Abstract:
There seems to be a general view and understanding by the different cultures of the world that a people’s story can never be told enough or stopped from being told, no matter the form or the medium used. In this age of rapid changes, we are also saddled with the rapid ripple effects of these changes which force us to find alternative new ways of appreciating some of the important things we hold dear. A classic work as Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe more than five decades ago needs not be limited to just the novel itself or a movie adaptation considering the strategic significance it gives to the image and historical essence of Africa, the Black race and all the people whose stories crossed path/s with it; hence, a need to diversify its medium of appreciation, preservation and promotion as far and as much as the creative mind can deal with. Adapting Things Fall Apart into an (African) opera will contribute to this diversification when done by a musically creative and artistic mind with good grasp and understanding of the work itself. It is achievable through a good crafting of the work into a fine libretto that would accommodate both the English and Igbo languages used inter-textually; making up fitful choruses, recitatives, arias, instrumental accompaniments, dances, etc that will have to considerably represent African vocalism and African musical idioms (especially of the Igbo areas) in sound; employing the African instrumental techniques like the African pianism and drummistic piano accompaniment styles, etc to make up for the mixed ensemble accompaniment, as well as deploying all other necessary effects and techniques of intercultural and multicultural research-compositional styles that can enable a modern opera represent a good level of African Identity.
