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Carlisle Floyd Biography

Carlisle Floyd (born June 11, 1926) is an American opera composer. The son of a Methodist minister, he has based many of his works on themes from the South. His best known opera, Susannah (1955), is based on a story from the Biblical Apocrypha, transferred to contemporary, rural Tennessee, and is set in a Southern dialect.

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Carlisle Floyd Quotes

I've never set out consciously to write American music. I don't know what that would be unless the obvious Appalachian folk references.

Appalachia, Appalachian, Consciously, Unless, Would Be, Writing

If something is successful with the audience, it's automatically suspect; the reverse is to say that not to reach audiences is the greatest compliment an artist can receive!

Artist, Reverse, Say, Stars, Successful

We think the Puritans always dressed in black and white, which they didn't. They loved very bright colors. And there were other differences in perceptions that gave one a very different view of them.

Black And White, Differences, Puritans, Thinking, View, Views

When I've seen my operas in Europe, they have always struck me as more American than when I hear them here. I can't tell you what that phenomenon is.

American, Europe, Opera, Phenomenon, Seen

I find it enormously valuable to be sure that that the pacing is what I think it is and that the scenes have the shape I think they have musically and dramatically.

Enormously, Musically, Scene, Shapes, Thinking, Valuable

There is something inherent in our democracy that tends to want to level. America is a little uncomfortable in the presence of someone who is distinctly superior in whatever way.

America, Democracy, Level, Levels, Tends

I was encouraged by my mother and, to a lesser extent, by my father.

Encouraged, Extent, Father, Lesser, Mother

The artist is something of an outsider in America. I have always felt that America does not value its artists, certainly not in the sense that the Europeans do.

America, Artist, Artists, Doe, Felt

It's necessary to track characters all the way through an opera. If you're dealing with more than one or two characters, it's very easy to forget that the others have lives of their own that feed into the story.

Character, Feed, Track, Two, Way

Like any other composer of opera, I choose a subject not for polemical reasons, but because it contains vivid characters in highly charged dramatic situations.

Character, Characters, Composer, Contains, Dramatic Situations, Opera

Anyone who creates something new or does something different artistically is going to be singled out.

Artistically, Creates, Different, Doe, Singled, Something New

People in very high places suddenly fall, and we are always surprised because we don't factor in the basic element that they're humans and, therefore, they are flawed and have weaknesses.

Factor, Fall, Flawed, Humans, People, Weakness

If an American audience is given a serious musical theater piece that is well produced, dramatically gripping and wonderfully acted, they'll respond to it.

Musical, Piece, Pieces, Serious, Theater

I think anything that is expressed directly and as honestly as possible will last.

Honestly, Lasts, Possible, Think, Thinking

If I felt that one of my operas did not come off I would certainly say so.

Come, Felt, Ifs, Opera, Operas

America tends to worship the modest talent because it doesn't put us in an uncomfortable position vis-a-vis the artist.

America, Artist, Talent, Uncomfortable

Our most intimate contact with civilizations long since dust has been through the art which has survived them.

Art, Civilization, Contact, Dust, Survived

It seems to me opera is just as relevant as an expressive art as anything else.

Art, Expressive, Opera, Relevant

You can't possibly predict what will last or not. But once you attempt to write for the ages, you're doomed.

Age, Doomed, Fate, Possibly, Write, Writing

What is American music? The most satisfying answer I've come across is that it was a kind of natural comfort with the vernacular which is diverse and regional; it's not one particular set of sounds.

Answers, Comfort, Kind, Music, Set, Sound