The last time Thomas Adès came to Disney he played Couperin, the last word in earnest French refinement; last week he played Berlioz, the last word in flashy French ultraromanticism. He began by leading the Los Angeles Master Chorale and a huge orchestra through the Marseillais, no less. Then came the entertaining but completely mad hunt and storm scene from The Trojans. What's going on here? Is Adès using Berlioz to argue color and drama and literary conceits are OK?
Before beginning his own America: a Prophecy, Adès clarified that the theme of the program was catastrophe--national catastophe, global catastrophe, universal catastrophe. (Had he been anticipating a McCain/Palin victory?
His America was pitch black. A soloist rages and grieves over her soon-to-be-obliterated culture, while the orchestra and chorus create magnificent menace. It ends with the silver lining sentiment: “ash feels no pain." It was like a musical transcription of Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Who invited Cassandra to the party? I guess that was the point.
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