Anne Ozorio:

>>Ironically modern opera is in some ways closer to the original Greek
>>concept of drama where universal themes were expressed symbolically,
>>with a minimum of superficial stage effects.

Jan Templiner:

>The early Wieland Wagner producitons seem to have been indeed just this:
>as little "stuffing" as possible. But everything I've seen of "concept
>opera" has rather too much stage effects.

Indeed, what Jan calls "concept opera" seems in some instances at least
to be characterized by effects of mind boggling triviality. Putting a
Mozart opera in the Trump Tower, dressing Wagnerian characters in Armani
suits- these  hardly rise to the level of "universal themes, expressed
symbolically with a minimum of superficial stage effects."  They are
sophomoric and callow .(IMHO, of course.)

Bernard Chasan