Arjuna's Dilemma is a chamber opera created by Douglas Cuomo in 2008.[1] The philosophical dilemma faced by Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita is dramatized in operatic form with a blend of Indian classical music, Western Classical music, and jazz[2][3] with lyrics in Sanskrit.[3]
| Arjuna's Dilemma | |
|---|---|
| Chamber opera by Douglas Cuomo |
Arjuna’s Dilemma is an 80-minute[4] opera-oratorio. The opera includes a vocalist, a classically trained tenor, a four-member female chorus, a tabla player, an improvising tenor saxophonist, and a ten-piece chamber ensemble.[5] The performers play versions of the Hindu god Krishna,[6] Arjuna's charioteer in the battle, who convinces the initially hesitant Arjuna to fight an army including his relative, friends, and teachers to regain his kingdom after revealing his (Krishna's) own divine identity[4] as well as the true nature of the universe.[7] According to Cuomo, the story is about the need to fight "the morally right battle and the philosophically right battle" of overcoming one's conditioning to correctly interpret reality.[8]
Arjuna’s Dilemma has been produced by the Music-Theatre Group, and it was performed at BAM's Next Wave Festival[8] and during the 2017 annual conference of Opera America at the Winspear Opera House.[4] It was the first opera to be performed in Nepal.[9][10] A recording of Arjuna’s Dilemma, released on Innova Recordings, was performed by artists including Indian singer Amit Chatterjee, members of Anonymous 4 and the Philip Glass Ensemble, tenor Tony Boutté, Badal Roy, Ethel, pianist Kathleen Supové, and bassist Robert Black.[11]
The The New York Times described Arjuna's Dilemma as "an opera with an appealing and unabashedly eclectic score."[12] New York Magazine's Justin Davidson called it, "a pile of half-realized good ideas."[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Gurewitsch, Matthew (26 September 2008). "Naming the Nameless (in Sanskrit)". New York Times.
- ^ Tommasini, Anthony (7 November 2008). "Warrior Prince From India Wrestles With Destiny". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 24 June 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2009.
- ^ a b Vitale, Tom. "Composer Douglas Cuomo And His Musical 'Dilemma'". NPR.
- ^ a b c "Dallas Opera's 'Arjuna's Dilemma' realizes Hindu legend in a mix of Indian and Western musical styles". Dallas News. 5 May 2017.
- ^ "Composer Douglas Cuomo And His Musical 'Dilemma'". NPR. 8 November 2008.
- ^ a b Davidson, Justin; architecture, New York Magazine’s; Since 2007, Classical-Music Critic; in 2002, was the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism (7 November 2008). "Arjuna's Dilemma - Provenance -- New York Magazine Classical Music Review - Nymag". New York Magazine.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "OPERA America Members Portal". apps.operaamerica.org.
- ^ a b "BAMezine | Questions for Douglas J. Cuomo (Arjuna's Dilemma)". Bam.org. Archived from the original on 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
- ^ Magazine, New Spolight. "Arjuna's Dilemma Opera In Kathmandu". SpotlightNepal.
- ^ "Touching the sublime". kathmandupost.com.
- ^ "Arjuna's Dilemma Innova Recordings". www.innova.mu.
- ^ Tommasini, Anthony (2008-11-07). "Music Review - 'Arjuna's Dilemma' - In Douglas J. Cuomo's Opera at BAM Harvey Theater, a Warrior Prince Wrestles With Destiny". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-02-11.