The Man and Men
The Man and Men is a one-act opera by British composer Joshua Goodman. The libretto is by Tom Riley.
Production
[edit]Goodman wrote the opera as his final graduation piece for his studies at Huddersfield University.[1] The work was premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2010 by North of England Concert Theatre, an interdisciplinary music-theatre company based in Huddersfield, UK. The opera has no plot[1] but focuses on issues of masculine sexual identity and human loss.[2] It is orchestrated for soprano, saxophone, piano, percussion, cello and double bass.
Critical response
[edit]The reviewer from the Independent was "reasonably impressed", appreciating flashes of lyricism behind the modishness, adding "It's not every day you get to see a soprano bend a percussionist backwards over an upturned bucket and use his arms as beaters."[3] The Stage was more critical, praising soprano Ema Walton's three and a half octave range, while criticising its lyrical incoherence and moments of pretentiousness.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Huddersfield student Joshua Goodman set to stage opera at Edinburgh Fringe", Huddersfield TownTalk, http://www.huddersfield.towntalk.co.uk/news/d/14651/Huddersfield-Student-Joshua-Goodman-Set-To-Stage-Opera-At-Edinburgh-Fringe/
- ^ a b Lauren Paxman, "The Man and Men" (Review), The Stage, August 13, 2010, http://ed.thestage.co.uk/reviews/791
- ^ "Eugene Onegin, Royal Opera House, LondonThe Man and Men, Hill". The Independent. 2010-08-14. Retrieved 2023-06-23.