Re: Oedipus Rex directed by Julie Taymor

John Holland (jholland@chipublib.org)
Tue, 23 Jan 2001 10:56:30 -0800 (PST)

The video was available from Philips (the classical music label, which was
part of Polygram, and now, I believe, is part of the even larger
conglomerate Universal), and I suspect has gone out of print, along with
most of Polygram's opera videos. While they have started to reissue some
of their catalogue on DVD, they have only hit the war horses so far, which
means that Oedipus Rex is probably WAY down on the bottom of their list.
Incidentally, the music is not Japanese. This is a staging of Stravinsky's
opera-oratorio done at the Saito Kinen Festival in Japan, sung in the
original Latin but with the narrator's part delivered in Japanese. It's
terrific but a hard sell at the best of times - maybe someone will
discover that they have a Taymor production lurking in the vaults and
reissue it! (it was also available on 12" laserdisc, also long gone).

John Holland
Chicago Public Library
Media Express
(312)747-4100
jholland@chipublib.org

On Mon, 22 Jan 2001, Linda Harris wrote:

> Dear VideoLibbers
> If any of you have the 1992 Japanese musical version of Oedipus Rex
> directed by Julie Taymor available for rent or ILL (or sale) will you
> please contact me directly. I can use any video format or
> dvd. Thanks. Linda
>
>
> Linda
> Harris
> http://www.lib.umt.edu/dept/ims/index.htm
> Media Circulation Coordinator Phone: (406) 243-2859
> Mansfield Library FAX: (406) 243-4067
> Media & Music Resources E-mail: imslkh@selway.umt.edu
> 32 Campus Drive # 9936 E-mail rental orders to:
> University of Montana imsmovie@selway.umt.edu
> Missoula MT 59812-9936
>
>