Traditionally, when the average person thinks of classical composers, they conjure up images of white-wigged old men from the 18th and 19th centuries. The pantheon of contemporary classical composers of the non-commercial variety is a small one. At last count, a very reputable (but confidential) music industry source estimates that there are less than 100 “legitimate” full-time classical composers making a living solely through composition worldwide. One of them is Robert J. Bradshaw and – full disclosure – he is my big brother. Rob is the most brilliant musician that I have ever known (and I have met a lot of musicians). Creative Butter sat down…virtually…with Rob to discuss one of his latest works, the chamber opera “Plastic: The Death of Beauty,” for which we did a bit of creative branding. Imagine if Terry Gilliam did an opera…
- “Plastic: The Death of Beauty” is not your first chamber opera. What was your inspiration behind “Plastic” and how does it dovetail into your larger catalog of classical works?
“Plastic” is the second of four works inspired by the Internet. The first, “.Gabriel” (pronounced “dot Gabriel”) was inspired by observing teenagers communicating by texting while in close proximity to each other. In other words, they were using an electronic barrier to avoid face-to-face interaction even though they were sitting together. In the series, “.Gabriel” can be thought of as an inward-looking work, whereas “Plastic” is the external manifestation of electronic communication gone awry. The majority of my works deal with contemporary social issues often viewed through historical events. This is where “Plastic” is unique. This opera deals with a very contemporary issue and is set in the present day. This is a head-on approach that results in, what can be, an uncomfortable artistic experience – precisely the emotion it is intendedto generate. Society is often apathetic when considering the dissemination of personal information over the Internet. And although this is opera, and a very worst-case scenario situation, the reality is we live in a world that great writers of the past (Orwell and Bradbury come to mind) warned us about in very negative terms. I often wonder what they would think about our modern society if they were here to witness their ideas becoming reality. - Creative Butter is deeply interested in “immersive brand experiences” and opera certainly could be described as one. What emotions can audiences expect to feel when experiencing “Plastic?”
Opera is often considered the pinnacle of classical music artistic expression because it embodies all of the other classical genres; from orchestral composition, to choral writing, to soloists, and beyond. By design, “Plastic” is a chamber work. It is one hour in length (operas can be much longer), requires small forces to perform (four voices, plus trumpet), and can be accompanied by as few as five musicians. This intimacy of performance is the first step in drawing audiences into the story. There is no grand proscenium, no giant pit, or great distance between the audience and performers. “Plastic” is performed “with” the audience, not “for” the audience. Couple that with a plausible story, and the raw emotion of operatic voices, and you have a recipe for powerful artistic expression. Once immersed in the experience, typical operatic emotions are to be expected. There is love and hate, passion and disgust, characters are torn apart by difficult decisions and, of course, tragedy. However, “Plastic” goes beyond these typical experiences and also explores serious questions like, “Can you disconnect?” or “What do you do when something is posted about you that you can’t take back?” The emotions these kinds of questions evoke are viscerally present in our daily lives, making “Plastic” unlike what most people would consider the common “operatic experience.” - “Plastic” is an Orwellian cautionary tale about social networks and interconnectivity. How did the overarching technology theme inform your choice of melody, rhythm, tonality, instrumentation and beyond?
Although those who are unfamiliar with opera often think of the art form as silly, over the top, or not reflecting reality, the truth is it actually does make real connections with audiences in a more direct way than, say, listening to an orchestra perform a symphony. Whether it is the story, language, acting, sets, etc., it is easier for many audiences to understand, and requires less prior musical knowledge to comprehend and follow than absolute music. To that end, I made an effort to connect the music even further with a modern day aesthetic through motive, form and other compositional devices to help listeners (especially those without much operatic listening experience) engage in the performance. One clear example of this is Lola’s [the protagonist’s] ringtone. It is first presented as a ring, in a very familiar way. However, it is also the primary motive of her climactic aria. Therefore, after hearing the motive throughout the opera, the audience is already familiar (whether they know it or not) with the music of this important moment in the work. This makes it easier to connect with the music, as familiarity is one of the most common reasons people enjoy a particular composition, style or song. This is an important issue that impacts classical music in our commercially driven society. - Opera is often viewed as a stodgy old art form but the storytelling in “Plastic” is extremely modern and cool. Do you hope to attract the millennial generation and did you have to fine-tune any aspects of your creative process when writing about such a contemporary topic?
Yes. This is a very accessible work. In classical terms (sometimes referred to as “art music”), it meant that if I was going to capture audiences of all ages, I needed to make the music something the majority of people would be willing to listen to without prior experience. Unlike many people I know in this industry, I do not equate harmonic structure with craft. Great works can be composed using any tonality. Therefore, using a more accessible musical language does not “dumb-down” the artistic merit of the work but rather, opens it up to a greater listening audience. - You are a true artist; and therefore, by definition, a music industry outsider. Your accolades have been the result of years of hard work – not commerciality or nepotism. What success has “Plastic” organically achieved and what do you consider success in general?
In all honesty, I wish it didn’t have to be that way. As you say, I have been blessed with many honors, awards and commissions but the price has been great. I cannot sacrifice my art even though I understand what it takes to be commercially successful. This has placed me at odds with an industry that increasingly wants a piece of the pie they see more commercially driven genres capable of producing. What was once referred to as “selling out” is now often awarded and raised up as success because it is making people money. Fortunately, or unfortunately (depending on how you look at it), I will never be able to follow that path. I do still hope that my works will be performed and generate income, as this is my profession, but I am unable to place that at the top of my priority list. Art must be created for art’s sake, not specifically for financial gain or any other external reason. How do I judge success? Many ways. The most important is probably if a work connects with someone. As long as I get one handshake, email or review that expresses a true understanding or personal connection with the work, it has been successful. However, I also hope to give audiences, conductors, ensembles and all performers an enjoyable and emotionally evocative experience, too. These are at the top of my list for whether or not a work is successful. - Your work often takes on socially relevant issues and “Plastic” is a good example; it is a commentary on our social mores around interconnectivity and interpersonal engagement. Are you working on any new socially conscious classical pieces that you can tell us about?
Yes and no. Yes, I am working on a number of socially relevant works right now but no, I can’t talk about them for a number of reasons. First, and foremost, is that we live in an age when it has become more important than ever to protect our own intellectual property. The Internet is entirely without respect for this, sharing and disseminating information of all kinds whether it is legal, paid for, protected or credited. Those of us whose livelihood depends on the ideas we think up are at great risk. - You have obviously inspired many people with your classical compositions; yours truly included. Would you tell us about a special creative person from your past that inspired you?
It would be impossible to name just one. From family, teachers and friends in my own life to great artists I admire, my life is filled with remarkably creative people who have shaped my art. If I had to narrow it down, I would have to say there are two people, in particular, who had a dramatic impact on me, both of my grandfathers. Jazz Guitarist Johnny DeFeo taught me so much music in such a short time that I still marvel at how much he shared with me. More than that, he taught me hard work and perseverance. He was never satisfied. Always striving. Always bettering himself. These are qualities I strive for every day. Whether it was in the darkroom or in front of an amp playing standards, there was always something that could be worked on to make higher quality art. I miss him terribly. On my father’s side, Robert G. Bradshaw, the Painter and Art Historian, gave me the great gift of the value of art. He himself, often didn’t value his own art but there was never a moment that we talked where he didn’t impress upon me his interest in what I was doing and a love and appreciation for the artistic world around us. His knowledge and passion was so much a part of him, I’m not even sure that he understood that he was teaching with every word he spoke.
We would like to sincerely thank Robert J. Bradshaw for his kind participation in our inaugural “The Creative Juice” series.
