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With Mightier Productions’ upcoming The Lion Heart, composer and tenor Corey Arnold and librettist Kyle Derek McDonald hope to make a bid for a place within the operatic canon. Set to be performed with a 40-piece orchestra in Ottawa this November, The Lion Heart draws on the grand opera tradition, prioritizing accessibility for audiences who might be unfamiliar with the art form.
In a retelling of medieval legend, Richard the Lionheart, sung by bass Matthew Li, attempts to escape Castle Dürnstein by completing numerous feats of strength, including a battle with a lion that Arnold is particularly excited for audiences to see. This tale serves as the backdrop for a story about “hope, friendship, and triumph,” says Arnold.
Corey Arnold
The theme arose, in part, from the composer’s experience as a computer programmer. He had noticed how the pressures of rapid digitalization were causing many people to feel discouraged, and wanted to tell a story that left audiences feeling hopeful and connected. When director and librettist McDonald brought the concept of The Lion Heart to Arnold, he knew that his experience composing for jazz ensembles and musicals as a student at Oberlin Conservatory would serve him well to create an epic, uplifting opera.
Arnold argues that strong composition and lyricism alone are not enough to create a lasting emotional impact. While composing The Lion Heart, he and McDonald focused on what Arnold refers to as the “audibility” of the piece—its ability to communicate its message and emotion clearly to every audience member. “Sometimes [audiences]like the splendour, sometimes they like the visual spectacle. Sometimes they don’t really notice some of the nuances and voices, but they really love the sounds of the orchestra, the immensity, the physical vibration of the orchestra. There’s just so much variation in an audience…” To capture the hearts of every audience member, Arnold and McDonald used every tool in their repertoire to communicate the theme of the story.
Early presentations of the show with Ottawa’s Parkdale Orchestra, as well as numerous workshop productions and a 2021 studio recording, hint at the success of this approach. Arnold spoke proudly of how people have connected to his work thus far, whether they be members of the orchestra humming the music to themselves after a performance, or an enthusiastic audience member telling him how she caught a double meaning buried in the lyrics on her first listen.
Arnold aims to dispel the notion that “a new opera is only valuable as a world premiere,” instead highlighting the ways in which opera can be a source of community and connection, to create a story that will stand the test of time.
Mightier Productions’ The Lion Heart will be presented on Nov. 15 & 16 at St. Joseph’s Parish, 174 Wilbrod St, Ottawa.
Find Mightier Productions at www.mightierproductions.com.
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