Living Horus - The Art of Blair Parkinson

Happy Birthday Richard Wagner

2013-05-22T19:24:00.001+08:00

For my friends in certain parts of Europe that couldn't access the previous video, and for those who couldn't on their tablets and smart phones...I give you this...Happy birthday Richard Wagner :-) (although I'm sure he'd hate that smiley face)

Wagner 200: a personal tribute in images

2013-05-21T21:48:00.000+08:00

To mark the bicentennial of Richard Wagner's birth, here is the culmination of over nine months work and the completion of the first stage of my Nibelungenlied project. It's an animated progression of each scene from the depths of the Rhine to the final apocalypse of the Immolation Scene in a traditional setting.

There are few characters here, those that are there are purely present to judge the scale. Characters and costumes are the next stage of the project. From there I'll combine the two to encompass the entire story.

An ambitious project I know, but I'm up to it. It's been an inspirational journey.

Music is by Berliner Philhamoniker, Herbert von Karajan; Deutsche Grammophon, the most glowing accounts of the prelude.

Please share and enjoy...

Oops...part 2 - Image of the Day

2013-05-19T19:08:00.000+08:00

So remember when I said that I had done the last images? Well in preparing for the next phase of my project I decided to add a few more images in order to improve the flow of the work.

Here is a concept for part of the Immolation Scene, I've added this as part of a double post, kind of like a before and after if you will. I hope you check them out and have a brilliant week ahead.

Image of the Day

2013-05-18T12:24:00.001+08:00

Boris Christoff as Boris Godunov. One of the great bass voices of the 20th Century, Christoff would have been 99 today.

Image of the Day

2013-05-17T15:13:00.000+08:00

In honour of the great Birgit Nilsson on her birthday, she would have been 95 today.

Opera Australia Blog: Rehearsing the Ring cycle: Stuart Skelton explains...

2013-05-17T11:29:00.000+08:00

Opera Australia Blog: Rehearsing the Ring cycle: Stuart Skelton explains...:

The latest news from the Melbourne Ring has been posted on the Opera Australia blog - an interview with tenor Stuart Skelton.

Sounds like things are getting serious in Melbourne, I only wish I could be there for the lead up, the Festival and the performance itself. Let's just say I'm asking for a miracle.

Here it is...

2013-05-12T10:49:00.000+08:00

...the final scenic design concept for my Nibelungenlied project, to honor the bicentennial of Richard Wagner's birth. Siegfried, Act 1, Mime's forge.

The plan now is to commence work on character/costume designs and then gradually piece the whole thing together.

I'm working on a place to put all of these together and move them from the Fantasy Art gallery eventually since this theme has taken on a life of it's own.

I'm off to celebrate Mother's Day with my family, so whatever you do, have a wonderful Sunday.

Oops!

2013-05-11T15:36:00.000+08:00

After announcing I only had one more to go I suddenly realised on review of the work so far I had actually missed a vital scene, the second half of my Waldweben leading to where Siegfried slays the dragon Fafner and on to the end of the second act. So here it is.

I've broken through the pain barrier of the design for Siegfried Act 1, the one which has been eluding me for a while now. I may add it to the gallery tomorrow after a bit of fine tuning. Have a great weekend everyone.

I'm nearly there...

2013-05-09T17:53:00.000+08:00

...one more design to go then I'm done with the scenic concepts for my tribute to Richard Wagner, Nibelungenlied. Act 1 of Siegfried is the last one remaining and as they say it's time for me to feel the fear and do it anyway.

Today's post in the Fantasy gallery is a double. It shows the first two parts to my Gotterdammerung Act 3 concept. The first when Gutrune appears waiting insecurely for the men to return from the hunt, the second being with the lit funeral pyre of Siegfried which hastens the end of the opera. As usual, click on the thumbnail to take you to the images.

The final part to this scene I won't post for a while, my vision for the remainder of the Immolation Scene is temporarily limited by my current animating skills, which I plan to remedy very, very soon.

Wagner's 200th birthday approaches imminently and I have a surprise planned. Stay tuned.

Image of the Day

2013-05-08T17:55:00.000+08:00

I can't believe we are already at the halfway mark of the week, it's flown by. I am being slack today and posting an image I uploaded in the bunch on Sunday.

This scene, from Gotterdammerung, where Hagen spears Siegfried through the back is meant to flow on from the previous waterfall scene with the seamless appearance of the other scenic elements. My intention is to create the effect of a cinematic widescreen close up.

At about the point in the score where Siegfried begins to tell his tale to the men and begins to remember Brunnhilde (thanks to the mickey slipped to him by Hagen) is where I cannot help but begin to tear up and pretty much don't stop until the final chords of the Immolation Scene have died away. As you could well imagine, I was a mess after the Met's HD broadcast.

Scene 3 is still a work in progress, as is the only other remaining scene to illustrate, that of Siegfried, Act 1.

A productive weekend...

2013-05-05T15:58:00.002+08:00

...so I thought I should probably upload my recently completed images for the Nibelungenlied as I've been falling behind in posting them.

There are three new images added, all from Gotterdammerung and this pretty much leaves me done scenery design-wise with one or two exceptions.

The one scene that I admit is giving me trouble is the setting for Act 1 of Siegfried. For some reason I have acquired a kind of artist's block for this one and have gone back to the drawing board several times. I hope the break through with this in the next day or so, but it really is a pain the proverbial at the moment.

Even so, to check out my progress, how bout clicking on the thumbnail and have a great Sunday!

May the 4th Be With You

2013-05-04T13:59:00.000+08:00

Undoubtedly Star Wars was the most influential cultural phenomenon for me growing up, and like many guys my age it was the first Father/Son outing of our young lives, I was seven. My better half got a copy of IV-VI on blu ray for his birthday which, coincidentally happens to be May 4th.

Having watched the new print of A New Hope for the first time last night (it's actually been quite a while since I saw it at all) I can say it really does stand the test of time. While the dialogue now seems quite cheesy and with some rather wooden acting, it is impossible to deny the place that Star Wars: A New Hope occupies in the history of cinema.

Everything from the highly original design to the soundtrack is remarkable and I have to admit to loving the original poster art, it's iconic and so very of it's time. It was also the first time I really took notice of merchandising. I collected quite a few figures and spent many hours building Millennium Falcons and Death Stars out of polystyrene packaging in order to ship them around the universe that was my bedroom.

The image below is one of the most beautiful black and white stills of Luke Skywalker, my boyhood hero and inspiration for many imaginary games played with my childhood friends.

Happy Star Wars Day and a big happy birthday to the man in my life who makes me so very proud and happy.

*Norns not included...

2013-05-01T19:03:00.000+08:00

Here's a concept I've done for the Prologue of Wagner's Gotterdammerung, the one with the Three Norns, those weavers of destiny and daughters of Erda.

Note: Norns will be added at a later stage, this is just a concept for the scene itself, as are the rest in this series.

Click on thumbnail = entrance to the gallery. Enjoy!

Image of the Day

2013-04-30T18:06:00.002+08:00

Today's image of the day is another finalised reworking, this time of Siegfried, Act 3, Scene 3, the one where Siegfried bursts through the wall of magic fire to discover Brunnhilde in an immortal sleep.

Previously entitled On Sun Illumed Heights, it has be refashioned to fit into my concept for the Nibelungenlied project, minus the character of Siegfried.

My intention here was to illustrate the passage of time between the final Act of Die Walkure to when we revisit the Valkyries' Rock around eighteen years later with the appearance of Siegfried.

Click on the thumbnail to take you to the full image.

New CD Review: Die Walkure - Pape, Kaufmann, Stemme, Gergiev

2013-04-28T14:47:00.000+08:00

After a couple of weeks in which I have had a bit of a break from my usual creative endeavors, it's time to get back in the saddle.

Here is my review of the new recording of Wagner's Die Walkure with Pape, Stemme, Kaufmann and Kampe conducted by Valery Gergiev.

It seems to have divided critics and bloggers alike, so I thought it time to add my contribution to the fray. As usual, click on the thumbnail to get to the review.

Have a great week ahead and what remains of your Sunday.

New Work/Image of the Day

2013-04-22T21:21:00.000+08:00

One of the most descriptive and gorgeous orchestral passages from Wagner's opera Siegfried would have to be the Orchesterzwischenspiel of Act 3, where Siegfried passes through the wall of flames on his way to meet the sleeping Brunnhilde.

Click on the thumbnail and it will take you to the final concept design I've done for this scene. It's a fiery start to the week.

Vale Sir Colin Davis (25 September 1927 – 14 April 2013)

2013-04-18T16:45:00.000+08:00

One of the great Maestro's of the last fifty or so years passed away on the 14th April, Sir Colin Davis. His contribution to music was extensive and he led the revival of somewhat under appreciated composers at the time including, perhaps most famously, that of Hector Berlioz and Jean Sibelius.

I've treasured many of his recordings for years, especially his Tosca, La Boheme, Werther, Les Troyens and Peter Grimes for the Phillips label, they've been in my collection since I was a teenager.

To observe his passing I thought to try something different and acquired his recording of Sir William Walton's First Symphony, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra. It's a blistering account of a remarkable work where Sir Colin provides compelling evidence that this symphony is one of the twentieth century's best. The cover certainly does the recording justice, I can totally recommend it.

Image of the Day/New Artwork

2013-04-17T11:30:00.000+08:00

This is a concept design for Siegfried, Act 3, Scene 2, where the hero confronts the god Wotan on his way to find Brunnhilde. I posted it a day or so ago, check it out by clicking on the thumbnail. There are more to come of the same act over the next few days.

Currently I'm working on Act 1 which will mean the scenic concepts for Siegfried will be complete and only a couple of scenes from Gotterdammerung remain.

Then the fun really begins, but it's too early to tell you any more about that yet really. Enjoy the remainder of your week.

New Artwork/Image of the Day

2013-04-14T16:11:00.000+08:00

I'm getting very close to finishing the scenic designs for my tribute to Richard Wagner, Nibelungenlied.

This is a concept for Act 3, Scene 1 of Siegfried, when Wotan invokes the appearance of Erda. The rest of the act is nearly complete and I'll be publishing the results during the week.

Click on the thumbnail to get to the gallery and I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Review: WA Opera's La Traviata

2013-04-13T13:04:00.000+08:00

Exactly what Verdi's La Traviata is doing in WA Opera's "Year of the Divo" I will never know. Alfredo has to be one of the most annoying tenor roles in the repertoire.

Anyway, their current revival of Elijah Moshinsky's beautiful production is currently underway at His Majesty's Theatre, Perth. It runs until April 20 so if you are in area go see it.

My experience was unfortunately marred by two ladies, and I use the term loosely, sitting behind us who persisted in talking through a good deal of the performance.

It was however when one of them started humming the Brindisi quite loudly that I thought I was going to be in for a long afternoon. However they didn't quite dampen my enthusiasm for such a beautiful production. Click on the thumbnail for my review, then go see it for yourself.

Wintersturme

2013-04-07T15:30:00.001+08:00

This image completes the scenic concepts for Die Walkure. It's the Wintersturme, the moments when the love between the Walsung twins first begins to bloom.

So now it's onto the two remaining scenes from Siegfried and Act 3, scene 1 of Gotterdammerung that are yet to be completed and then I can start getting serious on the rest of the concept.

Next step from there will be the characters and costumes and from there I will put it all together. I hope you continue to have a great weekend.

Image of the Day - New Artwork

2013-04-03T19:55:00.000+08:00

So I actually posted this a couple of days ago but the Season 3 premiere of Game of Thrones and a new episode of Vikings had me slightly sidetracked.

This is a design concept for Act 1, Scenes 1 and 2 of Die Walkure, the setting being the House of Hunding. Scene 3 will be posted as soon as it's done.

Only two days 'til the weekend my friends and then I'll be heading off on Saturday to the general dress for WA Opera's La Traviata. I'm looking forward to it immensely.

Click on the thumbnail for the full image, go on.

New Work - Image of the Day

2013-03-30T13:10:00.000+08:00

I finally get the chance to post this - the final moments from Die Walkure, the Magic Fire Music, click on the thumbnail for the link.

Stay safe and I wish everyone a Happy Easter break, whatever it is you have planned. My plan is to watch as many of the DVDs that have recently arrived as I can, catch up on some Vikings watching and continue with my Nibelungenlied project. Not a bad way to spend a long weekend at all really.

Image of the Day - New Artwork

2013-03-26T17:10:00.000+08:00

These things are designing themselves! Here is another concept design I recently finished for Die Walkure. It's for Scene 3 between Wotan and Brunnhilde before the fabulous Farewell. I'll post that one tomorrow. In the meantime please check out the gallery by clicking on the thumbnail.

Image of the Day - New Artwork

2013-03-24T12:02:00.001+08:00

This I completed last night, it's a concept design for Act 3 of Die Walkure. Yes, it's for the Ride of the Valkyries and up to the beginning of Scene 3, which I am working on at the moment.

Wotan's warrior daughters will be added later. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.