Five Minutes with David Bruce
[caption id="attachment_1182" align="alignright" width="300"] Andrew Cyr and David Bruce talk over the score on stage for "The Firework Maker's Daughter." Photo by Adrian Fussell for the Wall Street Journal.[/caption] While David Bruce, composer of "The Firework Maker's Daughter," was visiting New York City for the production at The New Victory Theater featuring Metropolis artists, we had the opportunity to ask him a few questions about the project. How did Pullman's book speak to you and spark the idea of this opera?
I connected with its color, wit and fun, but also with the rather spiritual underpinning - the fact that the 'gifts' Lila needs to fulfill her quest are actually traits she has possessed all along, has echoes of many of the great spiritual stories - for example, the quest for the 'Simorgh' found in the epic Persian poem "The Conference of the Birds."
What has been your experience watching your work come to life on stage?
In the same way that when you have a young baby its often difficult to stand back and appreciate the joy fully, due to the stress and exhaustion of looking after it;Ā Ā so too its quite hard to fully take in the experience. You spend most of the time focussing on the tiny details that aren't quite right instead of standing back and appreciating what you've achieved.Ā Ā I imagine I might enjoy it more in 30 years time - were it to be performed again then - and I'd have more of a grandfatherly role!
This is now your fourth major collaboration with Metropolis since 2009. How has that relationship grown and evolved over the years?Ā
It's been a close and loving relationship. Individually there are so many remarkable talents in the orchestra, many of whom I've worked with in other contexts as well; and I've been so happy with the way Andrew Cyr has taken the pretty complex challenges of the opera in his stride. The whole group really understands my work now; I've been so lucky with the opera that both Metropolis and Chroma in the UK are now friends whom I've known and worked with for many years, and it just makes the act of collaborating so much more fun and rewarding.
Do you see a future for your composition style that will further explore the weaving together of eastern and western music (or asĀ The GuardianĀ called it, "a beguiling, imaginary hybrid of Indo-European folk music")?Ā
In some ways I'm uncomfortable with the fact that many of the responses to the music have focussed exclusively on the various stylistic influences, ignoring what the music is actually trying to do. Perhaps it's my own fault, and in general I try to subsume such influences more thoroughly into my language, but I felt here the use of primary colours was important. But the fact remains that any of these fragmentary borrowings were no more than starting points and my main concerns in the music were balance, proportion, cohesion and perhaps, more than anything, an attempt to make the way the characters speak and the drama unfolds seem 'natural' and unforced - which is by no means an easy task in opera. One of the most heartening responses I had came in a comment on my own blogĀ and focussed entirely on these kinds of questions.
What place does storytelling have at home with your family?
Wow. It's not like we all sit round the fire every night and conjur epic stories from the ashes. I think my family life and my art are most closely related in the sense of connection and the search for honesty. We're pretty close and look at each other's life in fine detail and without holding back. But that's more on a direct basis, rather than a metaphorical, storytelling basis!
Do you have a word of encouragement for young people who are interested in pursuing musicĀ or theater?Ā
The opera tells you what you need - talent, determination and luck. Of those, probably determination is the only one you can do anything about (although people often say you make your own luck by the very fact of being determined). It certainly took me many years of determination to get where I am today, I was never one of those students who was guaranteed a red carpet path into the profession. Of course there is no guarantee you won't spend 20 years pursuing your dream and still not get anywhere, so you should only do it if you feel comfortable with making that your life's work, whether you get there or not.
What character do you relate to the most in the story?
I like Rambashi - he always dusts himself off after a setback and is full of bright ideas. Even if they're not always successful, I have faith in him that he'll get there in the end!
Ā You can read more of David Bruce's insights into the productionĀ on his blogĀ and in the operaĀ program notes. Experience "The Firework Maker's Daughter at The New Victory Theater May 3-12. Learn more...
