BERKELEY -- Even without a discussion of nuclear-weapon technology
scheduled, Chinese visitors thronged to the sunny University of California
campus this morning. They were there to discuss a more important matter:
Chinese opera.
Tang Xianzu's 1598 kun opera and Peter Sellars' 1998 "Peony Pavilion" have
virtually nothing in common. And yet, UC and Cal Performances organized a
splendid symposium concerning the American premiere of the work (Sellars')
this weekend.
In a delightful exhibit of luminous inscrutability, visitors from Beijing
and Shanghai first beat around the bush, then beat Sellars about the head
and shoulders with peacock feathers.
Admitting to "shock, resistance, dissatisfaction, unfulfillment and
chaos," Liao Ben (of Beijing's All-China Drama Association) had high
praise for Sellars' "imaginative approach" to interpreting this great
classic. He expressed regret that Hua Wenyi (kun opera star, friend of
Mao, high-ranking official, refugee in Los Angeles, now the main attraction
of "Peoni") was "restricted" under Sellars' "excellent" direction. "Styles
were perhaps not unified," Liao Ben said, adding kindly: "Maybe that's
what the director tried to do."
(Less diplomatic Chinese-opera singers and directors spoke privately
with more clarity: "No costumes, NO SLEEVES, short hair, halter top, two
middle-aged ladies playing young girls, Tan Dun's rock score -- where's the
Chinese opera?")
Shanghai director Gu Yi'an first expressed his admiration for Liao Ben
"not speaking as if he were on a panel in China," and then went on to
say some harsh things in a most complimentary manner. Sellars listened
attentively in the audience through it all, smiling broadly, as he usually
does -- an excellently amiable fellow.
How interesting, Gu Yi'an exclaimed, the work-song Hey-Ho! to signify the
joint (lengthy) climax of the lovers. Hey-Ho! they sing, over and over
again. Extraordinary, the Chinese director mused, "a crude device for
something sublime!" Perhaps Mr. Sellars tried to express the spirit
of total freedom. Hey-Ho! And a completely straight face.
One of more scrutable Western participants, Mark Swed (of the LA Times),
revealed a (to me) startling piece of information. He said that Tan Dun --
who orchestrated the first act's original music, and composed the entire
90-minute second act -- did the work in three weeks. It certainly sounds
like that, Hey-Ho! [And yes, I do very much like some of Tan Dun's
orchestral works.]
John Rockwell (of the NY Times) spoke of his plan to bring the full,
18-hour Shanghai version to the U.S., *together* with Sellars' version
when he he was managing the Lincoln Center Festival. The double plan
failed doubly -- the Chinese government wouldn't allow "Peony" abroad,
and Sellars withdrew from the project. Subsequently, Sellars went on
with his "Peony" performed in Europe, and now in Berkeley.
Speaking a bit more plainly than the Chinese visitors, Rockwell said he
has a "much larger faith" in the original (than Sellars), and would have
preferred allowing the text "on its own terms," to *speak* of sex, not to
*show* it. [The scenes of copulation in the Sellars version are more
ridiculous than pornographic, Hey-Ho!]
Rockwell admires the original, with its "great, sprawling Ming soap
opera, Nicholas Nickelby subplots, Romeo and Juliet meet Orpheus and
Euridice story," and wanted Sellars to juxtapose a version with "young
Asian-American actors" -- pretty much the way the first act stands now.
However, Rockwell said, "Tan Dun wanted to write an opera," and that became
the second act. Following the lead of the Chinese, Rockwell referred to
this as "uneven," with its mix of rock, Gregorian, and other diverse
elements.
There is a curious contradiction between Sellars *talking* about "Peony"
and the result of his work. Before each performance, Sellars addressed the
audience and spoke with great warmth and passion about this project which
he has been working on for about 10 years now.
After Sellars spoke, a noted Chinese artist with whom I attended today's
performance asked me how I could have written the negative review of the
Friday premiere: "He (Sellars) really believes in the work!" The same man
was shocked by Act 1 and wanted to leave in the middle of Act 2.
It's a strange thing about Sellars, the conflict between his imagination
and dedication to make art *live*, and the execution, which almost always
"goes too far," and ends up as not enough. Watching "Peony" for the second
time, I remembered my experience with "The Death of Klinghoffer," which
I saw (in Sellars' direction) a number of times, and yet did not really
*hear* until a concert performance of excerpts from it. Sellars'
spectacular (over)production was actually an obstacle to accessing the
work.
That's really too bad. His talent and ability are beyond question, but
there is a real problem with the delivery. "Peony" makes me wonder about
the (obviously) hypothetical situation of somebody coming to Mozart for the
first time in the Sellars production.
Janos Gereben/SF
[log in to unmask]
|