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Opera Reaches New Heights in "Everest"

Opera Parallèle
Screenshot from "Opera Parallèle presents 'Everest - A Graphic Novel Opera'" on YouTube"

It's a video... but it's a graphic novel... but it's also an opera? It sure is, and it's awesome. Also in this roundup, harpists have their moment, a TikToker turns names into music, and Yo-Yo Ma out-Yo-Yo Mas himself, all ahead!

1. Actor Stephen Fry and pianist Jonathan Biss spoke to one another about art, their experiences with mental illness, and why you wouldn't want to meet Beethoven in heaven, in a piece for The Guardian.

2. TikTok composer Luke Spine is using a piano software to set names, words, and other shapes to music.

3. Harpists are having a moment. From The New York Times, here's "How the Harp got Hip," featuring conversations with several not-so-stereotypical harpists.

4. Another New York Times piece that's well worth your time: how music organizations can live up to the promise of Dvořàk's "New World" Symphony.

5. As someone said on Twitter, Yo-Yo Ma has really out-Yo-Yo Ma-ed himself. After receiving his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Ma spent his 15-minute waiting period playing cello for the other patients.

-NRNvDM

6. Opera Parallèle's new project stretches the boundaries its art form, with an illustrated, "graphic novel" operaEverest

-Yc

Kendall Todd is the Content Manager for GBH Music.