We already have a king, right? Just ask any Republican in Congress. King Donald — aka Ronald McDonald I. So that part is taken care of. It’s just that this new (for America) form of government is unfamiliar; it’s time we learn how the kingly thing works.
That, along with purely aesthetic reasons, attracts us to Long Beach Opera’s new (world premiere) production of Henry Purcell’s King Arthur. A semi-opera in five acts with music by Purcell and a libretto by John Dryden, the work was first performed at the Queen’s Theatre, London, in 1691.
LBO’s reimagined take on K.A. (adaptation and direction by Andreas Mitisek in collaboration with Chicano provocateurs Culture Clash and the Baroque orchestra Musica Angelica) will be on view for three performances only in January 2020. Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra appears under the direction of Concert Master Ilia Korol (disappointed we will not see Maestro Martin Haselbock balancing on the tips of his shoes as he conducts).
King Arthur returns as a superhero who fights a mysterious unnatural force that is attacking Earth. Will “King Art” save humanity? This comes not a moment too soon. HELP!!!
For millennia, heroes and heroines embark on perilous quests in search of lost loved ones, the secret of immortality, earthly paradise or simply great riches. These stories show the audience not how to acquire superpowers, but how to be the heroes of our own lives – by choosing altruism over the pursuit of wealth and power. Sounds good. Perhaps tell that to King Donald.
Henry Purcell’s KING ARTHUR | Long Beach Opera | Jan 12, 18, 19