Otts munderloh biography of christopher

When Der Silbersee opened in Germany init was a huge success, but the Nazi propaganda machine headed by Joseph Goebbels was not going to allow it to continue. In fact, days otts munderloh biography of christopher the premier, Kurt Weill and his wife Lotte Lenya escaped to Paris only hours before the Gestapo agents were at their apartment.

Hal in turn got Hugh Wheeler to write the new book and Lys Symonette to write the lyrics. With the assistance of Lotte Lenya recalling the original, Hal had Manuel Lutgenhorst create the most German expressionist set I had ever seen. It consisted of a mirrored portal and rolling mirrors. We had done a similar rolling mirror scheme on the Broadway production of The Visit in What we knew about the mirror panels is that when something is illuminated behind them, they become translucent.

As the audience came into the theatre, as you can see from the photos, they were looking at themselves and seeing some of the scenic pieces through the mirror. As the conductor came out to take his bow, the lights behind the mirrors faded out and the audience was still looking at themselves. Then with the downbeat we lit the entire company behind the mirrors and they were looking at the audience that was still reflected looking at them.

A haunting and scary moment. With Joel Gray playing the leading character, it was an opera that was all about shadow and shafts of light. At one point Joel is enclosed by the panels making a mirror box around him. I then lit straight down into the box, and it became an infinity box with Joel Gray seeing endless versions of himself in the mirrors, there was no escaping.

The opera was recorded by Nonesuch Records but never came back to the City Opera after the premier season. Which subsequently was made into a motion picture winning the Best Picture Academy Award. Eugene Lee designed a forty-foot-wide staircase that went from the Apron to the back wall. With some hanging and sliding units it was a simple set.

The lighting had to do all the isolation, color, and mood for the entire opera. This was the fourth opera that Hal had directed and was the first in English and was a play set to music. The technical process was straightforward and it all flowed seamlessly. After the opening night the show was taped over several days with a master shot during an evening performance.

I went to see the show I had designed the lighting for 35 years later. In a note to Hal after the screening I wrote:. Looking back, Tim Nolen and Jan Curtis were stars. We are aways looking forward, but Hal, it was directed brilliantly. The audience at the screening gasped several times. The concept was spot on, and I am proud to say I was there with you doing it.

Judy had found the notice in New York Magazine about the screening the very same week it happened so I immediately shot off a letter to Carlisle. As for how it holds up, well what could be happier to know? You are a champ. I recall that experience in Houston with great affection. I believe we did well, but I suspect I might have believed it even more had I seen it after all these years.

Thanks for writing, thanks for being there, thanks for being you. Hal had great success with a scaled-down production that had moved from the Brooklyn Academy of Music to the Broadway theatre and was a great success running over performances. This was a production that needed to run in repertory, had an orchestra of 50 and an opera size chorus.

Hal staged it on ever changing set pieces on a platform in the middle of a circus tent. The difference between technical rehearsals at an opera house and on Broadway is time. On Broadway you would have at least 40 otts munderloh biographies of christopher of tech time. At the opera 20 hours. To do a complex show with so many transitions and a repertory light plot can be a challenge in limited time.

Everyone was well rehearsed in the rehearsal rooms and then onstage. It was taking a long time to get the transitions slick. Suddenly it was the afternoon for the final dress rehearsal the day before opening and we were not ready. Act One went well and Act Two for about the first 20 minutes and then it fell apart. It was just under rehearsed.

The audience did love it, but it was not ready. We started after dinner with Act Two and went to work to get it up to where Act One was. At one point Hal walked up to me at the production table, stood in the row in front of me and yelled, It looks terrible. We did open the following night and it was a smash and sold out every seat. It was in the repertory for years and was taped for Live from Lincoln Center.

It was such a hit there were proposals to move it to Broadway. Negotiations started but the musicians union said it had to be the full opera orchestra not the 28 it was orchestrated for on Broadway. With costs like that the show would be unstainable and nothing happened. Candide did move to Broadway in In we were again off to the Chicago Lyric Opera this time for Madama Butterfly and I had a new clause in my contract that I get to take a bow with the other creatives.

Clarke Dunham designed a turntable set that was always in a different position for each scene. The costumes by Florence Klotz were breathtaking. We did the opera in two acts, the second and third acts were combined. During the humming chorus the set did one revolve as we went from night to dawn. It was exquisitely staged. I have done many productions of Butterfly but this was the best.

We also took the production to Houston,Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires and it has been revived numerous times in Chicago. The opera was scheduled to open on June 12, Spring in Vienna, what could better? They had very good lighting, but it was in the European way with the director and scenic designer talking to the head electrician about what they wanted.

So, I would be something new for this company. With the opera schedule I would need to be in Vienna for two months and had a small apartment one block from the opera house. There was an outdoor restaurant on the ground level and Hal, Francis Patrelle choreographerVince Liotta assistant director and I would meet up daily. Rehearsals were during the day but not every day and once onstage it was around a repertory schedule of other operas and ballets.

This was the reason we were all there for two months. I finally had my first lighting rehearsal at beginning after a staging rehearsal. The week before I was asked if how many light walkers I would like. A light walker is usually someone who stands in for a performer so you can see if all looks good. Most opera companies I had worked with if you got two folks it was a good start.

I asked for two and I was looked at with puzzled faces. I asked how many I could have and was told no more than I settled for 10, everyone in a different costume with make up. My lighting time comes and Hal leaves for lunch and I settle down at the production table to start lighting. I wait 10 minutes and say we must get going. It turns out they were waiting for Herr Prince.

Off we start. I then say to the stage manager that we will bleed through the scrim on this bar of music and then fly the scrim on that bar of music. The reply was NO. In Vienna we bleed through on this bar and take the drop out on this bar. That is what we always do. He was holding the prompt script from the previous s production of Turandot.

Patti LuPone on Broadway. Crazy for You. The Secret Garden. Social Security. Big River. The Glass Menagerie. Bring Back Birdie. Harold and Maude. All Rights Reserved. Sound Design. Mandy Patinkin in Concert Opened September 10, A Mom's Life Opened October 19, Sound Consultant. Mandy Patinkin in Concert Opened March 01, Passion Opened May 09, Ain't Broadway Grand Opened April 18, Gypsy Passion Opened November 17, Jelly's Last Jam Opened April 26, Crazy for You Opened February 19, The Secret Garden Opened April 25, Bring Back Birdie.

Sophisticated Ladies. The Roast. Harold and Maude. The 's Radio Hour. I Remember Mama. Ain't Misbehavin'. The Merchant. A Chorus Line. Cristi - While Alexander may be best known for his roles on screen, including Seinfeld, Pretty Woman, and more, he also has a longstanding history with the stage! He is anxiously waiting to work with new hand and finger prosthetics while continuing to get stronger every day Patti and Mandy in Concert: Just Two 'Old Friends' The Prince plays host to a concert that will surly be the talk of the town this season with two of theater worlds most popular and occasionally over the top performers.

View all Videos. Sound Consultant: Otts Munderloh. Special Solo Original. Mandy Patinkin in Concert Mar 01, - Mar 23, Special Concert Solo Original. Passion May 09, - Jan 07, Musical Original. Ain't Broadway Grand Apr 18, - May 09, Musical Comedy Original. Gypsy Passion Nov 17, - Jan 02, Musical Dance Original.

Otts munderloh biography of christopher

Jelly's Last Jam Apr 26, - Sep 05, Crazy For You Feb 19, - Jan 07, The Secret Garden Apr 25, - Jan 03, The Big Love Mar 03, - Apr 07, Play Solo Original. Tru Dec 14, - Sep 01, Grand Hotel Nov 12, - Apr 25, Musical Drama Original. Dangerous Games Oct 19, - Oct 21, Audio Consultant: Otts Munderloh. Welcome to the Club Apr 13, - Apr 22, Jerome Robbins' Broadway Feb 26, - Sep 01, Musical Revue Dance Original.

Checkmates Aug 04, - Dec 31,