John Adams' "I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky": Examination of an earthquake/romance
In 1995, John Adams, Peter Sellars, and June Jordan collaborated on the contemporary opera/musical I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky. Based around the 1994 Los Angeles, California earthquake, the work follows the struggles and daily lives of seven diverse twenty-somethings. This pa...
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| Format: | Others |
| Language: | en_US |
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Wichita State University
2013
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10057/6834 |
| Summary: | In 1995, John Adams, Peter Sellars, and June Jordan collaborated on the
contemporary opera/musical I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky. Based
around the 1994 Los Angeles, California earthquake, the work follows the struggles and
daily lives of seven diverse twenty-somethings. This paper examines the creation of the
work and compiles all available information about professional performances and
recordings. An exploration of musical content in relation to characterization is supported
by a stylistic description of every piece. There is also a more detailed analysis of three
ensemble numbers. The conclusion is a discussion of the dramatic connotations of the
earthquake and how the work fits into the paradigm of Shakespearean comedy. === Thesis (M.M.)--Wichita State University, College of Fine Arts, School of Music |
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