My jaw is tentatively on the floor? (Melkor)

[huinare]

If I understand correctly (based upon the really inadequate in-browser translations and my limited grasp of the orthography), a Russian entity at some point in the recent past--or possibly present--made a musical of the Russian fanfic The Black Book of Arda?
Just linking to my tumblr thing for simplicity's sake.

I have been cursing loudly in my intrigued befuddlement for the past hour or so.

Comments

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I'm sure I'd seen some mention of this before, I would have guessed from you, but if not you, then probably someone from the Tolkien Society...? You could ask on their facebook group if you have a high tolerance for pomposity and oldfartishness. :-D

[zdenka]

Whoa!

I can read Cyrillic (poorly), though I don't know Russian. It really does seem to say "Zong-opera Melkor"! Let me know if there's anything in particular you want transliterated, though of course if your f-list has any fluent Russian speakers (or of another language that uses Cyrillic), they'd be able to do much better than I can.

One of the rehearsal photos is captioned something like Feanor fighting Gortkhauera and orcs . . . Gorthaur? Is that Sauron??

[samtyr.livejournal.com]

I'd ask at SWG. I *think* a couple of people over there might be familiar with Russian.

[pandemonium-213.livejournal.com]

You mean you have not yet seen the YouTube clips of said musical? Maybe these crossed my dash when you were taking a break. Give me a day or two and I'll see if I can dig them up from one of my follower's archives.

Although more polished than the infamous "Wigs Over Arda," it's still...well, it is an earnest effort generated with great enthusiasm and bombast.

[huinare.livejournal.com]

I would have guessed from you...

If a goofy musical about Melkor is something I would be associated with, I consider this a good thing. X) I have mentioned the fanfic Black Book of Arda before, and the LotR musical...

I might have a looksee on the Tolkien Society's page if I can muster enough enthusiasm to log in to FB.

[huinare.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I think at this point an actual translation of the stuff would be more what I'm looking for. I've poked around in Russian fandom enough to start recognizing some Cyrillic characters, enough to grasp when Tolkienish names are being used (I saw one that evidently said Gorthaur also!)

Did you learn to read Cyrillic somewhere, or just start studying it yourself? It seems a useful thing to know and I keep meaning to learn more about it.

[huinare.livejournal.com]

Ah! Had not thought of that, thanks. =)

[huinare.livejournal.com]

I must have missed that during my tumblr hiatus (is that why it's so far mainly crickets in response to my asking about it? Old news? /rhetorical). I can probably find the clips myself; I did find the one on youtube and the sidebar was showing several others, but at that point I thought my brain would implode if I kept watching.

Unless these are actually clips with an English explanation, in which case I'd be really curious about them if/when you have the time. I couldn't find anything about it on tumblr myself. I have a certain preoccupation with some of the themes in the Black Book of Arda, from the little I know about it, so this kind of hits close to home for me. True it doesn't look...entirely professional (I'd say one of this production's issues is actually a lack of wigs...it's one thing or another, eh?)...but I"m still extremely curious.

[zdenka]

Alrighty! I hope you find someone who's able to translate. I'm curious now!

I took a Russian history course in high school and our teacher had us learn the Cyrillic alphabet. And I (more or less) remembered it because I thought it was cool. But I do sort of collect languages and alphabets/writing systems just because I think they're neat. :)

When I worked in a library, I did wind up using my Cyrillic-reading skills a couple of times. It was useful to be able to identify the title and author of a book even if I couldn't read the contents.

[zdenka]

After reading the other comments, I had to look for this on YouTube myself. I found Curumo's aria! (I may kind of be snickering at him right now. But I am also jealous because now I want to be in a musical opera based on Tolkien. That would be awesome.)

[huinare.livejournal.com]

Are you referring to the bit at ~4:22 here? Or if something else, link please? =D It's incredibly goofy, and also he looks totally wrong, but I'm having the proverbial "Feelings" about this.

But I am also jealous because now I want to be in a musical opera based on Tolkien. That would be awesome.

YES IT WOULD. One of my more indulgent daydreams is of being in the LotR musical.
*stands in the most acoustically favorable part of the house and belts this out*

[zdenka]

http://youtu.be/KrC_gJ-CkUY

:D

[huinare.livejournal.com]

!

ANGST AND BOMBAST PERFECT.

Huinish!Curumo: Fashion police, stat...

[huinare.livejournal.com]

But I do sort of collect languages and alphabets/writing systems just because I think they're neat. :)

They are! I had considered majoring in linguistics at one point. And not just neat, but potentially useful, e.g. your library story.

[tehta.livejournal.com]

Hey, I replied to your tumblr post about the other thing! And I have been listening to it ever since! I think it's quite funny.

Also I am about to post something marginally gloomy, by my standards.

[huinare.livejournal.com]

Hah, yes, the "Eru = opiate of the masses" thing was stumbled upon by me when I was looking for songs from this Melkor musical thingy. Thanks for helping explain that one to me. It is pretty damned amusing.