Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
State of the Arts Blog
Marianne Combs

Timberbrit: play it again, but slower

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

[image]

If you missed yesterday's All Things Considered, I urge you to go back and take a listen to the story on "Timberbrit." It's an opera that takes on the tragic end of Britney Spears, imagining her final hours of life, as Justin Timberlake returns to try and win her love one last time.

Britney Spears? Justin Timberlake? You're probably asking how this story made it to public radio airwaves. But what makes this opera so cool is not just the transformation of pop icons into tragic stage figures, but the metamorphosis of their high-energy music into high-drama. Composer Jacob Cooper slows down Spears' and Timberlake's pop hits into something much more nuanced, dark and compelling. As reporter Claire Happel writes, "Phrases like 'Hit me baby one more time' took on an entirely different and more weighted meaning."

You can see the Timberbrit video to the song "Worst Fantasy" here.