- Title: NETHERLANDS: First ever Klingon opera comes to earth in the Hague
- Date: 10th September 2010
- Summary: KLINGON MOVING STONES WHILE SINGING KLINGON SINGING
- Embargoed: 25th September 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Netherlands
- Country: Netherlands
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVADUB1RKVL0KC771SW4VL3JWR4O
- Story Text: The Klingons of Qo'noS (pron: kr-o-nos) will have to wait 36 light years to see the first earthly performance of an authentic Klingon opera but ordinary humans will be able to enjoy it as early as Friday (September 10) in the Dutch town of the Hague.
'U' (pron: oo) is an epic musical combat performance due to premiere in the tiny Zeebelt Theatre. A handful of people and one Klingon were able to get a taste at Thursday's (September 9) preview performance.
"You honour the Klingon way because history is written by the victors we celebrate death and that's why we honour death" sings one of the Klingon performers.
The warring Klingons made their first appearance to our earthly audiences in the Science Fiction series Star Trek and are famed for their battleworn and fiery temperament.
U, which translates as Universe or Universal is the brainchild of Dutch group Klingon Terran Research Ensemble (KTRE).
Marc Okrand, who invented the Klingon language, believes the time is right to introduce Klingon opera to earth's peace lovers.
"I used to be surprised all the time when people would know a word or be able to say something. People would come up to me and start talking to me in Klingon and stuff, that doesn't surprise me now because it is happening more and more and more. People are interested in the language and learning the language, studying it very very seriously, translating things into Klingon and so on," says Okrand.
Floris Schonfeld (pron: shown-feld), the head researcher, KTRE artistic director and mastermind behind 'U' says he wanted an authentic performance in honour of the people of Qo'noS, an M-class planet orbiting the star Arcturus, or Alpha Bootis, apparently.
To get it right Schonfeld studied ancient music from the 'book of the perfect scream'.
And 'U' 'screams' the story of Kahless the Unforgettable - the first Klingon emperor.
'The Next Generation' and 'Deep Space Nine' episodes of Star Trek are the only examples of Klingon opera to date.
"The Klingon are known as passionate opera lovers but at the same time very little was known about Klingon opera here so as far as I was concerned that was a very interesting challenge to try and make an authentic, or as authentic something out of that as possible," says Schonfeld.
Most of the audience on this final rehearsal night on Thursday (September 9) were humans but one Klingon, Erwin Slegers, whose own Dutch language is said to be distantly linked to Klingon, was also on hand.
"It was really well interpreted, the music was really good, and the performance of the actors were fantastic," Klingon Erwin Slegers said.
A message was sent via telescope in April to Qo'nos (pron: kr-o-nos) to invite a Klingon delegation to see the production.
"The difficulty is that our message will reach Qo'noS in thirty-six years from now and then it will take a while for them to develop the technology to get back here so it is a long shot but yes I am still very hopeful," says Shonfeld.
The show will head to Frankfurt, Germany September 24 and 25 to perform for an exclusively Klingon audience. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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