Romulus Hunt: A Family Opera

Romulus Hunt: A Family Opera
Studio album by Carly Simon
Released	November 16, 1993
Recorded	at Right Track Recording and The Hit Factory, New York City
Genre	Opera
Length	63:36
Label	Angel Records
Producer	Frank Filipetti & Teese Gohl
Carly Simon chronology
This Is My Life (1992) Romulus Hunt: A Family Opera (1993) Letters Never Sent (1994)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Romulus Hunt: A Family Opera is singer-songwriter Carly Simon's 19th album, and 17th studio album, released in 1993. The singing on this album however is done by a cast of five. Simon herself appears only at the end, singing "Voulez-Vous Danser", added as a bonus track to the album.

History

Simon was jointly commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera Association and the Kennedy Center to write a contemporary opera that would appeal to younger people. She came up with Romulus Hunt, named after its 12-year-old protagonist. It is a family opera about divorce. Romulus tries to trick his divorced, ill-matched parents into coming back together. His sidekick is an imaginary Rastafarian named Zoogy who knows enough Jamaican magic to help with the plot. Eddie, Rom's father, is an artsy type who pierces his son's nose, while his prim mother, Joanna, worries more about propriety. A triangle is created by Mica, Eddie's girlfriend, a ditsy performance artist. During the show's final minutes Eddie learns to love Rom by recalling his own father's indifference.

The album was released on Angel Records.

Revival

In December 2014, the Nashville Opera Association premiered a new performance edition of the opera.^[2][3]

Track listing

All songs written by Carly Simon.

1. "Introduction (Voulez-Vous Danser)" – 1:04
2. "Looser Arms" – 3:54
3. "Valentine Aria" – 3:11
4. "A Boy Of Twelve" – 5:47
5. "Man With Wings" – 3:49
6. "My Dance Is A Tango" – 4:38
7. "Voulez-Vous Danser" – 1:39
8. "Fond Of The Blondes" – 2:26
9. "It's My Downfall" – 4:35
10. "Incantation" – 3:22
11. "The Fight" – 5:14
12. "The Jig" – 1:25
13. "Am I Still Young?" – 3:25
14. "It's Such A Glorious Day" – 0:53
15. "Seduction Aria" – 2:50
16. "Romulus Hunt (The Nightmare)" – 2:30
17. "Where Am I?" – 1:29
18. "It Almost Happens On Its Own (We'll Never Leave)" – 3:07
19. "Eddie's Soliloquy" – 3:43
20. "Voulez-Vous Danser" – 1:16
21. "Voulez-Vous Danser" (Bonus Track) – 3:11

Credits

Louis Alfred III - Assistant Engineer Lamar Alsop - Viola Cyro Baptista - Percussion Elena Barere - Concert Master, Violin John Beal - Bass Jay Berliner - Guitar Warren Bernhardt - Piano Jeff Bova - Keyboards Jacob Brackman - Story Jimmy Bralower - Drums, Producer Sergio Brandão - Bass Michael Brecker - EWI Emile Charlap - Contractor Israel Chorberg - Violin Timothy Cobb - Bass Cenobia Cummings - Violin Leonard Davis - Viola Jill Dell'Abate - Production Coordination Guillermo Figueroa - Violin Frank Filipetti - Engineer, Mixing, Producer Barry Finclair - Violin Semyon Fridman - Cello

Gohl - Arranger, Keyboards, Piano, Producer, Unknown Contributor Role Bob Gothard - Photography Gordon Gottlieb - Percussion Ted Jensen - Mastering Michael Kosarin - Piano Jesse Levy - Cello Charles Libove - Violin Richard Martinez - Keyboards Bill Mays - Piano Charles McCracken - Cello Emil Micha - Lettering Jim Militsher - Assistant Engineer Emily Mitchell - Harp Paul Peabody - Violin Jeff Pevar - Guitar John Pintavalle - Violin Joe Pirrera - Assistant Engineer Greg Pliska - Arranger Matthew Raimondi - Violin Carly Simon - Composer, Guitar (Acoustic), Primary Artist, Story, Vocals Richard Sortomme - Viola

References

1. Ruhlmann, William. Romulus Hunt: A Family Opera at AllMusic
2. Paulson, Dave (October 18, 2014). "Carly Simon teams up with Nashville Opera". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
3. Stumpfl, Amy (December 4, 2014). "Nashville Opera takes unusual journey in ‘Romulus Hunt’". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 19, 2015.

External links

• Carly Simon's Official Website