Composer

:

John Adams

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Musical Theater

Compose Date

:

1995

Average_duration

:

71:48

Movement_count

:

15

Movement ....

"I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky" is an opera composed by John Adams with a libretto by June Jordan. The opera premiered on June 12, 1995, at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California. The plot of the opera revolves around seven characters from different backgrounds who are brought together by a catastrophic earthquake in Los Angeles. The characters include a black Baptist preacher, a Salvadoran refugee, a white police officer, a Chinese-American woman, a Jewish lawyer, a Mexican-American woman, and a young African-American man. The earthquake forces them to confront their prejudices, fears, and desires as they struggle to survive and rebuild their lives. The opera is divided into seven movements, each representing one of the characters. The movements are titled "Tanya," "Mike," "Leila," "Rick," "Tiffany," "Consuelo," and "Dewain." Each movement features a different musical style, ranging from gospel and soul to rock and roll and Latin American rhythms. The music is accompanied by a small ensemble of instruments, including piano, percussion, guitar, and bass. One of the characteristics of the opera is its use of vernacular language and popular music styles. The libretto is written in colloquial English, and the music draws on a variety of popular genres, including jazz, blues, and rock. This approach reflects Adams' interest in creating a contemporary opera that speaks to a wider audience and engages with contemporary social issues. "I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky" received critical acclaim for its innovative approach to opera and its exploration of themes such as race, identity, and community. The opera has been performed in numerous venues around the world, including the New York City Opera, the Barbican Centre in London, and the Sydney Opera House.

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