The 2005 fictional drama Last Days, written, directed, and produced by Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Finding Forrester) recounting the final days of an artist named Blake who closely resembles late Nirvana songwriter Kurt Cobain, is getting a high-culture treatment thanks to London’s Royal Opera House.
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According to The Guardian, the upcoming opera, also titled Last Days, was created by composer-in-residence Oliver Leith, and will be directed by Anna Morrissey and Matt Copson, the latter of whom also provides the piece’s libretto. The project is due to be staged for the Royal Opera House’s 2022/2023 season this October.
For those on the fence regarding how this project could actually play out, fret not -- the 31-year-old composer is an avowed fan of Nirvana and explains that Cobain's astounding story was "archetypal," and that "operas deal well in those."
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For a taste of what an orchestral and choir version of '90s Grunge might sound like, watch the 2005 America's Got Talent performance below by the Cinematic Pop Orchestra and Choir, featuring McKenna Breinholt.
See? With vibrato, it's less dangerous.
Leith hopes his new project will resonate with audiences outside of die-hard Nirvana fans, maintaining the sad tale is one of the "inevitable death of a celebrity," adding, "it could be any star now."
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Celebrate the life and legacy Kurt Cobain with a special playlist curated for fans, by fans on Audacy's Nirvana Radio -- and check out even more of your favorite podcasts and music including our all-new Foo Fighters Radio, Alterna 90s, Alterna 00s, New Wave Mix Tape, '90s and Chill, IndustriALT, and ALT Roots stations -- plus check out our talent-hosted Kevan Kenney's Music Discovery, Megan Holiday's My So Called '90s Playlist, and Scott Lowe on the Go's Post Modern Music Box!
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