This week, everyone is talking about the MTV Video Music Awards. Back in 1999, the producers of the MTV Video Music Awards chose the Metropolitan Opera House as the event venue. On very short notice, some members of my chorus, the New Amsterdam Singers, were invited to supplement the Collegiate Chorale, under the direction of Robert Bass, to perform the show’s opening number. We rehearsed on Labor Day, September 6, and on the morning of the event, September 9. The chorus shared a dressing room with Madonna’s cross-dressing dancers. I was impressed with the preparation and courtesy of the MTV staff, though Opera House staff did need to remind them frequently that no food or drink was permitted inside the hall. MTV wanted to play up the contrast between the classical venue and the popular content of MTV, so we sang Carl Orff’s familiar “O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana (an oratorio, not an opera, but close enough for MTV), and segued percussively into a hip-hop song, repeating these lyrics: BA – wit – da – BA – da – BANG – da – dang – diggy – diggy – DIGGY – said – da – boogie – said – UP – JUMP – da – boogie I have just posted an album of the photos I took, or others took with my camera, at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 22:14:19 +0000
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