,Steve Nieve, Sting, Barbara Bonney, Elvis Costello, Robert Wyatt - Welcome to the Voice (2007)

Multi-faceted music-theatre piece that welcomes voices from different musical worlds. The plot illustrated the same idea, the unlikely encounters: a steelworker tries to seduce a young diva. A unique project with a star cast.

Welcome to the Voice is a bilingual opera (French and English) based on an original story and libretto by Muriel Téodori with music composed by Steve Nieve. A first draft was given a workshop performance at the Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival In New York City in 2000. The performance cast was Elvis Costello, Ron Sexsmith, John Flansburgh and students of the Juilliard School of Music. Musicians were Brodsky Quartet, Nieve, and Ned Rothenberg. Following this exploratory first attempt, Welcome to the Voice was expanded. Sting took the lead role and Elvis Costello became the Chief of Police previously interpreted by John Flansburgh. Robert Wyatt replaced Ron Sexsmith in the role of the friend. This completed the extraordinary male cast for the subsequent recording of the work for Deutsch Gramaphon. The female lead role was interpreted by Barbara Bonney as the Diva. She was joined by Amanda Roocroft, Sara Fulgoni and the French opera singer Nathalie Manfrino. The band of improvising musicians was also augmented by the addition of New York guitarist Marc Ribot.