WhoIsRogerWaters.

The Royal Festival Hall website announces that Roger Waters will be guesting for Jeff Beck on two concerts in the Hall, which is situated in London, England, on September 12th and 13th 2002. No further details have been made available other than that Andy Fairweather-Low and PP Arnold will also be appearing.

Roger Waters has been added to the line-up for the Music To My Ears concerts in Boston and New York City, which will benefit the family of Timothy White, the late editor in chief of Billboard magazine. Waters is set to perform at Boston's FleetCenter on October 7th and at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 8th. Other luminaries appearing at the concerts include Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow, Don Henley, John Mellencamp, Sting, and James Taylor.

On October 16, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will give the premier performance of the Overture from Roger Waters' opera, Ca Ira. In addition, Roger will play 2 songs with his band and the RPO. The concert is given in aid of The Countryside Alliance. This organization wants to preserve hunting with dogs as a part of the English culture, no less.

Check out Roger Waters.com - there are two brand new songs available to download. Both are a response to events in the Middle East. According to Waters, he began work on his new songs "immediately after the invasion of Iraq...It seems apposite to throw them out there on the Net, before the [USA] election. Historically, there have always been people within the artistic community who have spoken out about things they believe in and they should continue to do so. I shall certainly continue to do so, whether it has any effect or not, because I feel I have a responsibility to myself to do that."

ROGER WATERS: has now completed work on his "operatic history of the French Revolution" Ça Ira, set for release on Tuesday 27th September 2005.

The lavish first edition of "Ça Ira," an opera in three acts for full orchestra, soloists and choirs, will include a double SACD DigiPack and a deluxe 60 page four-color booklet including Roger Waters' lyrics based on Etienne Roda-Gil's original French libretto, the original illustrations created by Nadine Roda-Gil, biographies of Waters and the opera's cast, background and production notes on the opera.

roger

As a bonus for Roger Waters fans, "Ça Ira" includes a special DVD documentary chronicling the "making of" the opera. The "Ça Ira" DVD traces the history of the project, from conception to completion, and includes revelatory interviews with Waters and the musicians and cast of "Ça Ira" as well as exclusive in-the-studio footage of the recording of the opera.

"Ça Ira" is being released in the hybrid SACD (Super Audio CD) format in Dolby Digital 5.1 SurroundSound. The hybrid SACD disks are compatible with standard CD players."

Waters' work on "Ça Ira," his first opera for full orchestra and voice, began in 1989, during the Bicentennial of the French Revolution. The well-respected and successful songwriter Etienne Roda-Gil and his wife, Nadine, had created an original libretto for an opera, written in French, as part of the Bicentennial. Entitled "Ça Ira," after a revolutionary song of the period, the Roda-Gil's original manuscript, copiously and beautifully illustrated by Nadine, portrayed the events and the spirit of the French Revolution through a multitude of perspectives--ranging from Marie Antoinette to the eyes and ears of the period's revolutionaries and common people--using a circus as a central theatrical framing device and metaphor.

roger & ying huang

Introduced to Etienne Roda-Gil by a mutual friend, Waters was immediately and deeply impressed by the passion and the power of Etienne's manuscript and began work on creating a full orchestral score for "Ça Ira." Work on the project was suspended when Nadine died tragically of leukemia. Several years passed before Roger and Etienne returned to "Ça Ira."

In 1997, Roger began writing an English version of the text. "It's not just a translation," he says. "I've stuck very much to the spirit of Etienne's original, adding to it somewhat. Although it's rooted in the history of the revolution, its philosophical slant is, I suppose, contemporary as well. It's more than just a history of the French Revolution, it's a piece about the human potential for change."

Roger: " If the intellectuals of the modern
opera world are catty about it, so be it."

The finished version of "Ça Ira" features orchestration and choral arrangements by Rick Wentworth and Roger Waters, also the album's producers. Principal characters in the opera are brought to life by the Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel (the Ringmaster, the Troublemaker, Louis Capet - the King of France); internationally acclaimed soprano Ying Huang (Marie Marianne - the Voice of Liberty, Reason and the Republic, Marie Antoinette - the Queen of France); American tenor Paul Groves (A Revolutionary Priest, A Military Officer); and Nigerian "one man orchestra" Ismael Lo (a Revolutionary Slave). Other parts are sung by Jamie Bower (Honest Bird - the young Revolutionary Priest) and Helen Russill (Madame Antoine - the young Marie Antoinette).

Before the rise and fall of the guillotine, before the terror took hold, the People of France fought for a better world based on the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity rather than one ruled by a callous and outmoded nobility. It is this story of hope and promise that inspired "Ça Ira." Set during the optimistic early days of the French Revolution, "Ça Ira is a work of stunning power and beauty, invoking the passion, madness, and triumph of faith in a time that forever changed the nature of the world."

Rumours are still floating around that Roger will be performing Ça Ira later this year in Rome.

The wait will soon be over, as Roger Water's long-awaited opera Ça Ira will be released by Sony Music on September 27th.
The album will be available in three formats: a lavish digipack with two Super Audio CDs, an English version and a French version.

Comment of Nick:
It's not my cup of tea... The DVD is interesting and the music has some highlights too. The artwork is beautiful done by Nadine Roda-Gil, sadly she died of leukaemia. Wish it was more instrumental, don't like the dramatic voices. Don't like opera in general. Maybe if I've reached the age of Roger it would become more enjoyable.
Besides that my pc didn't liked the dvd and audio cd's...think that because it is scad release.
A few names who worked on Ça Ira:

WhoIsWho.

WATERS, ROGER, GEORGE.

He performed Solo as well, e.g.
The Body ('70) with Ron Geesin.

And on the song "Give Birth to a Smile" with;

David Gilmour,

Rick Wright,

Nick Mason,

and some "nice lady" who sang.

The Pros & Cons of Hitch-Hiking; with

Roger went on tour with;

When the Wind Blows ('86) a sound track with Squeeze, Genesis, David Bowie, Paul Hardcasttle &

The Bleeding Heart Band;

Mel Collins - saxes,

Paul Carrack - vocals and on keyboard,

Claire Torry - vocals,

Nick Glenny Smith &

Matt Irving - keyboards,

Jay Stapley - electric guitar,

Freddie KRC - drums,

John Gordon - bass,

John Linwood - Linn Programming.

Radio Kaos ('86); with;

In Seville it is time for; "The Guitar Legends Festival" with;

Monk Bordeaux,

Graham Broad,

Doreen Chanter,

Andy Fairweather-Low,

Bruce Hornsby,

Katie Kissoon,

Pat Leonard,

Tony Levin,

Gary Mazaroppi,

Louis Orapollo,

Snowy White & Peter Wood ('91).

Jeff Beck- on guitar,

Andy Fairweather Low,

Patrick Leonard,

Don Henly,

Graham Board,

Jeff Porcarro,

Steve Lukather,

B.J. Cole,

Robert Bundrick,

Michael Kamen,

Katie Kissoon,

SEE AN INTERVIEW. I believe he's ;-(
SEE THE LYRICS.

The album was printed in vinyl aswel on cd, Roger prefers the vinyl for better sounding.

Towards the end of '98 he started to write a musical, called "Ca Ira".

And " surprise, surprise" he sets out on another American tour with;

He wrote a new song called: Each small Candle. There's a story about it.

Lost Boy Calling is a song he wrote for the soundtrack The Legend of 1900 (1999). With;

Ennio Morricone,

Patrick Leonard,

and guitarist Eddie Van Halen.

Gavyn Wright - orchestral leader.
Jamie Bower, Helen Russill, Bryn Terfelo, Ying Huang, Paul Groves & Ismael Lo are the solist.
Rick Wentworth - conductor.

WhoIsWho.

WATERS, ROGER, GEORGE.

The Tailboard Two ('62) - on guitar; Sigma 6 ('63); The Abdabs ('64) - still on guitar; Spectrum Five -on bass and guitar and vocals; Leonard Lodgers -on bass, The Pink Floyd Blues Band ('65); The Tea Set ('65); The Pink Floyd Sound; Pink Floyd ('65 - '85); The Bleeding Hearts Band ('86 - '90).

He performed Solo as well, e.g. The Body ('70) with Ron Geesin.

And on the song "Give Birth to a Smile" with; David Gilmour, Rick Wright, Nick Mason, and some "nice lady" who sang.

The Pros & Cons of Hitch-Hiking; with

Roger went on tour with;

When the Wind Blows ('86) a sound track with Squeeze, Genesis, David Bowie, Paul Hardcasttle & The Bleeding Heart Band;

Mel Collins - saxes, Paul Carrack - vocals and on keyboard, Claire Torry - vocals, Nick Glenny Smith & Matt Irving - keyboards, Jay Stapley - electric guitar, Freddie KRC - drums, John Gordon - bass, John Linwood - Linn Programming.

Radio Kaos ('86); with;

In Seville it is time for; "The Guitar Legends Festival" with;

Monk Bordeaux, Graham Broad, Doreen Chanter, Andy Fairweather-Low, Bruce Hornsby, Katie Kissoon, Pat Leonard, Tony Levin, Gary Mazaroppi, Louis Orapollo, Snowy White & Peter Wood ('91).

Jeff Beck- on guitar, Andy Fairweather Low, Patrick Leonard, Don Henly, Graham Board, Jeff Porcarro, Steve Lukather, B.J. Cole, Robert Bundrick, Michael Kamen, Katie Kissoon,

SEE AN INTERVIEW. I believe he's ;-(SEE THE LYRICS. The album was printed in vinyl aswel on cd, Roger prefers the vinyl for better sounding. Towards the end of '98 he started to write a musical, called "Ca Ira". And " surprise, surprise" he sets out on another American tour with;

He wrote a new song called: Each small Candle. There's a story about it. Lost Boy Calling is a song he wrote for the soundtrack The Legend of 1900 (1999). With;

Ennio Morricone, Patrick Leonard, and guitarist Eddie Van Halen.

Gavyn Wright - orchestral leader. Jamie Bower, Helen Russill, Bryn Terfelo, Ying Huang, Paul Groves & Ismael Lo are the solist. Rick Wentworth - conductor.