Weve heard the opera with a twist and rock opera distinctions before from various classical-music organizations. However, each time weve checked out these so-called hip concerts, the musics turned out to be too, well, operatic for our tastes.
In the case of the Phoenix Symphony-presented Ainadamar: Fountain of Tears, the production is truly of the kickass variety. Yes, its an opera, but the Grammy Award-winning work also includes nontraditional classical elements such as pre-recorded samples, laptop effects, sexy flamenco guitar plucking, and the way-accomplished soprano Dawn Upshaw. The show which features music composed by Argentinean Osvaldo Golijov and a libretto by American David Henry Hwang chronicles the romance between the ostracized Spanish poet/playwright Federico Garcia Lorca (played by a female -- in this case, Kelley OConnor) and Lorcas main squeeze, Margarita Xirgu (Upshaw).
Fri., May 23, 8 p.m.; Sat., May 24, 8 p.m., 2008