Preconceptions Part 1

Tonight begins my first Ring cycle at the opera house. I've seen the Otto Schenk production on DVD, and the Live in HD performances of the Robert Lepage production in the theaters. I thought them both fantastic productions. The former was much beloved by New York's operavores. The latter has been universally panned. It is that latter production that I will be seeing live.

Criticisms mostly center around the set, dubbed "the machine". Robert Lepage is responsible for the Cirque du Soleil show, Kà, in Las Vegas, and he brings his high-tech artistry here. The machine is a dynamic backdrop consisting of 24 independently rotatable planks that can turn from a simple flat screen to stair steps to the trees of the forest and more. The machine has been called loud, distracting, alienating, shallow. My impressions from the theaters were rather opposite. I found the use of the machine highly creative and visually stunning. I thought it in keeping with Wagner's ideal of the unified gesamtkunstwerk.

But I am well aware that the experience at the hall can differ significantly, so I won't yet criticize the critics. For now, my opinions are as follows:

The Otto Schenk production is about as traditional a staging as you'll find. This is not a bad thing. Compare to productions out of LA, SF, Valencia, or the Mecca for ring-heads: Bayreuth (pronounced bye-royt). There are so many subtexts that one could project onto the Ring that many argue the most enduring productions are the ones that do not confine the interpretation in any way. A post-industrial American setting is novel, but it restricts the message. By keeping the setting in an ambiguous time and allowing the gods godliness, the opera is free to communicate in whatever ways the viewer/listener is receptive. Schenk's sets and costumes are stirring, the music and singing superb. I love this production as well as anyone else.

My viewing of the Gelb production seemed just as traditional. We are still talking about gods and heroes. In some ways I gather that it is even truer to the text. Some of Wagner's stage directions have been ignored for technical reasons, but Gelb manages to adhere (sometimes to ironic complaints of adding unnecessary details). The costumes and singing are just as breathtaking. For my non-opera-going friends, the Lepage production is the one I would introduce first.

I am being intentionally vague since I'm trying to keep an open mind. The rest of my impressions will have to come later. For now, my feelings toward the new production are very positive. I will let you know in a couple weeks whether the criticisms deserve merit or are merely meretricious.

Amazing Engineering - Episode 1

As an experimental physicist, I spent more time engineering than doing science. As a result, I've come to greatly appreciate sophisticated or clever works of engineering. Sometimes you read about accomplishments that don't seem possible. I'm starting a series on these sorts of feats.

A Little Night-Food Music

For the unaware, the title is a reference to Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Everyone knows the tune. Also for the unaware, "night-food" refers to the food you eat at dinner. So you see, the title is clever and not at all contrived because this post is about music to go along with dinner.

Concert Etiquette

The concert hall is a unique place. I can think of no other place in which the attention of so many people is so singularly focused. Be it the opera, ballet, symphony, or chamber recital, the attention points to the stage. And because the rests, the silence, in music is as important as the notes (just ask John Cage), that attention remains unbroken through the performance. This leads to what may seem a stifling atmosphere to many -- full of obscure and antiquated rules and traditions. In actuality, there is only one rule, and it exists for good reason. That rule is: do not disturb.

Renaissance

I don't think I have to remind my readers what renaissance means, but that is what is going on here.

The People's House

Considering that one's social graph is not uniformly distributed among the general population, but rather concentrated around a small number of highly-connected nodes, I think it is fairly safe to say that 100% of my readers fall in the lower 99%.  Recent posts on NPR's Deceptive Cadence blog discuss the widespread perception of opera as exclusive to the 1%, the super-rich.  And yet here you've come, my commoners, to where I like to share my thoughts on that very topic.  Responses to the posts ranged from accusations of opera being outdated and out of touch to those blaming Hollywood for the false stereotypes.  Many people pointed to their personally penurious positions and penchants for opera as evidence against the stereotype.  I'll take the argument a step further.  You will find few institutions more egalitarian than the opera house.

ToreAmix

I write a blog post on remixes, and in less than a week I discover a perfect example of a high-concept remix album being released by Tori Amos.  I confess I am not familiar with her discography, but I gather that her latest album, Night of Hunters, is an exceptional one.  You can listen to it in its entirety for free at the link, presumably until the release date of September 20.