Star Trek: The Opera

[Cap'n Calhoun]

I haven't seen this project mentioned much online, but it was discussed by Robert Greenberger in the letters pages of the Star Trek DC Comics series around 1990. I'm reading through them again, so I figured I'd document it here. There were very few details, but for completeness' sake I'm including every time it was mentioned that I spotted:

From Star Trek #13, cover date October 1990:

Well, USA Today broke the news, so for those of you who missed it, here's one aspect of the 25th celebration: Star Trek The Opera. Paramount is working with the New York City Opera to prepare an operatic version of Gene Roddenberry's space opera and we'll hear more details in the coming months. Between you and me, it's about the only thing that could drag me to an opera and I already have my tux pressed.

From Star Trek #14, cover date December 1990 (there was no issue in November):

Plans for the 25th Anniversary are slowly shaping up. Yes, it's true that Paramount and the New York City Opera are planning Star Trek: The Opera, but I don't know more than that. Harve Bennett has indeed left Star Trek. Ralph Winter is now the executive in charge and he is reviewing storylines for the sixth feature which, as we've reported, will have the original cast back in place. Stay tuned for announcements.

From Star Trek #16, cover date February 1991:

As for 25th Anniversary news, we'll discuss our projects in the next issue. Paramount is also keeping mum on details related to the next feature film and the Opera. Paula Block, our ace liaison, swears she'll give us the scoop when it becomes official. All I can say about the sixth film is that Nick Meyer is writing and directing the film and production is set for early 1991 for a late 1991 release.

From Star Trek #17, cover date March 1991:

In other 25th Anniversary news, the opera has quietly been cancelled so you can return your opening night tuxes and gowns.

Reviewing issues of Star Trek: The Next Generation from the same time period, I saw no mentions of the opera.

I did a quick search of The Fifty-Year Mission and saw no mention of it there. EDIT: Correction: Volume two does discuss it.

Anyone have any other information about the opera? Or even find any other mentions of it? I suspect if any other place discussed it, I think it would've likely been issues of Star Trek: The Official Fan Club Magazine or Starlog from that same time period.

I don't believe the project is mentioned at all on Memory Alpha, though I may have overlooked it if it wasn't specifically mentioned as Star Trek: The Opera.

 

[Cap'n Calhoun]

I mistakenly said at first that The Fifty-Year Mission didn't mention the opera, but it does discuss it in volume two:

NICHOLAS MEYER (writer/director, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
I was once involved in trying to make a Star Trek opera with Denny Martin Flinn, who wrote Star Trek VI with me. A literal opera. Denny had originally been a dancer on Broadway. He took it very seriously, he wrote several books about the American musical. He also wrote a wonderful book that I use when I teach called How Not to Write a Screenplay. He was a terrific, imaginative, and organized person, and he also had some really interesting ideas.
At some point, somebody from New York City Opera contacted me and asked whether we thought it was possible to make a Star Trek opera. We went to work on a libretto or, at least, a story outline for a libretto. Then he became ill and he ultimately died. It sort of died aborning. But, at one point Cliff Eidelman, the composer of Star Trek IV (sic.), that most unusual score, was on board to write the music for it.

Interestingly, the book describes it as "Post-Star Trek VI plans", so either they got the timing wrong or this was a different project, as the one Greenberger mentioned was in development just as Starfleet Academy was being replaced by The Undiscovered Country. (Either that or the project was briefly abandoned, then revitalized, then died again.)

 

[Tosk]

I also found a '98 article that said that Jerry Goldsmith had been approached more than once to work on a Trek opera.

 

[Victoria]

"You've not experienced "Star Trek: The Opera" until you've heard it in the original Klingon"

 

[Cap'n Calhoun]

I also found a '98 article that said that Jerry Goldsmith had been approached more than once to work on a Trek opera.

Interesting. Where was that?

 

[Qonundrum]

I can hear the editorials right now, somehow...

Spoiler

No-nooooooo, no no-no-no noooooooooo...

Spoiler

 

[Zeta]

I present to you the definitive Star Trek opera:

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[Farscape One]

I present to you the definitive Star Trek opera:

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ROBOT CHICKEN has done a LOT of segments that are pure awesome, but that is my favorite of all.

I was talking with Seth Green about this one when I met him last DragonCon, and he was told me a funny story about making it.

(And yes, those were actual, legitimate Italian opera singers that sang that entire bit. They had to actually fly back to Italy the next day to do more opera.)

 

[Tosk]

Interesting. Where was that?

'Star Trek The Musical' may come soon<BR> One number shows 3 actors' musical skills

Coming soon to Broadway or eventually, a theater near you: "Star Trek -- The Musical." Don't laugh too hard. It could happen. Just look at the newest "Next Generation" big-screen adventure, "Star Trek: Insurrection" for proof.

www.deseret.com

 

[Qonundrum]

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The best music is certainly Jerry Goldsmith's score prior to the song being belted out, but is it possible that belching might have helped instead? The scene just doesn't gel as it stands...

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Ah yes, there we go. But remember kids, if you play it so loud that surrounding objects all start to shutter and wobble, please get a hearing aid before everything shatters and be thankful that they're in outer space where the neighbors can't hear it because the chances are high they don't have the same musical tastes. Especially if the "E", just like the "D" in "Generations" has glass for windows instead of transparent aluminum. (Don't blame me, the crash scene where all the windows clearly shatter because glass is more dramatic than transparent metal ever could be and all...)

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Now there's having another perspective...

 

[NCC-73515]

Another Klingon Opera following 'u' would be nice

 

[Vanyel]

Since most operas on Earth are in Italian, and the Klingons have rich history in opera (As far we know. The Binars might have operas, incredibly long operas.) it would have to be in Klingon.

 

[NCC-73515]

Disco brought us Kasselian suicide opera