Des McAnuff, artistic director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, spends a lot more time working on freelance gigs outside of Stratford, Ontario, than his predecessors.
Some festival observers think this is just keen and feel he's an in-demand talent whose international contacts are enriching the festival. Others think it is a damn shame and feel he's not paying enough attention to job one, grumble, grumble.
Here at Nestruck on Theatre, we are extremely in favour of McAnuff's jet-setting lifestyle, but mainly because we get to pitch work trips to Australia to review musicals based on Dr. Zhivago. (No go on Zhivago, alas.)
Yes, that's one of the projects on McAnuff's plate for 2011 according to a recent interview with Grey Gardens songwriter Michael Korie.
McAnuff directed a developmental run of Zhivago! (not actual title) at his old digs, La Jolla Playhouse, in 2007, and the musical's official website does indeed say that discussions are in place to open the show in Australia in 2011. Lyrics to Doctor! (not actual title either) are by Korie and Amy Powers, book is by Michael Weller and the score is by Lucy Simon (sister to Carly and composer of The Secret Garden).
What else is coming up on McAnuff's plate, which perhaps is more of a giant serving bowl? Well, we now know the title and subject matter the new opera he's shepherding to stage for the Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera. Senna, as it is called, will have music by post-minimalist composer Michael Torke and libretto by Korie; the opera concerns the Brazilian Formula 1 world champion Ayrton Senna da Silva, who was killed in a crash during the 1994 Grand Prix.
Says Korie to Playbill: "I was so intrigued by the whole idea of opera and speed. They're not things that you usually associate together."
Surely a contender for understatement of the year.
But wait, there's more. Well, sort of. Attracting a lot of attention on the music blogs this week is a story that The Flaming Lips are collaborating with McAnuff to bring their 2002 album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots to the stage. But while this may be news to the likes of Brooklyn Vegan, it is not to theatre critics. Talk of this Flaming Lips musical has been floating around for years and, in fact, Aaron Sorkin was long attached to write the book. We're keeping our eyes peeled for the 2011 Stratford Shakespeare Festival season, but not holding our breath.
