(A scene from The Fashion @ the Deutsche Oper am Rhein. Photo Credit: Eddy Straub)
A month ago, we wrote about The Fashion, a looming opera premiere crafted by contemporary Italian composer Giorgio Battistelli, and penned by British librettists Bob Goody and Dan Jemmet for the January 26, 2008 opening at Deutsche Oper am Rhein. OC coincidentally had a ticket for the season opener of Venice's La Fenice, so she couldn't be in Düsseldorf for the stylish invasion, but we've heard that the opera has been enjoyed by critics and crowds as an amusing satirical statement on the byotchy world of fashion.
A scene from The Fashion @ the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, with Elisabeth Selle, Jeanne Piland, Steven Harrison Photo Credit: Eddy Straub)
The libretto exposes the underbelly of the fashion industry and all the ugly flaws of the beautiful people, namely via dueling models and cross-dressing cling-ons. Fashion journalist Micky, sung by tenor hotness Steven Harrison, does anything for a good story, which the libretto delivers via the murder-mystery of lead model Tarquin (sung by Bass-Baritone Günes Gürle). The sets include a giant red staircase, a cocktail bar, and a suite where most of the action takes place, while the costumes have been described as one spectator as,
"flamboyant, with lots of muscle, lights, sizzle, and razzle-dazzle". w00t!!
A scene from The Fashion @ the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, with Günes Gürle and Kristen Leich. Photo Credit: Eddy Straub)
Lucky for those of us who can't be there, conductor John Fiore is hosting via YouTube the first piano dress rehearsal of the Michael Simon directed romp,. Be prepared for sequins and feathers, hot pants, rumpshakin' drag, platform shoes, and singers casually cussing like pirates. ~@_@~