Based on the tragic 1996 Mt. Everest disaster, the opera focuses on three climbers as they attempt the ill-fated summit. A new genre, the animated graphic novel puts you inside the pages as the tale drives on.
Follow along the pages of a Graphic Novel come to life. Three climbers, Rob Hall, Doug Hansen, and Beck Weathers attempt to summit Mount Everest in 1996. With the first page turn, we fly across and into the depths of Everest with the spirits of those who have lost their lives on its slopes. The crackling mountain, the prevailing wind, the power of nature abounds. Throughout the film we move between the climbers' present realities on the mountain, that of their loved ones, and their pasts as they slip in and out of consciousness. Expedition leader, Rob has just reached the summit - but it's 30 minutes past a safe turnaround time. Against his better judgement, he backtracks to assist his client, Doug, who is 40 feet below him.
Elsewhere, we meet Beck, semi-conscious on a different ascent path, hallucinating his daughter Meg and his life at a Texas BBQ. Rob and Doug finally reach the summit, but Doug struggles to stay conscious - it will be up to Rob to get him safely back down the mountain. Meanwhile, a large storm hitting below the summit makes their descent even more treacherous.
Rob's memories and an extraordinary phone call in the blistering cold, introduce Rob's pregnant wife, Jan Arnold in New Zealand. As the climbers struggle to reach safety through the storm, and through the chorus of souls of climbers who have perished on the mountain, we experience the brutal realities of Everest and the power of human conviction. At its emotional core, this is a story about the crucial value of each breath and step we take on the mountain and in life itself. In this innovative production Joby Talbot's handmade soundtrack and Gene Scheer's lyrics, coupled with Mark Simmon's illustrations and the performers singing and (e)motion-captured acting go beyond conquering Everest. We explore the enduring appeal of overcoming the limits of human ambition, the collective hope we take from challenging ourselves in the world's most unforgiving places, Everest.
WHAT IS A GRAPHIC NOVEL OPERA?Opera Parallèle began developing this new genre of opera in 2013, based on a concept by Creative Director Brian Staufenbiel, with an exploratory performance combining specially commissioned illustrations projected during live performance. Working with Illustrator Mark Simmons and Cinematographer David Murakami, OP continues to push this new form by combining the power of musical storytelling with the dynamic visuals of graphic novels along with some movie magic. The creation begins with studio recordings of the singers, followed by an emotion capture process that forms the animated characters' basis. The singers' own movements control their characters' animated expressions, creating an authentic experience for the audience.
THE OPERAEverest premiered in 2015 under the baton of Opera Parallèle's Artistic Director Nicole Paiement at The Dallas Opera, who commissioned the original work. Composer Joby Talbot and librettist Gene Scheer created the opera based on interviews with survivors of the ill-fated attempt to summit Mt. Everest. The original production received widespread critical acclaim and has gone on to be produced by opera companies across the US and Canada.
The story takes place on May 10 & 11, 1996, and follows the fates of three climbers Rob Hall, Doug Hansen, and Beck Weathers. Told in a non-linear fashion, the opera jumps between the climbers and their families at home. At its emotional core, this is a story about the value of each breath and step we take as humans. It explores both the cost of ambition and the collective hope we derive from challenging ourselves in the world's most unforgiving places.
Talbot's inspired orchestration takes a leading role in this work, combining classical instrumentation with unique electronic samples of shortwave receivers and the climber's radio conversations. Taking inspiration from the slow cracking movement of glacial masses, Talbot gives voice to the mountain and creates a chorus of lost souls waiting for 'another name' to join them. This evocative music will be given a whole new dimension with OP's graphic novel opera treatment.
