Mozart Reimagined – Idomeneo

Mozart Reimagined by Tyson Vick will feature photos illustrating Mozart’s spectacular opera “Idomeneo”, which features a sea monster. And I love it.

Mozart Reimagined features six photos by Tyson Vick illustrating the opera Idomeneo

Mozart Reimagined showcases nearly 100 photos that bring to life Mozart’s operas through photography. I spent a decade building props and sets, meeting models and photographing across the country to showcase what Mozart’s music has meant to me. The book also features essays written about each opera from my own unique perspective. The book humorously points out plot-holes, gives insight into past and present performances, recites a little bit of History and overflows with my own passion for the music of Mozart.

Here’s an excerpt from the book which accompanies the Idomeneo pictures:

“Once the sea monster shows up, melting people with its venomous black tar, it is a constant presence from the finale of act two until the end of the opera. That’s like an hour of watching a sea monster killing people and smashing things while the characters try to get on with their lives. But somebody will have to be sacrificed alive before the sea monster will go away! Who will it be? Will it be Idamante, the heroic-y teenage boy? Will it be Ilia, the songbird Princess of Troy? Will it be Idomeneo, King of Crete, and maker of rash vows? Or will it be Elettra, Princess of crazy, demented ramblings, and will she somehow manage to summon the wrath of hell to consume her world-weary bones? ”

Idomeneo, Act 2 by Tyson Vick

Idomeneo has been one of the most fun parts of this entire book to create. I enjoyed taking the photos and writing the chapter. I met my friend and fellow costumer Catey. I got to work with one of my personal favorite models, Bowen, who you can see above fighting the Sea Monster, and I got to hang out with many old friends for every photo taken for this set. There are a few behind-the-scenes posts here and here.

And you can also get a closer look at many of the costumes like Ilia’s gown, Idamante’s outfit and some goddess stuff here.

This blog also landed me a job costuming the opera “Idomeneo” for the University of Montana last season which is pretty well documented on this blog, too!

I’m going to be giving you a preview of photos from every chapter of Mozart Reimagined over the next month, and then it will be time for pre-orders. I will be launching pre-orders on Kickstarter on September 14th, 2015! Until then, I wanted to give you a glimpse of some of the photos and excerpts from the book so you can see what’s in store! Subscribe to the blog for every update, or check back on September 14th for the launch of the book.

Mozart Reimagined – Lucio Silla

Mozart Reimagined by Tyson Vick will feature photos illustrating Mozart’s “Lucio Silla”. This is also probably one of the funniest chapters in the book, and particularly irreverent when it comes to the immortal genius of Mozart.

Mozart Reimagined features six photos by Tyson Vick illustrating the opera Lucio Silla

Mozart Reimagined showcases nearly 100 photos that bring to life Mozart’s operas through photography. I spent a decade building props and sets, meeting models and photographing across the country to showcase what Mozart’s music has meant to me. The book also features essays written about each opera from my own unique perspective. The book humorously points out plot-holes, gives insight into past and present performances, recites a little bit of History and overflows with my own passion for the music of Mozart.

This section of the book not only discusses the Historical figure that the opera is based on, but also talks about the original production. Here’s an excerpt from the book which accompanies the Lucio Silla pictures:

“There are quite a few factors that keep the opera Lucio Silla down. Mostly this is due to the author’s newness to writing for the theater. The character of Silla seems indecisive and his actions have weird or inexplicable motivations. There was an unspoken rule in the 1700s that all monarchs had to be “good” people in theatrical dramas, and when this is mixed with the psychotic tyranny of the real life Sulla, it makes for some confusing scenes. Other problems are present as well. The characters are fairly thinly drawn, and bop around singing unnaturally long arias about how they feel (which is the norm for da capo operas, of course, but usually in those, something interesting happens before they comment on it), until at last there is a fantastic “Mexican Standoff” in the senate where everybody is holding a knife to somebody else’s throat. Which, by that time, even though it’s much needed, leaves you with the feeling that you fell asleep and awoke at a different opera.”

The models include one of my personal favorites, actor Blaise Godbe Lipman, who has been a featured player in Hawaii 5-0, CSI, The Suite Life on Deck and stars in many independent dramas and horror films.

I’m going to be giving you a preview of photos from every chapter of Mozart Reimagined over the next month, and then it will be time for pre-orders. I will be launching pre-orders on Kickstarter on September 14th, 2015! Until then, I wanted to give you a glimpse of some of the photos and excerpts from the book so you can see what’s in store! Subscribe to the blog for every update, or check back on September 14th for the launch of the book.

Mozart Reimagined – Il Sogno di Scipione

Mozart Reimagined by Tyson Vick will feature photos illustrating “Il Sogno di Scipione”, a fast paced opera by a teenage Mozart!

Mozart Reimagined features three photos by Tyson Vick illustrating the opera Il Sogno di Scipione

Mozart Reimagined showcases nearly 100 photos that bring to life Mozart’s operas through photography. I spent a decade building props and sets, meeting models and photographing across the country to showcase what Mozart’s music has meant to me. The book also features essays written about each opera from my own unique perspective. The book humorously points out plot-holes, gives insight into past and present performances, recites a little bit of History and overflows with my own passion for the music of Mozart.

Here’s an excerpt from the book which accompanies the Il Sogno di Scipione pictures:

“The opera opens when the legendary warrior, Scipio, wakes up in the sky to find two women arguing over him. Each one wants him to choose her to follow and guide him throughout the rest of his life. Each woman is a goddess. One is Fortune, the other is Constancy. Scipio is so bewildered that he asks the women to leave him alone for a while to consider. He then takes a sort of Dante-esque adventure through the celestial spheres doing things like meeting his dead family members who advise him, and hearing distant choruses of celestial beings. The goddesses return and demand an answer. He chooses Constancy, and Fortune throws a fit. However, Constancy trumps fortune and Scipio wakes up, … again.
Suddenly the staging is swept away and an allegorical figure, Licenza, bursts forth with a chorus. She sings directly to the benefactor of the play, who is in the audience, relating that Scipio actually represents him, and the character’s divine journey represents the journey that the said benefactor is traveling.
Talk about breaking the fourth wall!”

The models include actress Jadi Stuart who also created her own hair and make-up designs for this shoot which led to me asking her to do the styling for around 10 other photos!

I’m going to be giving you a preview of photos from every chapter of Mozart Reimagined over the next month, and then it will be time for pre-orders. I will be launching pre-orders on Kickstarter on September 14th, 2015! Until then, I wanted to give you a glimpse of some of the photos and excerpts from the book so you can see what’s in store! Subscribe to the blog for every update, or check back on September 14th for the launch of the book.

Mozart Reimagined – Ascanio in Alba

Mozart Reimagined by Tyson Vick will feature numerous photos illustrating Mozart’s “Ascanio in Alba”, a play that was written for the wedding of the year in 1771!

Mozart Reimagined features five photos by Tyson Vick illustrating the opera Ascanio in Alba

Mozart Reimagined showcases nearly 100 photos that bring to life Mozart’s operas through photography. I spent a decade building props and sets, meeting models and photographing across the country to showcase what Mozart’s music has meant to me. The book also features essays written about each opera from my own unique perspective. The book humorously points out plot-holes, gives insight into past and present performances, recites a little bit of History and overflows with my own passion for the music of Mozart.

Here’s an excerpt from the book which accompanies the Ascanio in Alba pictures:

“Uniquely, for Mozart, he treats the piece with an unyielding festive spirit, and does not frequently use dramatic or emotional painting for the arias. All of the music is meant to be celebratory, and any sign of pathos or seriousness is kept far at bay. There are large decorative arias, ballets during the overture, repeated and growing choruses with group and solo dances, and the original text calls for many fantastical and striking stage images to occur during the music, including Venus descending from the sky and trees turning into buildings.
Because of this joyous narrow focus in the music, Ascanio in Alba completely upstaged the actual opera composed for the event, called Ruggiero, by Hasse, a major popular composer of the day. He remarked days after the repeated performances of Mozart’s piece, “This boy will cause us all to be forgotten.”

Ascanio in Alba, Act 2 by Tyson Vick

The awesome Model/Actor/Fitness Coach Justen Phelps portrays Ascanio in the photos. Five years ago when I worked with Justen he hadn’t started fitness training, but now he’s practically the size of Arnold Schwarzenegger! He is active and friendly on social media and if you like fitness you should check out his instagram @Phelps_fitness. You can also check out some of the sexy modeling work he did with me, but be forewarned, the photos may verge on NSFW.

You can also check out some behind-the-scenes work on the costumes worn in the photo here and here!

I’m going to be giving you a preview of photos from every chapter of Mozart Reimagined over the next month, and then it will be time for pre-orders. I will be launching pre-orders on Kickstarter on September 14th, 2015! Until then, I wanted to give you a glimpse of some of the photos and excerpts from the book so you can see what’s in store! Subscribe to the blog for every update, or check back on September 14th for the launch of the book.

Mozart Reimagined – Apollo et Hyacinthus

Mozart Reimagined by Tyson Vick will feature four illustrations of Mozart’s “Apollo et Hyacinthus”, which is a Latin opera by a child Mozart.

Mozart Reimagined features four photos by Tyson Vick from the opera Apollo et Hyacinthus

Mozart Reimagined showcases nearly 100 photos that bring to life Mozart’s operas through photography. I spent a decade building props and sets, meeting models and photographing across the country to showcase what Mozart’s music has meant to me. The book also features essays written about each opera from my own unique perspective. The book humorously points out plot-holes, gives insight into past and present performances, recites a little bit of History and overflows with my own passion for the music of Mozart.

Here’s an excerpt from the chapter accompanying these images:

“The strangest thing to note about Apollo et Hyacinthus, is that, although numerous people are murdered, neither the characters nor the music seem to much notice this fact. Everything just goes on willy-nilly as if nothing happened. “

Apollo et Hyacinthus, Act 2 by Tyson Vick

You can read about how I created the picture above of Zephyrus blowing away on the wind with a step-by-step Illustration here!

The photos feature my returning friend Jacob Federspiel-Smith as well as some other models.

I’m going to be giving you a preview of photos from every chapter of Mozart Reimagined over the next month, and then it will be time for pre-orders. I will be launching pre-orders on Kickstarter on September 14th, 2015! Until then, I wanted to give you a glimpse of some of the photos and excerpts from the book so you can see what’s in store! Subscribe to the blog for every update, or check back on September 14th for the launch of the book.

Costuming an Opera, Part 5 – The Rest of the Idomeneo Cast

Numerous tenors populate the cast of Idomeneo, including Arbace, confidant of the King, and the High Priest of Neptune. Catey and I created these costumes continuing with our blue theme.

Idomeneo and Arbace wear costumes by Tyson Vick and Catey Lockhart.

I wanted Arbace to look regal, as he is the King’s confidant. One of the costumes that inspired me was King Joffrey’s wedding garment from A Game of Thrones which features a high collar and prominent sash.

King Joffrey’s wedding garment from A Game of Thrones inspired Arbace’s costume.

We used a blue suede for the coat, which is double breasted.

Arbace’s costume under construction.

The sleeves are curved and have large cuffs. The sash is a sheer textured fabric with a metallic mesh underneath to capture different light effects.

Arbace’s costume being made and modeled by actor Miguel.

The High Priest also has a blue outfit. He wears a blue robe with very textured cuffs and cowl that drapes over his seashell hat.

Vomited black tar to death, poor dear. In this scene from Idomeneo the High Priest looks over the carnage caused by the seamonster.

This outfit was very successful in my opinion. Each piece looks priestly separately, and together makes a very successful priest costume. The actor, Jess, also has a magnificent posture, which makes him seem just as important as he should — being a High Priest of Neptune.

The creation of the High Priest costume and final fitting with actor Jess.

His cowl is very textured. Texture is the best equipment you can use in stage costumes, I think.

A close up of the priest’s cowl.

Below you can see Miguel Olivas perform with the dejected chorus at a rehearsal of the opera in full costume as Arbace:

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Costuming an Opera, Part 4 – Idamante from Idomeneo

Somehow I managed to get through this thing without any pictures of Idamante alone.

His costume is a navy blue linen. The actor, Brett, is incredibly tall, and the first time Catey and I made his costume, it was like a mini-skirt. I have pictures of the making of that costume, but that wasn’t the costume he wore as we had to go remake it with a longer hem.

A scene from Idomeneo featuring three of the leads, Idamante, Idomeneo and Elettra. Costumes by Tyson Vick and Catey Lockhart.

Below you can see Idamante’s outfit more clearly… lol. I jokes. That’s just a picture of him nearly getting his head chopped off!

That one dude’s gonna kill that other guy.

But if you watch the video of Brett performing “Non temer amato bene” you will get to see his costume, fancy belt and cape in action! Check it out below:

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