he Highlander saga has already spawned three films (with another on the way), a trio of television series, various tie-in novels and numerous soundtrack albums. However, the epic adventure of one well-known immortal--Duncan MacLeod--recently took an unusual turn when composers Roger Bellon and Harlan Collins created an opera devoted to the timeless hero.
Highlander - A Celtic Opera is divided into three acts, with the first section, composed of 10 tunes, focusing on MacLeod's origin nearly 400 years ago. Through passionate ballads like "The Battlefield," "The Banishment" and "Heaven Cries," the melodies outline the Highlander's mystical rejuvenation by the Witch of Skye and his exile from Clan MacLeod. The tender "For Forever" introduces Duncan's mortal lover, Aurora, while the aggressive "Fritagern the Visigoth" offers the first appearance of his ageless nemesis.
Act II opens four centuries later in Paris, where Duncan lives in luxury atop the Eiffel Tower. The six compositions in this segment largely address longings for love and death. "In the 21st Century" reveals that MacLeod has recently cloned the long-dead Aurora. Unfortunately, their first meeting is interrupted by Fritagern, and Duncan is forced, in a melancholy cut titled "Abandoned," to reveal his immortality to Aurora. She thinks he's insane and runs away, leaving him despondent.
The third act begins with the traditional ballad "Bonny Portmore" and sets the stage for a showdown between Duncan and Fritagern in Scotland.
Aurora has returned, realizing that, although she may physically age, her love for Duncan is everlasting. As the two are about to be married, Fritagern challenges MacLeod to a final duel. Who will emerge victorious? Well, as true Highlander fans know, and as the penultimate song on this CD declares, "There Can Be Only One."
Substance and "sturm und drang"
In many respects, the epic tale of Duncan MacLeod is ideally suited to opera. Eternal life and everlasting love, combined with swords, sorcery and a centuries-spanning storyline guarantee arias brimming with emotion and excitement. And while Highlander - A Celtic Opera does now and again suffer from some unduly frantic performances, Bellon and Collins have created a surprisingly compelling chapter in the ever-expanding Highlander saga.
Many of the numbers are, in the finest operatic tradition, overwrought and over-the-top. Sean Wright, who portrays Fritagern, delivers a delicious ode to immortality in "Skeletons Dancing," reminding his equally ageless foe that "We are dust, baked into skeletons, dipped in flesh." Bright staccato tones accompany the picturesque lyrics, adding an ironic, merry air to the otherwise melancholy melody.
In "Magic of the Old Gods," Adelaide Sinclair sends her powerful voice soaring over a menacing instrumental background as she warns Duncan's mother, Mirrdhen, "Once we start, you seal his fate. And second thoughts will be too late." Performing as Duncan, Steve Amerson displays a voice that is at times a bit thin, although when he harmonizes with Karen Fineman (the vocalist who plays Aurora) on cuts like "Bonny Eyes" and "The Wedding," his intonations are enchanting.
The libretto, which is contained in the booklet accompanying the disc, is adequate, even if a few of the rhymes are a tad simplistic ("I will not take you without a fight. We will meet again another night.") Many of the arrangements are also gaudy, with some compositions sounding as though they were originally written for a Broadway-style musical rather than traditional opera. Nonetheless, Highlander - A Celtic Opera possesses enough substance, passion and "sturm und drang" to please most followers of the Clan MacLeod.
