To: Ulisse Director, Administrators, Orchestra Contractor, Technical Director
Subject: Thor wants thunder!
Dear Ulisses colleagues,
As the score specifies thunder several times, and since the love of thunder is in my genes, I’ve been researching authentic thunder makers for Baroque theaters. The thunder ‘sheet’ is a later invention (all of that metal in a big sheet) but thunder boxes and bowling logs, etc seem to be more authentic. I know they have a thunder drum/box at the Met filled with tennis balls, etc. Evidently it makes quite a racket. Do you think our percussionist and the prop dept could put their minds to this and see if we could come up with something effective? Not a big deal, but it might be fun if we could find something noisey and authentic.
From: Kim Witman
Subject: RE: Thor wants thunder!
We’ll work on this.
And I think that Thor needs to be in the opera.
From: Technical Director
Subject: RE: Thor wants thunder!
Hey all,Have we discussed getting the actual god of thunder onstage? Are we concerned that the creation of lighting bolts backstage by a deity poses a possible fire hazard?Also, traditionally Thor wears a loin cloth onstage. Since the production seems to be heading in a more post modern industrial direction do we need to consider a thong or ‘banana hammock’?
From: Conductor Thor
Love all the ideas, kind of a post modern, all gods baroque ring cycle and Thor must appear on stage. I’ve often thought professionally of just going as ‘Thor’, like Cher or Bono or the Artist formerly known as Prince. But for your own comfort and safety I was thinking more of a helmet with horns and animal pelts, —-lots of them. Banana thongs? Seems distracting, and talk about danger! Sparks!
Even after seeing the emails come in hours ago this exchange is still HILARIOUS! Baroque opera + banana hammock = ??????