera on the map in the early 1800s, especially in the face of the ever popular Italian operas. This piece is especially known for its romantic, emotional undertones and is based on German folk tales and songs, bordering on the supernatural. Ward junior, who received his Masters degree in Romantic Literature at the University of Aberdeen in England, may be drawn to such style because of his educational background. Jeremy Ward offered no comment on his choice.
Opera fans young and old, especially followers of father Richard's work, have been waiting on the edge of their seat regarding the upcoming Ward family member. Many appreciated Richard's personal twists which offered commentary on current social, political and cultural trends and made opera feel more modern and relevant. Louise Edmundson, who has been a member of the Metropolitan Opera for the past thirty years, expects that “Ward senior has passed on not only his passion but also his talent for the art form. After all, my own membership is thanks to Richard, whose early pieces helped me fall in love with opera.”
Meanwhile, toy company Mattel has received costume blueprints from the Metropolitan Opera and plan to release a series of dolls the week before Der Freischütz opens.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Richard Ward passes directorial legacy to son, Jeremy
For nearly three decades, opera director Richard Ward has integrated classic stage performances with modern sentimentalities. His interpretation of the Barber of Seville re-imagined Count Almaviva as holding a portable stereo outside Rosina's window, a reference to John Cusack's character in the movie Say Anything, which appeared movie theatres just prior to the opera's opening. Ward's bold playfulness has created a loyal fanbase that spans both generations and social classes. Many important cultural players have heralded the director as making opera a viable and accessible storytelling medium in popular culture. In a magazine interview, recent Oscar winner and teenage heartthrob Scott McLean revealed that his "transition from blockbuster movies to opera is all thanks to Ward's work". But Ward, now deep in his 70s, plans to retire at the end of his next opera, The Bill of Marriage, another Rossini story.
But by no means is this the end of the Ward legacy. Richard Ward will be succeeded by his son, Jeremy Ward, who has experience writing short stories and sometimes adapting them into films. Although Jeremy may not share his father's interest in popular culture and modern trends, loyal fans and audiences can still expect novel twists on their favorite opera stories. In Jeremy's short films and stories, for example, he has been known to create unexpected situations. He has rewritten William Golding's The Lord of the Flies so that it took place within an aristocratic family.
Richard Ward's final piece, The Bill of Marriage, is due to open at the Metropolitan Opera on Saturday, January 15th. His son's directorial debut can be expected at the beginning of March.
But by no means is this the end of the Ward legacy. Richard Ward will be succeeded by his son, Jeremy Ward, who has experience writing short stories and sometimes adapting them into films. Although Jeremy may not share his father's interest in popular culture and modern trends, loyal fans and audiences can still expect novel twists on their favorite opera stories. In Jeremy's short films and stories, for example, he has been known to create unexpected situations. He has rewritten William Golding's The Lord of the Flies so that it took place within an aristocratic family.
Richard Ward's final piece, The Bill of Marriage, is due to open at the Metropolitan Opera on Saturday, January 15th. His son's directorial debut can be expected at the beginning of March.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Ward's "The Bill of Marriage" offers something borrowed, something blue
Richard Ward has always been known to push boundaries and expectations on the stage. His latest and final piece successfully merged opera, science fiction and feminism in a modern adaptation of Rossini's early work, The Bill of Marriage.
The opera, which opened at the Metropolitan Opera Friday, February 18th, submerged the stage and even in the audience in another world. The set was all painted in different sets of white while the ambient blue lights waved and flickered from above. Characters' costumes featured gauze, sequins and lamé in a fashion reminiscent of deep sea divers at a high school prom.
Ward's version of the opera takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where the main modes of transportation are by water or, if on land, by steam powered machines. Tobias Mill is the captain of a submarine which also runs on steam and delivers much needed supplies between land masses. After shipping a rotten batch of strawberries, however, his reputation falters. But tides shift when in one port, Mill receives an offer for his daughter's hand in marriage from a wealthy Mr. Slook. Fanny has no interest in marrying Mr. Slook. Plus, she had been training her whole life to become a sea-farer like her father and her grandfather before him. Comedy ensues as Fanny struggles to take the steering wheel of her life.
Like Fanny, Richard Ward's son, Jeremy, is taking strides to ensure his independence and fame in the opera world. His first opera will open March 15th also at the Metropolitan Opera. The Ward family could be seen bubbling with excitement last Friday at the opera's opening. While Jeremy bounced his young daughter, Melissa, on his lap at the end of the row, I spoke to his mother, Karen, about the future of the Ward name. “Richard has absolutely loved his time beside the spotlight, but he is ready to retire and take his place in the audience for now. We are all proud of Jeremy and are more than excited for his arrival in opera and his inheritance of the family profession. We have been waiting his whole life for this moment”.
Expectation grows for Jeremy as his father's name gains more attention at the end of his career. Richard Ward's work, along with the rest of the opera world, continues to blur lines of popular media, entertainment and culture. Fashion designers Vera Wang and Christian Dior were spotted at opening night and it would be no surprise to see references to Ward's work, especially The Bill of Marriage, on future runways.
The opera, which opened at the Metropolitan Opera Friday, February 18th, submerged the stage and even in the audience in another world. The set was all painted in different sets of white while the ambient blue lights waved and flickered from above. Characters' costumes featured gauze, sequins and lamé in a fashion reminiscent of deep sea divers at a high school prom.
Ward's version of the opera takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where the main modes of transportation are by water or, if on land, by steam powered machines. Tobias Mill is the captain of a submarine which also runs on steam and delivers much needed supplies between land masses. After shipping a rotten batch of strawberries, however, his reputation falters. But tides shift when in one port, Mill receives an offer for his daughter's hand in marriage from a wealthy Mr. Slook. Fanny has no interest in marrying Mr. Slook. Plus, she had been training her whole life to become a sea-farer like her father and her grandfather before him. Comedy ensues as Fanny struggles to take the steering wheel of her life.
Like Fanny, Richard Ward's son, Jeremy, is taking strides to ensure his independence and fame in the opera world. His first opera will open March 15th also at the Metropolitan Opera. The Ward family could be seen bubbling with excitement last Friday at the opera's opening. While Jeremy bounced his young daughter, Melissa, on his lap at the end of the row, I spoke to his mother, Karen, about the future of the Ward name. “Richard has absolutely loved his time beside the spotlight, but he is ready to retire and take his place in the audience for now. We are all proud of Jeremy and are more than excited for his arrival in opera and his inheritance of the family profession. We have been waiting his whole life for this moment”.
Expectation grows for Jeremy as his father's name gains more attention at the end of his career. Richard Ward's work, along with the rest of the opera world, continues to blur lines of popular media, entertainment and culture. Fashion designers Vera Wang and Christian Dior were spotted at opening night and it would be no surprise to see references to Ward's work, especially The Bill of Marriage, on future runways.
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