It’s not often that a business executive’s life can be described as operatic. If that’s true for anyone, though, it may well be Apple’s late CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs — whose life saw plenty of the kind of dramatic triumphs and failures that inform the best operas.
It’s therefore appropriate that Jobs’ life forms the basis for The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, a modern opera which is soon to make its debut in Seattle.
The opera explores 19 of the most important moments in Jobs’ life — ranging from introduction to Buddhism and marriage to Laurene Jobs to his role helping invent some of the great tech products which have defined our lives.
The website Broadway World writes that:
“Starring in the role of the turtleneck-clad mogul is acclaimed baritone John Moore who wowed Seattleites as Figaro in The Barber of Seville and as Papageno in The Magic Flute. Moore is joined by returning singers Adam Lau as K bun Chino Otogawa and Morgan Smith as Paul Jobs. Making company debuts are Emily Fons (Laurene Jobs), Garrett Sorenson (Steve Wozniak), and Madison Leonard (Chrisann Brennan).”
The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs will open on Saturday, February 23 and run through Saturday, March 9. It is being staged at McCaw Hall, home of the Seattle Opera. Tickets can be bought in person from the box office or by calling 206.389.7676.
Before its debut, there will also be a free admission event on February 7, “The Flawed Brilliance of Steve Jobs,” in which the cast and crew of the opera will discuss the show and the myriad ways Jobs has been presented in popular culture.
Story of an opera
This isn’t the first time we’ve written about The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs opera. In 2017, we covered the original premiere of the show at Santa Fe Opera in New Mexico.
“I was kind of hesitant at first about the subject,” Mark Campbell, who wrote the libretto featured in the opera, told my Cult of Mac colleague David Pierini. “Steve Jobs is so popular and so a part of our world, and creating an opera is full of minefields. But I saw a way into the story that could work in the operatic form. I was not interested in creating a story that made him a big hero, nor did I want an opera that vilified him in any way. I created a libretto that paints a balanced portrait of him.”
Don’t worry if you’re not lucky enough to be in Seattle in February, though. While it’s not quite the same experience, you can listen to the (R)evolution of Steve Jobs on a number of streaming formats — including Apple Music.
