ÇA IRA

This album may not be a true prog rock album in alot of peoples eyes but it was composed by one of the greatest progressive songwriters ever. When Roger Waters undertook this project in the late 80's he had no idea that it would take over fifteen years to complete. Etienne Roda-Gil and his wife Nadine approached Waters and asked him to add music two a fifty page long script that would become the opera Ça Ira. Unfortunately both Etienne and Nadine Roda-Gil have passed on since then and aren't here today to see their work come to fruition. I can safely assume that they would be more than pleased with the job Waters has done with this piece. When listening to it you can here the Roger Waters factor creeping through but you also get the sense that this a real, proper opera. Waters has done a magnificent job once again - well worth the wait and well worth anyone's hard earned cash. Now, all we've got to wait for is that new Pink Floyd album ;-).

I'm listening right now to "Ça Ira" and it's amazing, that's why Roger Waters was a genious in Pink Floyd. I hope all fans and non-fans can take a chance to listen to this recording which really reminds me to Paul McCartney's LIVERPOOL ORATORIO, which is also really good. Though it is not a progressive album, this is a must-have for all lovers of well performed music. DON'T MISS THE CHANCE!!!!

An outstanding clasic composition; weather it is or not in the context of our times, it is still a great work, and it just keeps on proving that the great mind of Roger Waters is still full of this musical creativity. In my opinion, ÇA IRA is one of this artist's greatest works from his solo carrer, and I hope there are much more master-pieces to come. two thumbs up.

Even though it isnt really a prog. composition, it is doubtlessly a masterpiece for all kinds of músic.

Since leaving Pink Floyd, or even since still with Pink Floyd as he wrote The Final Cut (essentially a solo album), Roger has been going from strength to strength. The Pros and Cons with Clapton on guitar was a minor masterpiece (and if the rumours are true that a follow up is coming, by God, I can't wait!), the score to the film "When the Wind Blows" a master minor piece (only being one half of the soundtrack, sadly not fully included in the film, and Radio Kaos was marvelous - I never understood why it wasn't a bigger hit. And then came Amused to Death, quite simply the best Pink Floyd album ever - if it had carried their name, it would still be in the top ten Billboard, it is such an absolutely brilliant album. And now this, the long awaited opera. What can I say? Stunning, beautiful, incredible, unbelievable, all these words and many more simply do not do this work justice. It is a wonderful, wonderful experience, to be heard time and again! Roger is one of the living Gods of Music, no question about it!

Complex symphonic product. Formally, it is the present classical opera. There are necessary attributes: some voice parts, London Oratory Choir, Italia Conti Children's Choir.

The former participant Pink Floyd, one of the basic authors of tremendous albums Dark Side Of The Mood and The Wall, Roger Waters acts here as the composer. It not prog-rock, this its further development. Undoubtedly the album is interesting, but heavier enough in listening. My estimation - 4.5 stars.

I believe this to be a very, very interesting record. Even though it is not a rock but an opera record, you do not need to like opera to love this. I think that Waters is reconogcible all along the two discs. So you can find echoes of The Wall, The Final Cut or The Pros and Cons. I believe all prog fans will find something to enjoy even though they are not used to the opera musical language.

This is sample of polifacética and money changer mind of this man (like any human being), in this occasion not we spoke of Progressive or in case of WRIGHT clear this of NEW AGE, but if of It operates, that it has of progressive this, perhaps nothing a personal ambition of WATERS of which it is due to make when something is desired, simply do it, Opera done in the history of the French revolution which I influence so that other countries were free later, a legacy of the human fight by the freedom that WATERS deserved once again to be counted, I recommend for who enjoys music classic and for that they do not know it.

You say you want a revolution

Roger really comes up with the unexpected here, and makes a bold attempt at composing the music for a modern opera. The words, or more precisely libretto, were originally written by Etienne and Nadine Roda-Gil. Waters supplied the translation from French into English, and added some further words. The opera tells the story of life in France in the early days of the French Revolution, around the time of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

Just to be absolutely clear from the start, this is not prog, it is not even rock. Waters does not (according to the credits) perform on the album at all. All the instrumentation comes from the orchestra, there are no modern instrumental such as guitars, drums, keyboards etc.

That said, while the singing on the album is substantially operatic with classically trained sopranos, baritones, tenors etc, taking the lead roles, there are from time to time more modern sounding vocals. The children's choir for example comes from the "Another brick in the wall" we don't need no education school. At times, Waters music veers towards rock opera overlapping with the type of work Time Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber are renowned for. Overall though, the results remain firmly in the classical. Waters own composition trademarks crop up from time to time, especially his penchant for gently cascading melodies.

The classically trained performers deliver their parts with consummate professionalism, which perversely results in the piece having a certain anonymity. It perhaps fits just a little too well into the operatic mould. The main distinction it has from such works is that the words are in English throughout.

Not being any sort of expert on opera, I cannot offer any informed comment on how well composed this work is in terms of that environment. Whether lovers of that type of music would readily accept this as a bona-fide and legitimate work is something only they can answer. In terms of my own views though, overall the work is highly enjoyable, but unlikely to convert me to becoming a paid up member of OperaArchives.

Amazingly his best album to date, but not really the kind of thing I would expect, or anyone would expect from him.

Some nice classical stuff here, it may not be the kind of music that his usual fans may like, but its great material, yet not necessarily progressive.

Even in this type of album I expected more form him, enjoyable, but not for everyone. It's yet a strange record to add to a progressive rock collection, so don't count as a essential thing. But remember, if you someway enjoy classical music take a look, you may like it, and it comes from someone that nobody expected.

Regardless the intentions of the author and the quite sad story behind the birth of this album which took more than 15 years to be written since the first idea, this is the kind of thing that I'm afraid will never work.

It's not classical enough for a fan of the Opera, and it's not floydian as well. The result is that both fans of Opera and fans of Pink Floyd have a high probability to be disappointed. Essentially it has been written thinking to the stage so I assume that a theatre is the right place to enjoy it.

However, the instrumental parts are not bad. I'm not familiar to the Opera singing style (except for Magma) so I can't comment the sang parts from a technical point of view.

We have to wait for the ouverture to finish before hearing somebody sing. He makes me think to the judge on The Wall, and I think this is the key to listen to this opera at home. Listening to some passages there are things more appropriate to a rock-opera but the intention was to write a true opera and it's a target partially achieved.

If one is not keen with opera the listening can be challenging as it stands for more than two hours. I enjoyed it more when I tried to catch the typical Watersian passages that are less than expected, at least to my ears.

Quite good but forget Pink Floyd. Opera fans this is not Mozart.

A nice unusual listen, a bit more than a curiosity for 3 stars and two CDs.