East Village Preview

East Village Opera Company
House Of Blues, Chicago
Monday, February 6, 2006

Opera? Well, not exactly. This isn’t your typical opera. It twists the traditional classics by blending contemporary rock elements. The group re-creates some of the greatest hits of opera and electrifies them with a five-piece band, string quartet, and two vocalists.

Although opera is often times reserved for the stereotypical upper-class snobs, the Fraiser and Niles Crane types, East Village Opera Company electrifies the traditional arias, drawing comparisons to Malcolm McLaren’s 1984 hip-hop/opera album, Fans. But the arrangements of EVOC’s record have more of a ’70s arena rock sensibility than the funky beats of Fans. The male and female vocals play off each other in a dramatic and soaring style, while the electric guitars, strings, drums, and keyboard supply the inventive, lush backdrop.

The group was co-founded by lead singer Tyler Ross and arranger/multi-instrumentalist Peter Kiesewalter. They met while working on a movie in Canada, The Kiss Of Debt, when the two were approached to collaborate on a contemporary version of a traditional aria. What started as one song turned into 15 and eventually lead to EVOC’s first live performance at Joe’s Pub in Manhattan in spring 2004. The 11-piece group is now signed to Decca/Universal Classics and released the self-titled debut in September 2005.

EVOC may not be for everyone, but it is a great starting point for being eased into the opera world or maybe even opera types being eased into rock ‘n’ roll.

— Jill Haverkamp

Click here to download East Village Opera Company’s “La Donna E Mobile.”

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly