The AP has released a news item detailing new cost-cutting measures taken at the Met. One unfortunate consequence of the economic measures is that the Met will not revive John Corigliano's 1991 smash hit, "Ghosts of Versailles." Instead, the Met will cast Angela Gheorghiu and Thomas Hampson in a staid production of "La Traviata."
I was just starting back on my Masters when "Ghosts" was released. I remember watching the broadcast debut on PBS and being stunned, not only with Corigliano's command of the 20th century orchestral and operatic oeuvres but with the vastness of the production... not to mention wanting to be the first to sing "The Worm" for solo class at UT. (Never did, btw.) I also was working in the UT Music Library, where we had just received a video recording--it may have even been on laser disc--of "Ghosts," which I quickly purloined to rewatch in the back room of the library when I wasn't working or in class. "Ghosts" was the talk of the opera studio back then.
I can understand the Met's reticence to mount such a vast production, probably rivaling that of their recent "Flute" in opulence and grandeur. How many opera productions call for a giant mechanically operated robotic sultanate to serve as a major character? Then there's the period French dress, not to mention carloads of choristers and supers, and probably an equally huge number of IATSE crew. Of course, Corigliano throws a mighty 20th-century style orchestra in the pit. (Contrabassoonists and all ilk of bass clarinet players rejoice!)
But, still, it would have been great to see "Ghosts" mounted in a production equal to its original intentions. It definitely blurred the line between opera and musical theater, not that that hadn't been done a thousand times already. But unlike so many operas and operettas since the dawn of the 20th c., which were basically theater pieces aspiring to opera, Corigliano started from a position of grand opera and then added musical theater features to make it more accessible while keeping artistic the original artistic integrity.
I'm sure "Traviata" will be well-received and well-performed, though.
However, one must ponder: If the premiere opera companies of the world are having to make major cutbacks such as this one, what does that bode for the coming seasons of struggling regional companies like the KO?
Friday, November 14, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Met goes tech again
Caught this New York Times article about the production of Berlioz's "Damnation of Faust," touted to be the Met's first "interactive opera." Interactive how? Well, imagine singers on stage controlling lighting, sets, and all kinds of special effects merely by their movement and/or voice.
A stage director's nightmare? Maybe... Consider how theater is staged today: Actors (I use "actors" as a generic term to include singers) act on stage; a stage manager in the wings observes the action and dialog and calls light cues, set movements and/or changes, cues for sound Foley (e.g., thunder), warns actors and chorus of their entrances, and a hundred other things. But there's an often perceptible delay between when she calls a cue and when the actual operation happens. Ideally, she tries to call the cues far enough in advance to account for the delay, but anytime you're dealing with human processes, there is variability.
Imagine, however, the stage of the future: An infrared sensor picks up an actor's movement--say, an arm in the air--and sends a signal to a central computer system with specialized software that interprets that signal to cue lighting (e.g., lightning), sound (thunder), or a set piece (a wind machine). Because the computer can "talk" to all the systems faster than any human every could, the actions are, for all intents and purposes, to our "slow" eyes and ears, simultaneous. Better yet, the sensors can interpret how the actor's arm is moving. Perhaps he lowers it, signaling the lightning and thunder to abate slightly so he can deliver a line, and then throws it back into the air, signaling another crescendo in the storm.
Don't get the idea that this technology will ever supplant the stage manager. There are still stupid actors who don't know their cues to push out on stage, choruses to call to the wings, and ten thousand other things that humans, so far, do better than computers. However, this kind of technology can do what technology is usually invented to do: take some of the drudgery out of a task. For predictable processes, the machine can handle them. This leaves the stage manager free to deal with things that are more problematic (e.g., wigs caught on epaulets). Of course, she also must ensure that the technology works as it should and be prepared to take over should anything go wrong.
Technology we take for granted geeks call "ubiquitous." We don't have to think about how much gas to put into the carburetor of our cars to faster, we just push on the gas pedal and electromechanical systems do the rest. We don't have to stand by the coffeemaker to switch it off at the end of a brew cycle, it knows when there's no water left in the reservoir. We don't have to tell the television to tune to 79.25 megahertz to get channel 6, it knows that already. Just as we don't think about these technologies working, we may someday take it for granted that an automated spotlight will follow an actor around the stage or that the gels will all turn red when the devil appears or that the curtain will fall at the end of an act. We won't have to think about it, it will just happen.
A stage director's nightmare? Maybe... Consider how theater is staged today: Actors (I use "actors" as a generic term to include singers) act on stage; a stage manager in the wings observes the action and dialog and calls light cues, set movements and/or changes, cues for sound Foley (e.g., thunder), warns actors and chorus of their entrances, and a hundred other things. But there's an often perceptible delay between when she calls a cue and when the actual operation happens. Ideally, she tries to call the cues far enough in advance to account for the delay, but anytime you're dealing with human processes, there is variability.
Imagine, however, the stage of the future: An infrared sensor picks up an actor's movement--say, an arm in the air--and sends a signal to a central computer system with specialized software that interprets that signal to cue lighting (e.g., lightning), sound (thunder), or a set piece (a wind machine). Because the computer can "talk" to all the systems faster than any human every could, the actions are, for all intents and purposes, to our "slow" eyes and ears, simultaneous. Better yet, the sensors can interpret how the actor's arm is moving. Perhaps he lowers it, signaling the lightning and thunder to abate slightly so he can deliver a line, and then throws it back into the air, signaling another crescendo in the storm.
Don't get the idea that this technology will ever supplant the stage manager. There are still stupid actors who don't know their cues to push out on stage, choruses to call to the wings, and ten thousand other things that humans, so far, do better than computers. However, this kind of technology can do what technology is usually invented to do: take some of the drudgery out of a task. For predictable processes, the machine can handle them. This leaves the stage manager free to deal with things that are more problematic (e.g., wigs caught on epaulets). Of course, she also must ensure that the technology works as it should and be prepared to take over should anything go wrong.
Technology we take for granted geeks call "ubiquitous." We don't have to think about how much gas to put into the carburetor of our cars to faster, we just push on the gas pedal and electromechanical systems do the rest. We don't have to stand by the coffeemaker to switch it off at the end of a brew cycle, it knows when there's no water left in the reservoir. We don't have to tell the television to tune to 79.25 megahertz to get channel 6, it knows that already. Just as we don't think about these technologies working, we may someday take it for granted that an automated spotlight will follow an actor around the stage or that the gels will all turn red when the devil appears or that the curtain will fall at the end of an act. We won't have to think about it, it will just happen.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Obama and Opera
So, on the dawn of the day that the great diaspora known as the Bush Administration ("Administration," Ha! At least Nero fiddled while Rome burned!) is seeing its final days, I got to thinking:
Obama... opera.
Could there be a connection there, somewhere? Does our new prez-elect like opera? What does he think about it? What's his policy going to be on the Fine Arts?
So, like most i-idiots today, I googled "Obama opera."
What did I find? Well, what I found made me hope that Obama makes education a priority in our country.
The top link said "MySpace Videos: Obama and Opera by AAM." I should've red-flagged anything prefixed with "MySpace" as being spurious, but since this was an entirely unscientific experiment, merely relying on serendipity to yield its results, I went ahead and clicked.
Obviously, the video was of a rally, apparently in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. There were several people standing on a dais surrounded by a rowdy crowd of Obamanites. "Okay," I was thinking to myself, "some opera singer sang the National Anthem or something." Then Obama himself came up to the dais and began speaking. After a minute or two, I skimmed further through the video to find the part where the opera singer came in.
No such luck. No singing on that video. It was then that I noticed a rather portly African American woman on the dais with Obama. "Leontyne Price?" I thought. No. Though the video was a bit grainy, I could still see it wasn't Ms. Price. Kiri, maybe? No.
Finally I did recognize the person: It was Oprah!
Alright, so MySpace people aren't the brightest bulbs on the tree. Apparently, some folks were equally confused over on Yahoo, too. I suppose that I should forgive these (I'm assuming) kids or, perhaps, non-native speakers. After all, Oprah wasn't even supposed to be named Oprah. Oprah's given name was supposed to be the Biblical name "Orpah" (Ruth 1:4), but everybody apparently had a hard time pronouncing and spelling that in her native Mississippi.
So, no direct links between Obama/Biden and opera. But, I'm sure there's some greedy little composer in his parents' basement right now writing "Obama: The Opera." Don't be surprised when it comes out. Look for it at the Met in 2012.
FYI, a pdf of Obama/Biden's platform on the arts can be found here.
Obama... opera.
Could there be a connection there, somewhere? Does our new prez-elect like opera? What does he think about it? What's his policy going to be on the Fine Arts?
So, like most i-idiots today, I googled "Obama opera."
What did I find? Well, what I found made me hope that Obama makes education a priority in our country.
The top link said "MySpace Videos: Obama and Opera by AAM." I should've red-flagged anything prefixed with "MySpace" as being spurious, but since this was an entirely unscientific experiment, merely relying on serendipity to yield its results, I went ahead and clicked.
Obviously, the video was of a rally, apparently in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. There were several people standing on a dais surrounded by a rowdy crowd of Obamanites. "Okay," I was thinking to myself, "some opera singer sang the National Anthem or something." Then Obama himself came up to the dais and began speaking. After a minute or two, I skimmed further through the video to find the part where the opera singer came in.
No such luck. No singing on that video. It was then that I noticed a rather portly African American woman on the dais with Obama. "Leontyne Price?" I thought. No. Though the video was a bit grainy, I could still see it wasn't Ms. Price. Kiri, maybe? No.
Finally I did recognize the person: It was Oprah!
Alright, so MySpace people aren't the brightest bulbs on the tree. Apparently, some folks were equally confused over on Yahoo, too. I suppose that I should forgive these (I'm assuming) kids or, perhaps, non-native speakers. After all, Oprah wasn't even supposed to be named Oprah. Oprah's given name was supposed to be the Biblical name "Orpah" (Ruth 1:4), but everybody apparently had a hard time pronouncing and spelling that in her native Mississippi.
So, no direct links between Obama/Biden and opera. But, I'm sure there's some greedy little composer in his parents' basement right now writing "Obama: The Opera." Don't be surprised when it comes out. Look for it at the Met in 2012.
FYI, a pdf of Obama/Biden's platform on the arts can be found here.
Monday, November 3, 2008
"Who's the new guy?"
No doubt, anyone paying attention during rehearsals for the recent Glitterville Gala noticed that there was a new face in the crowd in the orchestra. That new face is none other than associate concertmaster, Edward Pulgar. The Knoxville News Sentinel ran a story on him in this morning's edition under the rather uninspired title, "Government put music in his soul." Although, from the title, you might think that maestro Pulgars's violin prowess might have come about as the result of a DARPA experiment gone horribly wrong, the article is referring to the government of his home country, Venezuela.
Starting in the 1970s, a time when America's government had begun cutting Fine Arts programs to save money, the Venezuelan government saw fit to fund an ambitious program of classical music instruction for all of its children, especially those in the impoverished inner city, through the establishment of neighborhood music schools and the formation of local youth orchestras. The idea behind the program is that music can be both an escape and a way out of poverty for some of these kids.
Perhaps what is even more startling is that the Venezuelan government has kept funding "El Sistema" (The System) to this day. Along the way, it has produced crop after crop of talented and highly trained orchestral musicians and conductors which the world's orchestras have adoringly lapped up. A recent 60 Minutes video article (videarticle?) chronicled the rise of one of these young stars, conductor Gustavo Dudamel.
Knoxville has been the lucky recipient of El Sistema in the form of Edward Pulgar. He will be performing with other members of the KSO Principal Quartet (Sean Claire, Kathryn Gawne and Andy Bryenton) next Sunday at 2:30 pm at the Bijou Theater.
Thank goodness there's at least one government that cherishes classical music, eh? The United States continues to head down the path of eradication of all Fine Arts programs in all its schools under the auspices that our kids need more math and science. There are currently just two orchestral programs in Knox County schools, and those are poorly funded. The minimization of general music classes keeps kids from experiencing classical music, which, in turn, keeps the vast majority of them from continuing their studies. Thus, choral, orchestral, and band programs begin to wither away for lack of students.
"But just look at the Japanese and the Chinese," proponents of the art diaspora say, "our kids can't compete with them unless we bolster our math and science programs." Really? Have you checked out the ethnicity of many of the orchestras around the world. Seems there's a definite Asian faction there. So, somehow, the Chinese and Japanese manage to teach their kids math and science and music... oh, and don't forget, most of them have taken English their whole lives and can speak the language better than most native Anglophiles. Anata wa Nihon o hanashi masuka, America Iie? No?
Well, maybe your kids will do better in Venezuela. Most American high schools still teach Spanish, I think.
Starting in the 1970s, a time when America's government had begun cutting Fine Arts programs to save money, the Venezuelan government saw fit to fund an ambitious program of classical music instruction for all of its children, especially those in the impoverished inner city, through the establishment of neighborhood music schools and the formation of local youth orchestras. The idea behind the program is that music can be both an escape and a way out of poverty for some of these kids.
Perhaps what is even more startling is that the Venezuelan government has kept funding "El Sistema" (The System) to this day. Along the way, it has produced crop after crop of talented and highly trained orchestral musicians and conductors which the world's orchestras have adoringly lapped up. A recent 60 Minutes video article (videarticle?) chronicled the rise of one of these young stars, conductor Gustavo Dudamel.
Knoxville has been the lucky recipient of El Sistema in the form of Edward Pulgar. He will be performing with other members of the KSO Principal Quartet (Sean Claire, Kathryn Gawne and Andy Bryenton) next Sunday at 2:30 pm at the Bijou Theater.
Thank goodness there's at least one government that cherishes classical music, eh? The United States continues to head down the path of eradication of all Fine Arts programs in all its schools under the auspices that our kids need more math and science. There are currently just two orchestral programs in Knox County schools, and those are poorly funded. The minimization of general music classes keeps kids from experiencing classical music, which, in turn, keeps the vast majority of them from continuing their studies. Thus, choral, orchestral, and band programs begin to wither away for lack of students.
"But just look at the Japanese and the Chinese," proponents of the art diaspora say, "our kids can't compete with them unless we bolster our math and science programs." Really? Have you checked out the ethnicity of many of the orchestras around the world. Seems there's a definite Asian faction there. So, somehow, the Chinese and Japanese manage to teach their kids math and science and music... oh, and don't forget, most of them have taken English their whole lives and can speak the language better than most native Anglophiles. Anata wa Nihon o hanashi masuka, America Iie? No?
Well, maybe your kids will do better in Venezuela. Most American high schools still teach Spanish, I think.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Post-Production: Glitterville Gala/Concert
* Tons of people - had a good time; lots of costumes; but ran out of food;
* Concert - well enough
A couple of impressions about last night's KO Glitterville Gala/Concert at the Tennessee Theater:
And how about Stephen Brown's decorations! You know, Halloween is really a kind of low-brow holiday. Other than Christmas, it's probably the easiest holiday to make tacky if you're not careful. Wel, duh! Of course, Stephen Brown's going to be careful! Everything just reeked of classiness. (I have to admit, though, that I didn't get to get too close a look at what all was put out.) Amazing that a kid from Rockwood, which, I'm sure Stephen would admit, isn't exactly a cultural mecca, world go on to be fawned over by companies and well-to-dos world-wide for his taste and style in decorating for special occasions. As I'm sure they would say in Rockwood, "Ya done good thar, boy!"
The concert, likewise, seemed to go okay. As is usually the case with these kinds of things, the chorus kind of forgot their dynamics and fell back on the the old habit of loud-louder-loudest. It's always harder to sing very softly when you, as a performer in front of an audience, let the adrenaline run haywire. It does make for a lively performance, though. I think the "Sweeney Todd" scenes had a lot more energy than any rehearsal we had. Kudos to everyone for not letting that energy get out of hand on the fugal sections. Really easy to do that, too, when you're pumped for a performance.
Oh, well. We put that one to bed. But, ever vigilant, we start "Rigoletto" rehearsals next week. See ya then.
P.S. Like a total spaz, I never could remember my camera; however, Martin brought his and filled up an entire 2 Gb card with photos which he's posting on Flikr. When he gets them up on the web, I'll ask him for a link to them.
* Concert - well enough
A couple of impressions about last night's KO Glitterville Gala/Concert at the Tennessee Theater:
- There was a ton of people there
- Everybody had a great time
- More hors d'oeuvres next time
- I actually have a voice left with which to sing at church this morning
And how about Stephen Brown's decorations! You know, Halloween is really a kind of low-brow holiday. Other than Christmas, it's probably the easiest holiday to make tacky if you're not careful. Wel, duh! Of course, Stephen Brown's going to be careful! Everything just reeked of classiness. (I have to admit, though, that I didn't get to get too close a look at what all was put out.) Amazing that a kid from Rockwood, which, I'm sure Stephen would admit, isn't exactly a cultural mecca, world go on to be fawned over by companies and well-to-dos world-wide for his taste and style in decorating for special occasions. As I'm sure they would say in Rockwood, "Ya done good thar, boy!"
The concert, likewise, seemed to go okay. As is usually the case with these kinds of things, the chorus kind of forgot their dynamics and fell back on the the old habit of loud-louder-loudest. It's always harder to sing very softly when you, as a performer in front of an audience, let the adrenaline run haywire. It does make for a lively performance, though. I think the "Sweeney Todd" scenes had a lot more energy than any rehearsal we had. Kudos to everyone for not letting that energy get out of hand on the fugal sections. Really easy to do that, too, when you're pumped for a performance.
Oh, well. We put that one to bed. But, ever vigilant, we start "Rigoletto" rehearsals next week. See ya then.
P.S. Like a total spaz, I never could remember my camera; however, Martin brought his and filled up an entire 2 Gb card with photos which he's posting on Flikr. When he gets them up on the web, I'll ask him for a link to them.
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