Natia Boulanger's long-forgotten opera La Ville Morte has resurfaced, courtesy of a recording from last year's performances in New York. The work, originally commissioned by her mentor Raoul Pugno, tells the tale of love, lust, and ambition among archaeologists excavating at Mycenae, dubbed "the dead city" – a setting rich with dramatic potential.
However, Boulanger's opera falls short of truly captivating its audience, instead relying on nods to other prominent composers such as Wagner, Fauré, and early Debussy. The work's musical language is derivative, failing to break free from established patterns. The final act, in particular, feels overhauled by a dwindling supply of dramatic tension.
Conductor Neal Goren and his cast of four do their best to breathe life into La Ville Morte, but it remains to be seen whether this recording can reignite the dormant spark that once drove Boulanger's compositional ambitions. A faithful recreation of Pugno's orchestration may not have allowed for the full depth of interpretation that the score demands.
However, Boulanger's opera falls short of truly captivating its audience, instead relying on nods to other prominent composers such as Wagner, Fauré, and early Debussy. The work's musical language is derivative, failing to break free from established patterns. The final act, in particular, feels overhauled by a dwindling supply of dramatic tension.
Conductor Neal Goren and his cast of four do their best to breathe life into La Ville Morte, but it remains to be seen whether this recording can reignite the dormant spark that once drove Boulanger's compositional ambitions. A faithful recreation of Pugno's orchestration may not have allowed for the full depth of interpretation that the score demands.
i get what she was goin for w/ the nods 2 other greats but it feels like she was tryna fit in w/ the crowd instead of creatin somethin entirely new 
the music is def catchy but its also super predictable, like u know whats comin & theres not much drama 
Neal Goren & his cast r doin their thang tho 
let's see if dis recordin can bring out the best in Natia's work 
I mean I get why they're all excited about it and stuff but for me it's just not doing it. It feels like she took every cool thing from those famous composers and just kinda... copied them? 
And don't even get me started on that final act, it's like 10 mins of cringeworthy awkwardness 
... I guess conductor Neal Goren and his cast did a good job trying to make it work but at the end of the day it's still just not my cup of tea 
️... What do you guys think tho? 
It's a question of re-igniting passion, not just pouring over a familiar flame. The spark within is still there, but it needs someone to fan the flames 
Neal goren and the cast did a great job bringing it to life tho 
I'm like super curious about Natia Boulanger's opera La Ville Morte... how did it get forgotten in the first place? 
And what's up with the last act feeling a bit meh? 
but La Ville Morte just sounds like a mess to me... I mean, it's got potential, set in Mycenae and all, but if it's gonna ride on others' coattails, then what's the point? 
Can't wait to see how the recording goes though, maybe they'll magically bring it to life 
Still, I gotta give credit to Neal Goren and his crew for trying to breathe life into this oldie but not so goodie... 
. The nods to other composers can actually be seen as a compliment, she was definitely influenced by the best 
! This opera has been hiding in plain sight 
. Was the nod to Wagner and Fauré just homage or was it more than that 
?
. And don't even get me started on the ending - it was like they took all the drama and tension and just squished it together into this big mess 
. can we get something more innovative from boulanger next time? 
. And don't even get me started on the final act - I've had operas with more tension in a elevator ride 
! Still, credit where credit is due, the conductor and cast are doing their thing, so fingers crossed they can bring some life to this dormant spark