Search - Meredith Monk, Allison Easter, Carlos Arevalo :: Monk: Atlas - An Opera in Three Parts

Monk: Atlas - An Opera in Three Parts
Meredith Monk, Allison Easter, Carlos Arevalo
Monk: Atlas - An Opera in Three Parts
Genre: Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (10) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (15) - Disc #2

Threading together Meredith Monk's various guises in the world of avant-garde performance art (from dance and mime to multimedia explorations) is her sensibility first and foremost as a composer, one who creates from the...  more »

     
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Threading together Meredith Monk's various guises in the world of avant-garde performance art (from dance and mime to multimedia explorations) is her sensibility first and foremost as a composer, one who creates from the musical imagination's love of pattern and texture. And in Atlas, her full-length opera commissioned by Houston Grand Opera and premiered in 1991, Monk brings together several decades' worth of pioneering ways of expression. Yes, this is an opera involving almost no text and presenting a nonlinear, dreamlike collage in lieu of traditional narrative, but an opera all the same in the centrality of the human voice as the source and vehicle for conveying a dazzling multiplicity of states (Monk herself describes her use of the term "opera" to capture "the multiperceptual, mosaic form that I was envisioning.") Based quite loosely on the travel writings of Victorian adventurer Alexandra David-Neel, Atlas involves the journey of an Everywoman as an analog for spiritual questing, for a movement from the outer world to an inner, lost, or forgotten dimension. Monk's trademark work in "extended vocal technique" (work that links her with such other mavericks as Laurie Anderson and Joan La Barbara) is the basis for the opera's sound world, and she's trained her fellow cast members (Monk herself performs one of the three stages in the life of Atlas's heroine) to attain the remarkable flexibility required for its strangely beautiful, magnificently ranging variety of vocalise--from complex, microtonal, birdlike imitations to Tibetan chanting and quivering ululation. The repetitive, always slightly changing patterns of the melodic cells might be pigeonholed as "minimalism" (a term Monk, like Steve Reich, abjures), but this would be an unnecessary reduction for the fantastically original and appealing, rhythmically subtle, and unexpected fabrics that Monk weaves--with spare accompaniments by a chamber-size orchestra and the exotic colorings of glass harmonica. The booklet contains color photos of the original production--but even without the theatrical experience, Atlas comes through as a haunting and uniquely beautiful vision of the untapped possibilities of the lyrical stage. --Thomas May
 

CD Reviews

An Opera without words . . . and a masterpiece
George Grella | Brooklyn | 05/24/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Monk's "Atlas" is one of the important works of the later 20th century. It is an opera almost entirely without words, and those words in it are spare and enigmatic. Yet, even without the staging on hand, the narrative comes through in the music and the vocalising. Her idea was simple, sincere and quite radical, and beautifully done.The style of the music is very much the Minimalism of Philip Glass, not as complex harmonically, but the same sound world and style. It's very beautiful, and if Minimalist works appeal to you, as well as fascinating experimentation, than you should seek out this great piece."
Strange, wonderful and very human
Paul Carr | Silver Spring, MD United States | 06/05/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)

"Before listening to this work, you'd be well advised unburden youself of all the expectations implied by the words "opera" and "avant garde". It's theatrical, tells a story of sorts, and there's a great deal of singing, but it's very different from the usual notion of opera. The instrumental accompaniment is sparse, and mostly serves to keep time. There are few words, and almost all of them spoken (typical for Monk's work). It's not cold, sterile or academic. That aside, this is a strangely moving and beautiful work that will grow on you. You're unlikely to see it performed live, so this recording may be the only way you'll ever experience it. The extended vocal techniques work to a dramatic purpose, and there is a meaningful musical climax with some stunning ensemble singing. Well worth the price."
Throw out everything you knew before!
Kevin Currie-Knight | Newark, Delaware | 10/05/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)

"As is clear below by the existence of 1 and 5 star reviews only, Meredith Monk is like most 'modern classical' composers. You're either going to love this or hate it. For my part, on first listen, I wasn't sure which category I would fall. First, I must confess that my bias has always been against opera. Composers of opera tend to butcher both the melody and libretto all in the name of an elusive drama that usually falls quite flat. That being said, if you are a fan of traditional opera a la Gluck, Verdi and Wagner, you will never like 'Atlas' which consists mostly of wordless vocalise over repeating patterns played by a 10 peice orchestra. The cast mimics animal noises, claps, screams, shrieks and orrates occasional gibberish.In a strange way however, this is no different than hearing Stravinsky, Babbit or Glass for the first time. It takes a lot of work and, in a sense, we need to re-learn how to listen. Normally, we are used to hearing exposition, development, recapitulation, bel canto and leitmotif. With Monk, we don't get that but instead a continual rich vocal tapestry over magically floating chamber orchestra. Yes, it takes endurance but MAN is it worth it. In fact, 'future quest' (track 4) and 'Agricultural community" (track 10)contains some of the most beautiful vocal writing I've heard in some time. A quick disclaimer about the comparisons below to Philip Glass. Monk's technique, especially in her syncopations and instrumental voicings using 4ths, 5ths and 9ths, I would put 'Atlas' closer to Steve Reich's 'Tehillem' and 'Different Trains.' Still, Monks vocal writing is incomparable and in a crazy way, gorgeous. Pick it up; love it, hate it, sing along if you dare. Just listen to it!!"