{"id":64941,"date":"2013-11-17T18:20:15","date_gmt":"2013-11-17T16:20:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gbopera.it\/?p=64941"},"modified":"2016-11-26T13:35:53","modified_gmt":"2016-11-26T12:35:53","slug":"no-make-up-jake-heggie-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.studioroldo.it\/gbopera\/no-make-up-jake-heggie-2\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;No make-up&#8221;!&#8230; Jake Heggie"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Jake Heggie <\/strong>the American composer of the famous contemporary operas\u00a0such as<em> Moby-Dick <\/em>and<em> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/user\/www.gbopera.it\/jake-heggie-dead-man-walking\">Dead Man Walking<\/a><\/em>. He has also composed more than 250 songs, as well as concerti, chamber music, choral and orchestral works. His operas \u2014 most of them created with the distinguished writers Terrence McNally and Gene Scheer \u2014 have been produced internationally on five continents. Since its San Francisco premiere in 2000,\u00a0<em>Dead Man Walking<\/em>\u00a0has received more than 200 international performances.<img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Continua...\" src=\"http:\/\/www.gbopera.it\/wp-includes\/js\/tinymce\/plugins\/wordpress\/img\/trans.gif\" alt=\"\" \/>\u00a0<em>Moby-Dick<\/em>\u00a0will be telecast on Great Performances Nov 1, 2013 and is set to receive its East Coast premiere in February 2014 by the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Upcoming projects include\u00a0<em>Great Scott<\/em>\u00a0(libretto and story by McNally) for The Dallas Opera&#8217;s 2015\/16 season; plus works commissioned by Houston Grand Opera, Pacific Chorale, Pittsburgh Symphony and the Ravinia Festival. His latest recording,\u00a0<em>here\/after<\/em> (PentaTone Classics) features more than two hours of recent songs and chamber music. More information on his <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jakeheggie.com\">official website<\/a>.<strong><br \/>\nWhich is the main feature of your \u00a0personality?<\/strong><br \/>\nLoyalty.<strong><br \/>\nYour worst flaw?<\/strong><br \/>\nSelf \u00a0doubt.<strong><br \/>\nWhich is your star sign?<\/strong><br \/>\nAries \u00a0(Leo ascending).<strong><br \/>\nAre you superstitious?<\/strong><br \/>\nSlightly.<strong><br \/>\nWho and why?<\/strong><br \/>\nEvery time I hear a great singer in performance, I marvel at the ability to communicate and connect in this miraculous way. I envy them that great gift: riding a crest of air and sending that sound &#8211; that vibration &#8211; straight to the hearts of others. Truly. It is miraculous. And it gets me every single time.<strong><br \/>\nAre you a spiritual person?\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\nYes &#8211; but not at all religious. Organized religion \u00a0is not my friend.<strong><br \/>\nHave \u00a0you ever envied someone?<\/strong><br \/>\nOh \u00a0yes!<strong><br \/>\nWhat did you dream to become as an adult when you were a \u00a0child?<\/strong><br \/>\nA \u00a0composer and pianist.<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/crhnheHwYCc?list=PLNLZqbx2FGRu3GnMSpv7oIAZrJ6qDgpjE\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<strong>Did \u00a0your family influence your choices?<\/strong><br \/>\nThey \u00a0were incredibly supportive (I was lucky).<strong><br \/>\nWhich is your most cherished memory?\u00a0 <\/strong><br \/>\nFeeling \u00a0completely identified and loved.<br \/>\n<strong>The moment you felt the \u00a0proudest?<\/strong><br \/>\nMy \u00a0wedding to Curt Branom in 2008.<strong><br \/>\nThe greatest \u00a0disappointment?<\/strong><br \/>\nNever \u00a0got to say goodbye to my best friend from childhood &#8211; he died at age 34 \u00a0from AIDS and we had lost touch.<strong><br \/>\nWhat\u2019s missing in your life \u00a0today?<\/strong><br \/>\nToo \u00a0many friends and family who passed away too young and too soon &#8211; all of \u00a0whom I wish I could embrace and share with.<strong><br \/>\nWhat are you afraid of the most?<\/strong><br \/>\nHurting \u00a0somebody I love.<strong><br \/>\nCan you tell us which is this dream you&#8217;re living?<\/strong><br \/>\nThe dream that I&#8217;m living? Married to the person I love with a solid, wonderful home in my favorite city, surrounded by great friends, good health &#8212; and on top of all this, my job is to collborate with writers to compose music for great singers at magnficent opera houses. Now THAT is a dream come true! I live in gratitude every single day.<br \/>\n<strong>Do you have a recurrent \u00a0dream?<\/strong><br \/>\nYes \u00a0&#8211; and I&#8217;m astonished every time when I wake up that I&#8217;m lucky enough to be \u00a0living it.<strong><br \/>\nCan you tell us which is this dream you&#8217;re living? <\/strong><br \/>\nThe dream that I&#8217;m living? Married to the person I love with a solid, wonderful home in my favorite city, surrounded by great friends, good health &#8212; and on top of all this, my job is to collborate with writers to compose music for great singers at magnficent opera houses. Now THAT is a dream come true! I live in gratitude every single day.<br \/>\n<strong>How important is money to \u00a0you?<\/strong><br \/>\nIt \u00a0matters a lot in our world because it represents great freedom (alas) &#8211; \u00a0but it&#8217;s not the most important thing because it can all disappear in a \u00a0flash.<br \/>\n<strong>Which is the item you like spending \u00a0money on the most?<\/strong><br \/>\nCelebrations \u00a0with friends!<strong><br \/>\nDo \u00a0you collect anything?<\/strong><br \/>\nMemories.<strong><br \/>\nWhich are your favorite \u00a0readings?<\/strong><br \/>\nI \u00a0love a good story &#8211; so novels and historical \u00a0fiction.<br \/>\n<strong>Which is your favorite \u00a0perfume? <\/strong><br \/>\nNONE! \u00a0It makes me sneeze!<strong><br \/>\nFavorite \u00a0city?<\/strong><br \/>\nSan \u00a0Francisco.<strong><br \/>\nFavorite \u00a0color?<\/strong><br \/>\nGreenish \u00a0Blue (is that Teal?).<strong><br \/>\nFavorite \u00a0flower?<\/strong><br \/>\nA \u00a0tie between lilacs, iris and roses!<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fhnUmkcjWqU\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><strong><strong><br \/>\nYour favourite singer(s)?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>Whoever \u00a0I&#8217;m working with or writing for!<strong><strong><br \/>\nWhich is the first record you ever \u00a0bought?\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>Arthur \u00a0Rubinstein playing Beethoven sonatas.<strong><strong><br \/>\nThe film you love the \u00a0most?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>It \u00a0always seems to come back to MOONSTRUCK.<strong><strong><br \/>\nYour favorite season and \u00a0why?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>Summer \u00a0&#8211; the days are long and it has always meant total freedom to me. I can \u00a0wear shorts and sandals &#8211; feel the air &#8211; and think about \u00a0vacation! <strong><strong><br \/>\nHow is your relationship with \u00a0technology and which is the electronic gadget you can\u2019t do \u00a0without?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>I \u00a0keep getting nudged into the 21st century thanks to very close techno \u00a0friends &#8211; so now I can&#8217;t seem to do without my iPhone! But I still compose \u00a0at the piano and write everything out by hand &#8211; EVERYTHING (including full<strong> \u00a0<\/strong>orchestra scores). Then I send it to my copyist who puts it into the \u00a0computer.<strong><strong><br \/>\nHow\u2019s your attitude towards TV ?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>Not \u00a0great. I watch two things regularly: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and \u00a0the PBS News Hour.<strong><strong><br \/>\nHow is your relationship with \u00a0politics?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>Extremely \u00a0tense. I am privately political &#8211; and deeply frustrated with the \u00a0hypocrisy, stupidity, shallowness and fear that is ingrained in the \u00a0political system &#8212; mostly thanks to the incessantly speculative and \u00a0destructive 24\/7 news coverage on television.<strong><strong><br \/>\nDo you have causes that are very \u00a0important for you?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>YES. \u00a0Health and education for children &#8211; especially getting kids connected to \u00a0the performing arts early on: getting them singing, clapping, acting, \u00a0moving, connecting and thinking abstractly through music and \u00a0movement.<strong><br \/>\n<strong>Day or \u00a0night?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>Day.<strong><strong><br \/>\nWhich is the situation you consider \u00a0the most relaxing?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>Caught \u00a0up with commissions and walking on a beach with Curt.<strong><br \/>\n<strong>Tell us your ideal \u00a0day.<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>Wake \u00a0up around 8am after nine hours of sleep (well, you said ideal, right?), \u00a0have an easy couple of hours at home, then to the gym for an hour, then to \u00a0my studio to compose until about 5pm, then walk the dog, dinner with \u00a0friends, a movie or nothing at all .. then asleep by 11pm. \u00a0Heaven.<strong><strong><br \/>\nWhich \u00a0is your hideaway?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>My composing studio.<strong><strong><br \/>\nWhat\u2019s \u00a0the soundtrack to your everyday life?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>The \u00a0sounds of life around me &#8211; people walking &amp; talking, the wind in the \u00a0trees, dogs barking, the ocean in the distance&#8230;<strong><br \/>\n<strong>What do you miss the most when \u00a0you\u2019re away from home?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>BEING \u00a0HOME!<strong><strong><br \/>\nThe \u00a0holiday or the trip you\u2019d like to take?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>Would love to explore Asia one \u00a0day.<strong><strong><br \/>\nWhat or who makes you feel \u00a0embarrassed?<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>When a joke of mine \u00a0falls flat &#8230; which happens all the time.<br \/>\n<strong>\u00a0How would you \u00a0define your relation with food ?<br \/>\n<\/strong>\u00a0A \u00a0little too good. A special weakness for dark \u00a0chocolate.<br \/>\n<strong>\u00a0Mediterranean diet, mocrobiotics or \u00a0fast food?<br \/>\n<\/strong>\u00a0Lots \u00a0of fresh fruits and vegetables, sometimes fish, sometimes poultry, rarely \u00a0red meat.<br \/>\n<strong>\u00a0Your favourite dish?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Pasta de la Casa at \u00a0North Beach Restaurant in San Francisco.<br \/>\n<strong>\u00a0Red or white wine?<br \/>\n<\/strong>\u00a0Red.<br \/>\n<strong>\u00a0Which is the place where cooking is \u00a0the worst ever?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Fast \u00a0food restaurants &#8230; just the smell turns my \u00a0stomach.<br \/>\n<strong>Was music a \u00a0vocation?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Yes.<br \/>\n<strong>What would you want someone who \u00a0doesn\u2019t know you to listen to?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Opening \u00a0chorus of Bach&#8217;s <em><em>St. Matthew Passion.<br \/>\n<\/em><\/em><strong>Why Bach and not one of your compositions?<br \/>\n<\/strong>I suggested Bach&#8217;s <em>St. Matthew Passion<\/em> because I believe it is the greatest music ever written. It jumps to life every time and is filled with an aching humanity, mystery, and countless surprises. It makes us better as people to fathom it. It gives us hope about the possibility that lies within us and in front of us. People have achieved great things and will continue to strive to do so.Of my own work? I think for opera it would have to be\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/user\/www.gbopera.it\/jake-heggie-moby-dick\"><em>Moby-Dick<\/em><\/a>, and for song it would have to be my cycle\u00a0<em>Camille Claudel: Into the Fire<\/em>. They represent big shifts and steps forward in my own journey &#8230; and I think they are strong with a lot to say.<br \/>\n<strong>How \u00a0do you follow the evolution of your career?<br \/>\n<\/strong>I \u00a0stay focused on the work at hand, and trust the friendly ears of \u00a0colleagues and loved ones who keep me up to date.<br \/>\n<strong>If \u00a0you were granted the chance to chose a subject for an opera, which one \u00a0would it be?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Oh but I have been many times! <em>Dead Man Walking, \u00a0Moby-Dick<\/em>, and two that are about to be announced. I have a list of ideas \u00a0I&#8217;d like to explore &#8211; but they have to remain secret. One doesn&#8217;t want to \u00a0discuss unborn children.<br \/>\n<strong>What does it mean to be an opera composer in the 21th \u00a0century?<br \/>\n<\/strong>It is a rare, special and precarious privilege, \u00a0because opera is not the popular art form it once was. It is a miracle \u00a0every time it happens. Wondrous to have the opportunity to pursue \u00a0meaningful work in the opera house &#8211; to work with great colleagues as a \u00a0team to build something resonant and hopefully profound, moving, fun, \u00a0entertaining and inspiring. I realize how rare it is that a composer&#8217;s \u00a0work gets performed and embraced in his or her own lifetime, and I am well \u00a0aware that it can all disappear in a flash &#8212; so I try to stay present, \u00a0focused and grateful every day.<br \/>\n<strong>Inspiration-wise, what comes first, the score or the \u00a0lyrics?<br \/>\n<\/strong>The story. If that is right, then the words and \u00a0music can emerge. In my case, I need to have the libretto in pretty good \u00a0shape before I start to write &#8211; but the story is what initially inspires \u00a0music.<br \/>\n<strong>Having composed \u00a0Dead Man Walking, which is your attitude towards death penalty?<br \/>\n<\/strong>I am opposed to the death penalty. Once a murderer is convicted and incarcerated so that the public is safe from harm, what additional good does it provide to the public to execute that person? I feel deeply that it brings us all down and ultimately solves nothing. We also eliminate the possibility for that person to work and perhaps provide some good to the world.<br \/>\n<strong>How does it make you feel that in some states of the USA death penalty is still legal?<br \/>\n<\/strong>It makes me feel that there is still a great deal of work to do to raise a level of awareness about this issue. I believe most people think of it only in the abstract and don&#8217;t take the time to really reflect on it. The death penalty is so randomly and unequally applied, and so many mistakes are made in the legal system. Innocent people have spent decades on death row, and some have been wrongly executed. There is no perfect system, and execution cannot be undone.<br \/>\n<strong>Have you moulded your operas on the vocal features of the \u00a0singers who were to sing them?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Absolutely! I rite the role &#8211; but I dress it on the \u00a0singer.<br \/>\n<strong>Can composing for a specific performer represent a limit \u00a0someway, as time passes? Have you ever amended a role for different \u00a0singers?<br \/>\n<\/strong>It is not limiting as long as I write the role &#8212; \u00a0and if the role is well written, it&#8217;s amazing how other singers will \u00a0appear who are right for it. &#8212; I have definitely offered alternate \u00a0versions of songs or roles for certain singers.<br \/>\n<strong>Which is the opera from the present or the past you wish you \u00a0had composed?<br \/>\n<\/strong><em>Peter Grimes<\/em>, followed closely by <em>Cosi fan \u00a0tutte.<br \/>\n<\/em><strong>How \u00a0would you defining your composition style?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Lyrical \u00a0and dramatic.<br \/>\n<strong>What would you like to be \u00a0remembered for?<br \/>\n<\/strong>My \u00a0heart.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jake Heggie the American composer of the famous contemporary operas\u00a0such as Moby-Dick and Dead Man Walking. He has [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":102207,"featured_media":61204,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[8700,8960],"class_list":["post-64941","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-senza-categoria","tag-jake-heggie","tag-moby-dick"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.studioroldo.it\/gbopera\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64941","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.studioroldo.it\/gbopera\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.studioroldo.it\/gbopera\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studioroldo.it\/gbopera\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/102207"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studioroldo.it\/gbopera\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64941"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.studioroldo.it\/gbopera\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64941\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86954,"href":"https:\/\/www.studioroldo.it\/gbopera\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64941\/revisions\/86954"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studioroldo.it\/gbopera\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.studioroldo.it\/gbopera\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studioroldo.it\/gbopera\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studioroldo.it\/gbopera\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}