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Steve Jobs' Life Is Now An Opera (cnn.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the sing-different dept.

An anonymous reader quotes CNN's report on a new project from Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist Mark Campbell: "The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs" is set to open on Saturday night at the Santa Fe Opera, home to the largest summer-opera festival in U.S. The high-tech production, which runs until August 26, jumps in and out of key moments in the Apple founder's life, from early product-development days alongside Steve Wozniak and the launch of the original iPhone, to his wedding day with Laurene Powell Jobs... The opera features an electronic score, developed by Mason Bates, that incorporates sounds from the products Jobs created, including the audio synonymous with turning on an early Macintosh computer. The libretto, or operatic script, doesn't call out words like Apple or iPhone due to copyright issues; instead, it uses descriptors like "one device" to reference the smartphone. "Only one device, does it all," the libretto reads. "In one hand, all your need. One device. Communication, entertainment, illumination, connection, interaction, navigation, inspiration..."
One scene in the high-tech production shows Jobs standing in his family's garage on his 10th birthday. When his father gives him a workbench, the walls around them light up into video screens...

8 of 74 comments (clear)

  1. The Santa Fe Opera is innovative, but ... by chipschap · · Score: 2

    I've been to the Santa Fe Opera many times. They put on great productions in an awesome setting. It might be the greatest summer opera company anywhere. Each summer they do four operas from the (more or less) usual repertoire and one new or innovative production. One great example maybe 15 years back was "L'amour de loin" with Dawn Upshaw singing the principal role.

    But an opera about Steve Jobs? Have the hipsters taken over even the southwest?

    Granted, there was once an opera about Richard Nixon ("Nixon in China"). Maybe some day there will be an opera about Donald Trump; who knows?

    But I think I'd skip the Steve Jobs opera.

    1. Re:The Santa Fe Opera is innovative, but ... by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      Have the hipsters taken over even the southwest?

      No. The true hipsters have moved on to worshipping Elon Musk.

  2. Phantom Of The Steve Jobs Opera by theodp · · Score: 4, Funny

    Floating, falling
    Sweet intoxication
    Touch me, trust me
    Savor each sensation
    Let the dream begin
    Let your darker side give in
    To the power of the music that I write
    The power of the music of the night

  3. I don't get the cult of Jobs by rsilvergun · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'll give him this, he did have one really good idea: Market computers & gadgets as high end accessories similar to expensive handbags. But he was an all around asshole with a company built on exploiting people (largely Foxconn employees who get woken up at 3am to make minor changes to his designs). He was also a dick to pretty much everyone (the Wozniak stuff is just the most well known). It's not like this info is hard to come by either. 10 minutes on google looking up well sourced articles will tell you how awful he is. But to hear people tell it he's some kind of wonderful.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re:I don't get the cult of Jobs by umghhh · · Score: 2

      Maybe this is another version of phantom at the opera or other piece with a monster in it?

    2. Re:I don't get the cult of Jobs by gilgongo · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The reason Jobs is venerated is that he is perceived as being an ordinary guy who became fabulously rich. In the US, that guarantees you immortal veneration in the minds of millions of unlucky saps who wish they were you. The fact that his company is also very high profile (Apple stores etc.) helps a great deal too. This is why, say, Warren Buffet doesn't enjoy the same veneration. Bill Gates, having "lost" to Jobs, is also not on the pedestal for that reason. And Trump - it's why we have him in White House of course.

      --
      "And the meaning of words; when they cease to function; when will it start worrying you?"
  4. Question: by johnnys · · Score: 4, Funny

    Shouldn't it be a "safari" instead?

    --
    Sometimes the "writing on the wall" is blood spatter...
  5. Pre-Review by Old-Claimjumper · · Score: 2

    I attended the dress rehearsal Thursday Evening.
    I am normally not a fan of the modern "let's see how discordant we can be" operas. I prefer Mozart, Pucinni, et. al.
    However, this is an exception. The music blends live orchestra with electronic music in a good way. The sets use digital projects that managed to match the moods of the story well. I was uncertain at the start about the jumping back and forth in time to thread together bits of the story, but by the end I was very impressed with how well they had woven the stories together. They didn't try to sugar-coat the dark side of Jobs. And they left a very complete feeling of having viewed the evolution of a unique human being.
    The soprano as his wife did well and the bass mentor/monk was delightful. All in all, I give it a nine out of ten. I think Mozart would have polished the music just a bit more, but I would pay to see it again.