Mousekingdom Blog

Opera might not be everybody’s cup of thee, but when it is about the life of Walt Disney himself, opera might find a whole new breed of followers; namely the Disney fans. Philip Glass, an academy award nominated classical and experimental composer who has worked with the likes of David Bowie and Errol Morris. This would not be Philip Glass first opera, he has composed well over 20 of them during his carier. He has also a whole list of symphonies and soundtracks under his name. Now he wants to add an opera about the final months of Walt Disney based on the novel “Der König von Amerika” by Stephan Junkg. The translation of König to “King” will be replaced to Perfect, making the US titel to be “ A Perfect American”.

According to a press release, “Peter Stephan Jungk’s novel The Perfect American imagines the final months of Walt Disney’s life as recounted by the fictional Austrian cartoonist Wilhelm Dantine, who worked for Disney in the 1940s and 50s. Through the prism of Dantine’s European sensibility, and his feelings of admiration and resentment toward his boss, the novel presents a multilayered image of the mid-20th-century American dream.” (Observer)

Admittedly I haven’t read this book (yet) so I cannot judge it but I would have loved to see something created related to Walt Disney’s whole life and not just his last months. However Philip Glass is convinced it is the right choice and with well over 40 albums and well over 30 soundtrack included to his operas and other works, this artis should knows what he is talking about.

Of The Perfect American, Mr. Glass said in a statement: “The story of the last days of Walt Disney, American Icon and creator of perhaps the most pervasive fantasy world on our planet, is surprisingly gripping and at times disturbing. But, on the face of it, how could it be anything else? The pulse of his life has to be the pulse of our own American culture. And, like other aspects of life here, it is unimaginable, alarming, and truly frightening.” (Observer)

The opera is expected to be completed by the City’s Opera season of 2012-2013.

Picture copyrights PhilipGlass.com and Annie Leibowitz

This entry was posted on Monday, September 29th, 2008 at 6:18 pm and is filed under Disney Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.