Wilmette composer's work premieres in London
September 17, 2009
By J.T. MORAND
Miguel Kertsman saw his imagination come to life in London three weeks ago.
The Wilmette musician/composer's opera "O Saci," what he calls his children's music play, was staged at St. Paul's Church in London's Covent Garden with Maurice Ravel's opera, "L' Enfant et les Sortileges" on Aug. 27-29.
The saci, a one-legged child who wears a magical red cap and has the power to cause great winds, launched himself from Brazil to the shores of England, where he met a Welsh water fairy capable of causing rain. The two worked together to put out a fire that was about to engulf a village. The saci, a prankster, is a Brazilian folklore with which Kertsman is quite familiar, having been born and raised in Brazil until he was 18.
"I've always been fascinated by that folklore since I was a kid," he said. "I was never scared by this character."
He was scared of other Brazilian legends, such as the bodiless, hairy leg that would attack children as they slept.
His fascination with the saci led him to write "O Saci" in record time after Alexander Medem, the director of Ravel's opera, asked him to write an original musical theater piece that could be paired up with "L' Enfant et les Sortileges." Kertsman began writing in April and had to have the musical score delivered by mid-July.
"I wrote it very fast," he chuckled.
At the same time, Kertsman was working on two movie soundtracks, an audio branding campaign, two concertos, two records and working full-time as a professor at Flashpoint Academy, where he's on the recording arts faculty.
But, he added, he always wanted to write a musical theater piece for children and liked the idea of writing one where representatives from two different cultures worked together to achieve a positive goal.
"I was looking for a theme with universal appeal," he said. "It's a short piece for kids. It's tender."
"O Saci" is being referred to as an opera, but that's a mistake, Kertsman said, because there are no sung words. The only words are spoken by a narrator between scenes. But, it's not a traditional musical either. Medem wanted a pantomimed piece, Kertsman said.
Kertsman has worked with leading musicians in several genres and his classical works have been performed at major venues all over the world. His music has been released worldwide by Sony Classical and RCA Victor/BMG. But, unveiling "O Saci" in London is one of the most exciting events to happen, he said.
"I've never had anything premier in London before," he said.
He's hoping "O Saci" will come to the United States next year.
"I'm talking to people in Chicago right now," he said.
