We use our computers for many different reasons. Some of these include doing schoolwork, playing games, and surfing the internet. The internet is acknowledged by most people to be a place of learning new and useful skills, discovering vast knowledge, meeting new friends and chatting with old ones, and more. But contrary to this belief, the internet can also be a dangerous place filled with viruses, hackers, cons and thieves among others. The internet may make us human beings do some crazy things, but can it drive someone to take the life of another? This idea is explored in the opera titled “Two Boys”.

“Two Boys” was originated by 32-year-old composer Nico Muhly and had its showings at the Met in October and November of 2013. The show is broken up into two acts and first had its debut at the English National Opera in 2011. Controversial, real-life events which had taken place in the city of Manchester, England comprise the story that the opera is essentially based on. These events surround an attempted murder committed by a high school student via a knife to the chest. The victim of the stabbing turned out to be a younger boy whom the student was allegedly hired to kill by a mysterious member of an online chatroom he was a part of.

Mr. Muhly happens to be the youngest composer ever to be commissioned by the Met, and, judging from the success of the American premiere of his work, one can easily see why he has been given the honor. It is no secret to anyone who has seen this opera that “Two Boys” is a dark, grim, yet both visually as well as acoustically memorable experience. The dim stage constantly filled itself with awe-inspired lighting, mistifying props, and a talented, well-rehearsed cast of singers, actors, and dancers. The libretto written by critically-acclaimed playwright Craig Lucas and the interesting orchestral score conducted by David Robertson equally deserve an honorable mention.

Now getting to the drama that is the opera itself, as I have said earlier in this review, this show consists of two one-hour long acts divided by an intermission. The first half opens with the inevitable revelation of an attempted murder committed on a young boy named Jake by a teenager, Brian, who is portrayed by the tenor Paul Appleby. The investigation is undertaken by Detective Anne Strawson, played by Alice Coote, who proceeds to interrogate Brian. The young Brian promptly explains himself, detailing his daily routines and the events that had taken place leading up to the horrific incident, and is constantly defended by his parents. And that is where the story lies. It is noted that among the sing-song lyricism and conversations and background dancing going on during the acts, the set is also filled with large screen-like projections which detail and show the many talks taking place in the so-called chatrooms between characters.

It is evident that Detective Strawson is determined to solve this case. It is shown that she lives with her elderly, disabled mother and it is also revealed that Anne Strawson is a middle-aged divorcee. As the story goes on, the plot transitions and faces many twists and turns as the Detective searches for answers on the computers of both the victim Jake and the perpetrator Brian, as well as the security footage recovered from the scene of the crime. Detective Strawson eventually learns that Brian had been socializing with a wealthy schoolgirl named Rebecca, who is revealed to be the older sister of Jake, a young computer expert. Strawson also learns that Rebecca was supposedly raped by her family’s gardener, Peter. This marks the end of the first act.

Act II continues the investigation of the crime by Detective Strawson. New findings include the revelation that Brian has been the victim of cyberbullying and blackmail by strangers on the internet and has been going through a lot in the events leading up to the present. The young Brian is soon seemingly recruited by a mysterious person on the chatroom to murder Jake in an alley near the shops. Brian ultimately agrees to the proposition and sets up the meeting with Jake.

Before I go on any further, I just want to give a spoiler alert to anyone who has not already seen the show and does not want me to ruin the ending for them.

In the end, the story concludes with the audience finding out that little Jake has been manipulating Brian this entire time by creating the identities of the people that Brian has been associating with over his computer. It turns out that Jake is suicidal because of his closeted homosexuality and has lured his newfound friend to kill him and fulfill his death wish using the identities of figures such as Peter the gardener, his ‘Aunt Fiona’, and most importantly the mysterious person who has hired Brian.

Overall, I can easily say that the opera is a totally new experience for me, having gone for the very first time last Wednesday, but I must say what a memorable first time it was. Everything from the acting to the choreographer I could tell was well-rehearsed and the story had me at the edge of my seat the entire time. The next time you use the internet for anything, just try to remember this opera and the message it conveys- I know I will.

I give “Two Boys” Two Thumbs Up!

Two Boys is a tragically dark tale that uses “cyber-space” as the stage for this modern day opera.

I really didn’t know what to think about Two Boys as I entered the auditorium, searching for my seat. As I arrived late with my party, I still really had to use the restroom, and as I sat up, the Usher ran over an promptly told me that I wouldn’t be let back in if I left. Although this soured my mood, I knew that I had to see what everyone else was raving about. Having seen a trailer with a grown man singing about how he was only “16 years old” did not leave me convinced, and I did not go in with the thought that I was going to enjoy it.

Thankfully, the entire opera was worthy of my attention. From the very beginning of the show, the haunting music set a tone of despair and frustration. The music throughout the entire opera was fantastic. Not only did it keep the tone of the opera perfectly, but it also went perfectly with the actors and actresses voices.

The singing was just as superb as was the music, perfectly complimenting each other in a haunting medley of mystery and intrigue. The lyrics and dialogue of the opera were not only well written, but very well transitioned from chat room to stage. Although I felt that it was a tiny bit “clunky” at first, the actors really got into speaking like they were chatting on the computer; which lead to some of the genuinely funny parts in an other wise very somber opera.

The stage and lighting were also very well done. The way that the computer screen flashed to life above the actors on stage made for an extremely realistic and novel way to watch an opera unfold. Not only are we able to see from the perspective of the relatively “tiny” camera, but we can also see the surroundings of the characters, while they are engrossed in their online worlds. The stage, lighting, and the use of new ways of perspective all contributed to a very ominous and still present fact, the internet is not only dangerous, but relatively anonymous to the average user.  While no secrets can really be hidden from government organizations or the creators of networks we go on, the same is not true for random people in chat rooms. This opera, while set in the early 2000’s, still resonates with us, a decade later.

Now, onto the actual story. The tale that this opera lays out for us is haunting and tragic. Supplemented by all the aforementioned aspects, the story plays out perfectly, with no detail overlooked. As viewers, we want to see how the lives of these characters will play out on stage. This opera successfully keeps us wanting more, even hoping for the intermission to end as quickly as possible so we can see the ending. I will not spoil the opera for those who have not seen it yet, but believe me, there is a twist.

This opera is a perfect example of a contemporary show that can go head to head with the best of them. Although it is not perfection, because barely anything is, it does successfully come close to it. I would highly recommend this opera to anyone who can go see it; it’s definitely worth a visit to Lincoln Center and the Upper West Side, and hopefully we’ll see more of these modern day operas in the future.

Two Boys was my first opera and I must say it was a dramatic story with such a strong message that I really enjoyed. Everyone did a good job acting and conveying that serious tone throughout, but that wasn’t my favorite part of the performance. I loved how Muhly was able to incorporate the Internet into every aspect of the performance. There were barely any props and the main “prop” of the performance was the projections of the Internet chat rooms all over the stage. The music and chorus of people that came out during the projections of all the chat rooms really showed that there are so many people on the Internet and so much is constantly happening on the web. The short dance routines that accompanied the chorus symbolized, to me, the chaos of the Internet. Muhly perfectly shows through the singing, dancing, music, and projections just how chaotic and busy the Internet is. So much is going on at the same time on the Internet, much like so much was going on during the performance. Chat rooms were flying across the screen, people were singing and holding laptops all while dancers were weaving through this mass of people. The message is so powerful and really relatable to today’s society. There is so many things and people on the Internet, you never really know what is real and what isn’t and who you can truly trust on the Internet.

I liked the creative choice to have the opera in english, but I think it would have sounded better if it wasn’t. Having the opera in english made it more relatable to people here in America, but I don’t think it sounded as nice in english as it would in a foreign language and I still found myself looking at the subtitles even though it was in english. The music was beautiful and really conveyed that serious, dramatic, and sometimes disturbing mood throughout the performance and the infinite possibilities of the Internet. I think Paul Appleby did a great job singing tenor and portraying a 16-year-old boy (Brian), which is half his real age. I also really enjoyed Alice Coote’s mezzo because of the range in her voice. My favorite of the night would have to be Andrew Pulver (13-year-old Jake) because of his angelic soprano voice.

Their costumes were plain, but it worked well with the performance. An average detective and a bunch of average kids should be dressed in plain clothes and it also made the performance seem more real. Brian was tricked on the Internet just like anyone can be fooled on the Internet. Brian’s case was more extreme, but the message is still the same. You can’t believe everything you see on the Internet and need to employ caution when surfing the web.

There were only a couple of things I didn’t like about the opera performance. Some parts of the performance didn’t make much sense and then I sat there confused for a while. For example, while Brian was in a chat room and he started talking to Peter, the pedophile gardener who killed Rebecca, Brian masturbates for him on camera. Scenes added in like that made no sense and made me lose track of what was going on. I also didn’t like the side story that Detective Strawson had. I felt the story of her putting up her child for adoption and feeling that she was a poor daughter and detective just didn’t really add much to the overall story. I didn’t feel that those scenes needed to be a part of the performance and they didn’t really make the performance any better.

Overall, I thought this was a really great performance with a powerful message.

In the very beginning of the opera “Two Boys,” different colors were shown across the stage, music in many different voices played, props moved around in different fashions, and people walked to and fro. Stunning scenes like this were only the start of the plot twists, intense dialogues, and climatic acts that would later make up the whole of this fantastic opera.

In this opera, the audience comes to learn of a boy, Jake, that had just been stabbed by another teen, Brian. Brian comes under investigation by Detective Anne Strawson, who constantly tries to get the truth out of Brian. With his parents persistently trying to show their son is innocent and Brian saying the same things over and over again, Detective Strawson’s job becomes very difficult. She then learns that Brian’s computer may be the key to understand the mystery of all the things that occurred. Before intermission, she realizes that Brian has been telling her the truth the whole time and every person and event that he explains existed.

With the opening of Act II, Strawson’s realization allows her to further investigate the crime. As the opera progresses, she learns more and more about the psychological pain Brian endured, such as threats, broken hearts, guilt, and much distress, all due to his association with strangers on an account on the internet. Towards the end of the opera, Strawson, as well as the audience, finally realizes that Jake, who wanted to die, manipulated Brian this whole time. Jake created the personalities based on real people and used made-up stories to use Brian to kill him.

In all straightforwardness, this opera was great. Contrary to normal conception, operas are, in my opinion, more enthusiastic versions of plays. Between the singing, dancing, movement, music, lights, ever-changing scenarios, and its unique style, operas are not what people say they are. They are lively performances that should be experienced by people who love both adventurous and climatic performances as well as pieces that convey a message or have a puzzle to them.

Some examples of the lively performances I experienced during “Two Boys” were, first, the use of music and dancing to show the mood of the opera. At specific points, the mood had shifted from what it originally was, whether it was from a calming mood to one of intensity, or vice versa. Operas amplify this atmosphere shift by including dance, lights, and music that relate to the mood they are trying to convey. What was done at this opera, I thought was phenomenal.

Another example of the lively performance was that put on by the main characters. I could only imagine how difficult it must have been to both learn the script as well as sing every verse of it in front of many, many people while still acting at the same time. I can say nothing more but great job by both the actors as well as the whole opera. This was my first time going to an opera. If and when I shall attend another opera performance, I will thank this opera for helping me get started on this unique form of entertainment.

Nico Muhyl’s opera, Two Boys, transports us to the harmful world of cyberspace. Performed in the great Lincoln Theater, Two Boys was enjoyable to watch. Having never been to an opera before, I did not know if I would like it or not. From the foreign opera clips watched in class I was not too excited to be at the opera but I was proven wrong within the first few minutes of the opera.

From the beginning, the orchestra did an amazing job setting the mood and tone for the scene at that moment in time. Being fast paced when something shocking was happening or being slow when things were peaceful. David Robertson, the conductor, did an amazing job transitioning from one musical piece to the next without a flaw. The addition of music really helped move the opera along giving us no time to take a break from watching. The set designer, Michael Yeargan, was a pure genius. Using projections onto big gray screens to portray the vast amount of scenery involved really brought the opera to life. While watching the show, whenever projections were used to express the Internet world, I was amazed and could not look away. Also, the use of security camera projections to show the prelude to the stabbing of Jake really showed the amount of effort put into this opera outside of the theater.

When I first heard that opera singers do not use microphones at all I was shocked. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to hear them or understand the storyline. I worried that I wasn’t going to enjoy this opera experience but I was wrong once I heard the voice of tenor Paul Appleby. His voice travelled across the whole theater and you can clearly hear the beautiful sounds coming out of his mouth. The other opera singers also did not disappoint because their voices also filled up the entire theater. Transitions from one scene to the next were quick and almost invisible because there was something else happening to cover these transitions. Some transitions were through dance and I thought those were awkward. It did not fit with the tone of the opera and made no sense to me. The dancing was suppose to hide the movement of objects in and out of the stage but it just made the process stand out even more.

The crime procedural process used to tell the story of the stabbing of Jake was extremely interesting and like nothing I have ever seen. Because of the way this opera was produced it made it that much more interesting. The storyline and story telling of the crime interested me greatly because I’m one of those people who watch crime procedural shows. Seeing something similar to CSI in opera form caught my attention and hooked me from the start to finish. Time flew by as I watched with the help of subtitles and the next thing I knew, the story was unraveled and it was time to applaud.

With a running time of approximately two hours and thirty minutes, Nico Muhly’s opera Two Boys is already different from most operas that are three hours or longer. Muhly claims that the two act opera, with an English-language libretto written by American playwright Craig Lucas, is based on real events that occurred in Manchester, England, in 2001. Also, unlike most operas that touch upon older, classical themes, Muhly’s revolves around a present theme in society: the Internet and its dark side.

Critics have been liking and disliking Two Boys. Those who disagree attest that Muhly’s opera is too current and not following opera tradition, and that it is unnecessarily sexually explicit. Those who like Two Boys counter these arguments, testifying that changing times necessitates changes in the performing arts if the younger generations – whose lives internet plays a large part in – are to be captivated by them and allow them to survive, and that the sexual scenes are necessary for the play’s plot to be fully completed. Personally, after seeing Two Boys, I agree with the latter.

The first act of the opera consists of Police Detective Anne Strawson, played by mezzo-soprano Alice Coote, being assigned to a case involving the stabbing of a 13 year-old-boy, Jake, near the town’s shopping center, and the tale his 16-year-old friend Brian, played by tenor Paul Appleby, gives to Detective Strawson of how everything led to him stabbing his younger friend. There are a few sexually explicit scenes in this act, but they add to the validity of the storyline in the end. Throughout the act, viewers are either captivated or appalled by the effects and dancing that take place on stage. In my opinion, the effects – that may sometimes seem overwhelming to those who prefer traditional opera tales – adds a great deal to the telling of the cyber story. Although the first act is definitely much slower than the second, every scene and every line has importance to the storyline that becomes beautifully laid out in the second act.

Sources say that the intricate web of online intrigue is created through the combination of video projections by 59 Productions, the brilliant choreography for the dancers, and Muhly’s score that feature lyrical vocal writing and astonishing choruses. Together, these three pieces capture the enigmatic realm of cyberspace and reveals its dangers. The projections also allow much clarification to the audience as to what the actors are saying in times where the dialogue is speedy, or in verse that may be difficult for some audience members, who may be paying attention to the scene rather than the actor’s voice, to fully comprehend. This leads to one downside of the production: At some points there is so much going on that it is physically impossible for a viewer to catch everything that is happening on the stage. This, despite being a possible negative, is also very correct as a portrayal of the Internet – which is complex and impossible to see all of.

All of the confusions an audience member may have throughout the first act and beginning of the second are dissolved as the plot is pulled together through brilliant choreography and verse. Composer Nico Muhly, director Bartlett Sher, choreographer Hofesh Shecter, and librettist Craig Lucas do a marvelous job of uniting their geniuses to cleverly tie together a complex plot, and produce a marvelous ending to a spectacular and thought-provoking, modern opera.

“Two Boys” by Nico Muhly had to be one of the most interesting experiences I’ve ever had. Having never been to an opera house before, this was entirely new experience, one that I would love to repeat.

“Two Boys” was a very dark and pioneering piece for an opera. It was very reminiscent of a good episode of Criminal Minds. It tells the story of a 16-year-old boy named Brian who is accused of stabbing a 13-year-old boy, Jake. The story unfolds as the detective in charge, who knows nothing about technology, listens to Brian’s tale of online activity, and how he communicated with Jake’s sister, Rebecca. Brian tells an outlandish story of Rebecca’s terror of her “Aunt Fiona” and “Peter,” both of whom are out to get Rebecca and her little brother Jake. Believing that Brian is telling ridiculous stories to get out of trouble, the detective sends for the online activity transcripts. At the end of the first act, she sees the transcripts and realizes he did not make up any of the story.

The second act was much faster and much more gripping than the first. The ball begins to roll as the detective really delves into Brian’s tale. She makes Brian finish telling his story, where he is accosted online by both Fiona and Peter. He is given an ultimatum: kill Jake, or get killed. At first, he refused. When Jake told Brian he was dying of a brain tumor, however, Brian agreed to assassinate Jake. He takes Jake into an alleyway, and he stabs him. He then finds out that all of the people he had been communicating with (Fiona, Rebecca, and Peter) were all just Jake, who was lonely, gay, and unhappy with his life.

Although the story line was a little slow in the beginning, it gave my eyes and ears time to absorb what they were seeing and hearing. The dancing was odd, and I felt that at times it took away from the scene. The singing, however, was majestic. The detective was fantastic, as was Brian, but I believe the person who stole the show was 13 year old Jake. From the moment he opened his mouth he captivated me. When I found out he was only in the sixth grade, I was floored. His voice was so pure on the soprano notes, and his voice resonated with me.

The way the setting and backdrop were strategically done also impressed me. The backdrop was constantly moving and evolving, which kept my attention. When it wasn’t moving, it had the chat logs projected on the walls, which I found interesting and also very helpful when I didn’t understand what was being said. I liked how they used the setting to tie in the theme of technology.

The story line itself was very well done. Although many people think the opera is an outdated art form that could never attract a younger crowd, I disagree. “Two Boys” had just the right amount of sex, violence, technology, and intrigue to captivate a younger audience. Opera has evolved with the time periods before, and I think it has done a wonderful job at continuing to keep up.

“Two Boys” is a magnificent opera show. All of the actors and actresses performed fabulously and sang beautifully. Nico Muhly, as Brian, was great; in the opera, he is a 16 years old teenager, but in reality he is thirty-so years old. His appearance in the opera looked entirely like any other teenager you see on the streets! The plot of “Two Boys” was awesome! Detective Anne interrogated Brian, who stabbed his 13 year old friend/lover Jake.  Brian admits to doing the act, but claims someone else instigated him. This entire conspiracy takes place in the virtual world: the Internet. There were apparently three or more characters in the opera, but in the end, it was just Jake. The entire opera show really just consisted of “two boys”, the name of the opera. Jake created the identities “Rebecca”, “Fiona”, and “Peter”. Using these fake identities, he manipulated Brian so that he can kill the terminally ill him.

The ending was an emotional scene. When Detective Anne asked how “maybe” is spelled in the chat rooms, the truth to this conspiracy came together. Jake used the Internet so that he can die by the hands of the person he loves. At least, in my interpretation, that is how it appears. This can also be seen in the numerous chat rooms. “Rebecca” questions Brian whether he has a girlfriend and has said she wants to be with him. Both “Peter” and “Rebecca” wanted to see Brian masturbate on the web camera. “Fiona” clearly says “I love you” to Brian a few times. These little hints put together shows that Jake loves Brian.

Other than the heartbreaking scenes, this opera shows human natures through deception and disguise using cyberculture. In the virtual world, you only have the name and a picture in the chat room. But what do you really know about your “friend”? The username is just a username and the picture could be a fake picture. As  “Two Boys” show, deception and disguise is quite easily accomplished on the Internet. In the computer world, you can create someone you want to be. By creating an identity that is unique to you on the Internet, you can create the ideal you. In “Two Boys,” Jake created three identities to plan his suicide. By using these three identities and chatting with Brian, it shows the frailty of social interaction in reality. Only in the chat room can Jake chat with Brian as if they were long-lost friends. Only in the chat room can Jake speak his true feelings. These scenes show how social interaction in the real world become fragile thing. The teenagers feel disconnected and look for interaction in the virtual world.

In general, opera is an effective form of art for my generation. It provokes thinking throughout the performance. Acting and singing throughout the show provide entertainment and the visual behind it make the performance all the more to watch. Instead of asking whether opera is an effective form of art, we should ask whether or not my generation will take the time and money to actually go to an opera performance.

The opera was a bit of a surprise for me. Going into it and not knowing what to expect, my mind instantly went to, “Run Don’t Run,” and my dislike of that. I was wrong to assume I would not like the opera. Two Boys turned out to be an experience I actually enjoyed.

Being at the opera was enjoyment enough. Upon entrance, the lobby looked incredible. The people there seemed kind for the most part. Sitting in my chair and looking up at the sides to see the red box seats made me feel like I was in another time period. Before that night, I have never been to any musical or opera of any kind. I was captivated before the show even began.

Once the performance did begin, I remember it was all singing. Many operas are in other languages, so luckily this one was in English. But even with the English, I found difficulty understanding what they were singing at points. The subtitles on the seat in front of me were incredibly helpful with that. The entire time I was watching these performers sing, I was impressed by their ability. The power their voice must have to sing like that and to do so for so long without any breaks, aside from intermission, was incredible.

While I did enjoy the show and I thought the plot was very intriguing, some of the themes became too much. Some sexual themes would have been fine, but I did think it went a little overboard.  The story of the murder and the conspiracy was fascinating to say the least. Regardless of the plot details, the most interesting part of the opera may have been the effects. The walls on each end of the stage displayed images that were constantly changing. The walls were shifting, the visual images with them and it really created an exciting feeling to the performance. Some of the effects left me in awe and added a special element to the opera.

As for agreeing that the opera being able to demonstrate the world of the Internet, I’m a little more hesitant. Personally, I have always associated operas with old-fashioned stories. And to see one taking place in 2001 centered around technology just did not feel right. It felt like they tried to combine two different time periods and the mix was not natural. While the opera was riveting, the plot intriguing, and the performers incredible, there was just an unnatural aura emanating from the show.

While I did enjoy the opera, I do not think it is a good art form for this generation of people. For starters, there is the issue of the unnatural feeling. A modern theme about the Internet did not sit well with me, and I believe any other modernized show will have the same effect. Second, I don’t think many people of this generation can appreciate older themes. I’m sure many young people today find that boring. So if modern themes do not work and if older themes do not work, how will the opera impress the young people of this generation? While there are bound to be people who enjoy operas and love shows like Two Boys, I find it difficult to accept that this is an art form that will appeal to this generation of people.