Milton's "Paradise Lost" as Opera

Submitted by Hugh on Tue, 08/27/2013 - 00:15

Krzysztof Penderecki composed an opera called Paradise Lost in two acts (divided into 42 scenes), with an English libretto by Christopher Fry, based on Milton’s epic. Penderecki called it a sacra rappresentazione, written on commission for the 1976 USA Bicentennial. The first performance was on 11/29/1978, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The same production was given at La Scala, Milan in 1979. Other productions were mounted in Stuttgart in April 1979 (touring to Munich and elsewhere); another in 2001 in Münster; and another in Breslau by Opera Wroclawska for the season 2009-10. For full details and illustrations see P. G. Stanwood, 'Paradise Lost, Epic and Opera', Early Modern Literary Studies 15.3 (2011). For a recorded performance of Act I Part 1 (51 minutes) see YouTube. The three further segments are also on YouTube.

Staged Reading of "Paradise Lost" (Newbury Library, 2010)

Submitted by Hugh on Tue, 08/27/2013 - 00:13

At the Newberry Library, Chicago, a Staged Reading of John Milton’s "Paradise Lost" was held on Saturday, May 22, 2010: adapted by Regina M. Schwartz, Northwestern University, and performed by The Shakespeare Project of Chicago, directed by Jeff Christian, Consulting Director: Chuck Smith of The Goodman Theatre. For details see third page, after Home, above.

[Posted on old site: Fri, 04/27/2012 - 1:12pm]

Milton's Birthday: a Reading of Paradise Lost

Submitted by Hugh on Tue, 08/27/2013 - 00:03

On 11/27/08 Christ Church St Laurence, Sydney, hosted "A life beyond life" - readings from “Paradise Lost” to celebrate Milton's birth, designed by Dr Beverley Sherry, produced by Dr Helen Hewson, and recorded by the University of Sydney Media Office on 12/3/08. (See details and script in “Text Annotations” below)

This performance of "Paradise Lost," recorded by the University of Sydney, is now available in this site's audio section (see the home page).

[Posted on old site: Mon, 04/02/2012 - 3:22pm]

Legendary Pictures Abandons its "Paradise Lost" Production

Submitted by Hugh on Mon, 08/26/2013 - 23:58

Legendary Pictures has abandoned its film of "Paradise Lost" according to Brent Lang in The Wrap (February 09, 2012). The movie was first delayed by Legendary seeking to trim the budget, but special effects such as bringing the battle between heaven and hell to life involved technology that made any cuts impossible. Stars like Bradley Cooper, Casey Affleck and Benjamin Walker were not enough to save the project.

[Posted on old site: Thu, 02/09/2012 - 9:47pm]

Paradise Lost at the Movies

Submitted by Hugh on Mon, 08/26/2013 - 23:57

Various sources suggest possibilities for forthcoming movies of Milton's Paradise Lost. On 9/16/10 Variety mentioned a director for a film of Paradise Lost and on 5/4/11 it said Bradley Cooper might be cast as Satan. While this major project (one hundred million dollars budget?) remains in pre-production, there are notices of another independently-produced film of Milton's epic (up to thirty-five million dollars?). It has been suggested that the first project will be distributed by Warner Brothers , with Alex Proyas as director. The smaller project is attributed to Granite Entertainment and STV Networks. No exact release dates are given but the films might be available in a year or two.

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