Why Was Kanye West’s Opera Such a Total Disaster?
Kanye West‘s new path in life has earned a great deal of fan praise but has received a lot of negative reactions as well. His latest album, Jesus Is King, marked the beginning of his religious awakening, but it is by no means the end.
West has toured the country with his Sunday Service performances and many believe that he is well on his way to starting his own church. On Sunday, November 24th West debuted his very own opera, based on a biblical story with original music by West himself.
Still, the show didn’t go over so well with fans. Keep reading to learn about West’s new beliefs, what problems his opera had, and what fans are saying by it.
Kanye West’s religious awakening
At the start of his career, West was known as one of the most talented rappers of his generation. His catchy rhymes and provocative lyrics gained him legions of fans from every corner of the globe.
As the years progressed, West’s eccentricity became more pronounced, until no one really knew what he would say or do. West began taking to Twitter for now-infamous rants, where he expounded on everything from fellow celebrities to politics.
Several years ago, West was forced to cancel his tour due to an unspecified mental illness. After an extended break, West admitted that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and sometimes doesn’t take his medication.
The rapper has seemingly embraced his mental illness, but it has caused many of his fans to become unsure of whether or not his behavior is a result of his bipolar diagnosis. Earlier this year, West underwent what he called a “spiritual awakening,” and recommitted his life to his Christian faith.
West released a gospel album, Jesus Is King, and there has been ongoing speculation about whether or not the rapper will be starting his own church and/or religion.
What was Kanye West’s opera about?
In late November, West presented “Nebuchadnezzar: A Kanye West opera” at a local Los Angeles opera house. West’s “original opera” was based on a Bible story and featured music that he primarily wrote for his Sunday Services.
The opera was fraught with issues from the very outset. The show featured only minimal props and highlighted West himself, who stood to the sidelines and narrated the entire show.
The opera itself started more than two hours late. It was scheduled to begin at 4 PM but didn’t kick off until 6:14 PM. In addition, the opera showed less than a full house of fans, since reportedly, ticket sales left something to be desired. The opera was loud, according to reports, and West was incoherently shouting for some of it.
What do fans say about Kanye West’s opera?
Ultimately, West’s opera did not get winning reviews from attendees. Many critics on social media spoke out after the opera was over, calling it a “money grab” and the “most Kanye thing ever.”
Other social media users complained about how noisy the opera was and how their ears were ringing for hours after leaving the theater.
Still, some attendees were wowed by the experience and took to Twitter to post about how much they enjoyed the opera. Those fans pointed out how moving the ending of the opera was, when everyone in the theater was invited to raise their hands in the air and join in the song.
The overwhelming consensus was that West’s opera was a bad idea. Whether or not he will take the criticism to his heart is another story. After all, Kanye West has proven that he doesn’t necessarily go with the tide of public opinion.
