On January 28 and 29, a brand new, never before seen music drama will premiere at West Virginia University. Luke Diamond, a WVU senior (studying Conducting, Composition, and Vocal Performance, because why not study all the things) will debut his third (!!!) original work: a musical version of the fairytale Aurore et Aimée, written by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont, aka the author of Beauty and the Beast. But why should I tell you anything? I got to talk to the composer himself:
1. What made you interested in writing this opera in the first place?
"Though it has frequently been referred to as such, Ma Grâce Te Suffit is not an opera. Rather, we have been referring to it as a music drama because it doesn’t quite fit precisely into any one genre. It shares a lot of inspiration from traditions such as musical theatre, operetta, opera, and film score. All of these are types of music I have grown fond of over the years, so I mixed the elements to create something original."
2. What is Ma Grâce Te Suffit about?
"The plot is based on the fairy tale Aurore et Aimée by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont, and tells the story of a girl who is subjected to a series of tragic events and blames God for each of them, only to learn that God was using them for her good."
(If you haven't heard of Aurore et Aimée, go look it up, because it's a fabulous story, just begging to be set to music.)
3. What was your inspiration for it?
"The motivation to put all of this together is simply the story’s need to be heard. It's a story of great tragedy and loss, and while not everyone has suffered the same losses as the character Aurore, I am certain that we've all been through hardships that cause us to feel as if hit rock bottom. The title is a promise from God that literally means "My grace suffices you," and this work delves into the validity of that promise."
("Never complain against God, He is all-powerful, He is wise, He loves you and you must believe that He only allowed you to become miserable for your own good. Trust in Him and have it very well in your mind that God protects the honest people, and whatever unfortunate things that befalls them are not misfortunes." From the original fairytale.)
4. Who is your favorite composer?
"I would probably have to say that Leonard Bernstein is my favorite composer, not only for his compositions, but more so for his work as a teacher and conductor. He inspired so many non-musical people by making great music accessible to them, and did so without comprising his genius in the academic music circles."
5. Who is involved?
"The main cast features members of the WVU Voice Faculty, WVU Alumni, current voice DMA students, and young, local talent. The orchestra is made entirely of students ranging from freshmen to graduate students. There is also a choir, directed by WVU Choral Director, Dr. Kym Scott, which features both students and community members. Interestingly, the choir features singers from all 4 of the Universities major choral ensembles. The performance will also feature student several theatre and dance students, organized by Prof. General Hambrick."
As somebody who has performed with him in musicals and under his direction in one of his other original shows, Luke Diamond is a class act with a real talent for composing. The cast he has gathered is also incredible! I would love nothing more than to see his work skyrocket, taking him farther than he could ever dream of being possible. I'll be at WVU this weekend to see this beautiful work of art. Will you?
Come check it out on January 28th (6 PM) and 29th (2 PM) at the Gladys Davis Theatre (the WVU Creative Arts Center)!
To hear more about Ma Grâce Te Suffit and to hear some of the music from the show, check out the video below:
If you feel lead to help fund this (amazing) production, this is the link to help cover the costs to pay the hardworking and deserving actors and tech crew.
Want to write for us? Apply here: http://muse.theodysseyonline.com/apply!
