By JAMES D. WATTS JR. Scene Writer on Jul 10, 2009, at 4:28 PM Updated on 7/10 at 4:28 PM
ARTS
Kitty Roberts, who has guided Tulsa's American Theatre Company since its inception, has been named the recipient of the Mary ...
Wes Studi, whose career has included memorable performances in the films “Last of the Mohicans,” “Avatar” and “Germonino,” ...
Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko Sunday was named the winner at the 14th Van Cliburn Internationaal Piano Competition, ...
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Came across this story from the Times of London the other day, about a fellow in Manchester who attended a performance of a musical of "The Wizard of Oz" and ended up suing -- and winning -- because the production was performed to taped music.
Read the story: Bring Back Real Bands
Of course there are exceptions to the rule of "live performance includes live music." Some contemporary ballets are set to pieces of electronic music collages (anything by Merce Cunningham) or pre-existing recordings (Twyla Tharp's "Nine Sinatra Songs," to name one example) that would be difficult to impossible to reproduce with an on-stage or in-the-pit band.
But live music is an essential part of a theatrical performance. Tulsa Ballet's "About Tango" program in 2008 had a large tango band on stage with the dancers that made these brand new ballets crackle with vivid life. The just-concluded Light Opera Oklahoma found ways to make sure the music for its production of "The Gondoliers" -- presented in one of the PAC's smaller theater that had little room for musicians as well as actors -- was performed live. The innovative and whimsical way the handful of musicians performed this score added greatly to the general fun of the show, which sold out most of its performances.
And speaking of the Wizard of Oz, the upcoming production of "Wicked" will be accompanied by a six-piece touring ensemble, augmented by nine local musicians.
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