Janos Gereben tells us:
>How to Opera Germanly:
>
>1) The director is the most important personality involved in
>the production. His vision must supercede the needs of the
>composer, librettist, singers and especially the audience, those
>overfed fools who want to be entertained and moved.
Here we have but the first of 27 bitter, heartfelt paragraphs lamenting
the State of Opera Today. Here at last - and at Wagnerian length - we
have the kernel of the Buffs' and Canary Fanciers' Mantra! Everything
you need to know, if not about the State of Opera Today (which is actually
in rude good health) but about the doom-laden cast of mind of The Few
who, unlike the wise King Canute, actually do believe it would be a good
thing to hold back the tide.
Janos Gereben is clearly saddened by much of what he sees. I found
his extended "catalogue aria" saddened me, too, though not for the same
reasons. For the sake of sanity the following 26 numbered paragraphs
must be allowed to moulder in silence; but No. 1 has to be dragged from
its Morphean slumbers, on the grounds that if a Mantra is repeated often
enough, people may come to accept it as a truth universally acknowledged
- which in this case is very far from the case!
So, after one deep breath ... Paragraph 1. Why single the poor Germans
out for ridicule? Since the Bayreuth production revolution under Wieland
Wagner (the composer's grandson) over 50 years ago, German stage manners
have hardly led the world either in opera or straight drama. Rather,
as usual throughout operatic history, production fashions have been set
by the most influential 'straight' theatrical styles, and since Wieland
French, British, Czech and - yes - especially American theatre have been
at least as influential in setting the tone. German production rather
tends to the conservative, if anything.
The swipe at directorial "vision" is equally out of date, giving a very
old-fashioned, skewed idea of what actually happens in most rehearsals
these days. In our cash-strapped days interpretative decisions in the
opera house generally come about, not as conceptual fait accomplis cooked
up in advance by the Machiavellian director and designer, but through
open debate between singers, director and conductor pooling their
imaginative resources and personal insights.
What directors are most interested in, believe it or not, is illuminating
opera for an audience here and now. Singers and musicians are motivated
by the same fundamental desire to communicate to their audience as actors,
and - to speak frankly - it is an insult to the integrity of many
hard-working music and theatre professionals to insinuate otherwise.
These facetious Buffs' Jeremiads have another deplorable effect: they
crab the pleasure of that audience they seek to defend, which believe
it or not has in the main been entertained, moved or even - perish the
thought - intellectually stimulated by these shocking productions which
so profoundly sadden the Faithful Few.
Luckily, we theatrical pariahs needn't feel too worried: most audiences
keep coming back for more - and more - and more. Tired, romantic relics
of the bygone age are disappearing from both sides of the footlights
(Gounod's "Faust", for example) and younger, more vibrant theatre pieces
and people are taking their place, together with rediscovered masterpieces
by Handel, Monteverdi and other pre-romantic composers.
All of this wonderful diversity and richness is the stronger for being
treated, not with the kid gloves reserved for museum relics, but with
the robust imagination and cleansing gulps of theatrical fresh air which
mark out our blessedly irreverent attitude to 'the classics'.
Personally, and with due respect to Mr Gereben's pained (and painful)
defence of lost musical honour, I believe the great works of the repertoire
can not only take modern theatrical interpretation, but - rather like
their audiences - are positively strengthened and amplified by the
experience.
Christopher Webber, Blackheath, London, UK.
http://www.nashwan.demon.co.uk/zarzuela.htm
"ZARZUELA!"
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