Having seen the premieres of NIXON IN CHINA, and KLINGHOFFER at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, they were astonishing. NIXON had a brilliant libretto by Alice Goodman in English, with a contraction of words (couplets) with repeats that embraced the form of Opera. KLINGHOFFER was also beautiful and heartfelt, but maligned by conservative audience members. John Donne's poetry enhanced Dr. ATOMIC but it was hampered by a dreary Met productions, unfortunately.
He has such a unique style wow, that is a good question and one I am going to think more about. Looking forward to thoughts from others too.
I have personally never felt pulled to his work, maybe because it does take some commitment. For me, though, when you say Janacek three things come to mind - the soundtrack from the film "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" with Daniel Day-Lewis and Juliette Binoche
JENUFA; MARKROPOLOUS; and CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN are important starting points. The Sinfonietta is spectacular. Catherine Malfitano did a sizzling Elena in MAKROPLOUS at The Met. City Opera did a lovely VIXIEN as did the Cleveland Orchestra more recently on PBS.
I imagine that contemporary opera, like contemporary art, is more accessible and more readily appreciated if we bring to it a foundation in the classical canon, such as I have been exploring since September through Opera Daily. I enjoy being introduced to opera's famous arias, singers, themes, music, poetry and anecdotes. Most of all, I love opera's ability to magnify the feelings and passions universally shared by human beings - love, lust, hatred, loneliness, fear, jealousy, happiness, sorrow, regret.
When art draws its inspiration from politics, as is the case with John Adams here with "Doctor Atomic", and in two other works I sampled - "The Death of Klinghoffer" and "Nixon in China" - it felt like Adams had taken me off the opera stage and into a news broadcast or a documentary film. I will need to hear the full operas, rather than make a judgment based on first impressions.
Meanwhile, I enjoyed Julia Bullock's performance of "Am I In Your Light" from "Doctor Atomic", because of her lovely voice and the melody. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of replaying a longer version, featuring Kitty and Robert Oppenheimer, along with superimposed lyrics (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf8Z_ciROM4).
This was enough to drive me back to earlier lessons where the declarations of love (even in translation) were extravagant and for the ages. Lyrics (or is that librettos?) matter!
It was here his soft voice called me… and then disappeared.
He swore to me he’d be faithful, this he vowed.
And then cruelly he ran away!
Ah, we are no longer together, in the joy of our sighs.
Ah, return to me my hope, or let me die.
Come my beloved, the moon is in the sky!
All is quiet around us; until dawn when the sun rises, come and rest upon my heart!
Hurry! Make haste my Arturo, return to me, dear, it’s your Elvira:
she weeps and longs for you, come my dear, my love, etc.
Forgive me for adding my two cents worth about falling in love with opera so often. I realize not everyone has the time to engage this forum, but with so much sadness in the world around us, Opera Daily has become my happy place. I hope more of your hundreds of subscribers in cyberspace will offer their two cents worth, too. We'll all be the richer for it.
I have been thinking about this period and music and your comments a lot. Also realizing that "contemporary" can mean many things and how the stories and music can differ so much. I am going to write more about in tomorrows selection because I feel like it has brought up so many feelings! (I say "feelings" because that doesn't make them right or wrong ;)...) but in the meantime, I wanted to share that I sent this thought of yours to my friend Heather the other day along with a comment:
“When art draws its inspiration from politics, as is the case with John Adams here with "Doctor Atomic", and in two other works I sampled - "The Death of Klinghoffer" and "Nixon in China" - it felt like Adams had taken me off the opera stage and into a news broadcast or a documentary film.” Heather, this is so true - I often feel like the modern stuff forces me to work too hard..that’s why I often struggle - but maybe it’s because I like my coffee black versus with milk and sugar....trying to think about why I resist it so much...and maybe I don't WANT to use the medium of opera to feel like the news today...
My thanks to you, and to Ms. Heathermezzo, for thinking about this topic. I don't wish to veer off the course you've so carefully charted. It just seems as though the vision of many "contemporary artists" (whether in music, the performing, or the fine arts) is purposely confounding, confusing, confrontational and, to my mind, unaesthetic. I'm okay with owning these feelings, or struggling to access a creator's intent or meaning, when I feel like it If I'm not looking for a Rubik's cube experience, however, I'll just keep it moving. Maybe it all comes down to "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
Absolutely not, these comments are the lifeblood of OD and exactly the course we should be on! I had been dancing around sharing the 20th and 21st century pieces for a reason - and I finally stopped dancing this week! This is an important conversation and I think will help as we work to go back and appreciate and interrogate other periods.
Having seen the premieres of NIXON IN CHINA, and KLINGHOFFER at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, they were astonishing. NIXON had a brilliant libretto by Alice Goodman in English, with a contraction of words (couplets) with repeats that embraced the form of Opera. KLINGHOFFER was also beautiful and heartfelt, but maligned by conservative audience members. John Donne's poetry enhanced Dr. ATOMIC but it was hampered by a dreary Met productions, unfortunately.
Do you see attribute the success of Nixon in China and Klinghoffer to the Sellars/Adams partnership?
Not really a big Sellars fan; Adams is more important.
Where to begin with Janacek?
Say more!
I mean, how is it best to approach his work?
He has such a unique style wow, that is a good question and one I am going to think more about. Looking forward to thoughts from others too.
I have personally never felt pulled to his work, maybe because it does take some commitment. For me, though, when you say Janacek three things come to mind - the soundtrack from the film "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" with Daniel Day-Lewis and Juliette Binoche
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjRCAqve3W_h0DUIC1v9Do7MFWUiDwHql
The Cunning Little Vixen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQvLOfbvRwE
and Katya Kabanova
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMF7CrK6kVQ
(And the Sinfonietta too)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAmuvFglu0g
JENUFA; MARKROPOLOUS; and CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN are important starting points. The Sinfonietta is spectacular. Catherine Malfitano did a sizzling Elena in MAKROPLOUS at The Met. City Opera did a lovely VIXIEN as did the Cleveland Orchestra more recently on PBS.
I imagine that contemporary opera, like contemporary art, is more accessible and more readily appreciated if we bring to it a foundation in the classical canon, such as I have been exploring since September through Opera Daily. I enjoy being introduced to opera's famous arias, singers, themes, music, poetry and anecdotes. Most of all, I love opera's ability to magnify the feelings and passions universally shared by human beings - love, lust, hatred, loneliness, fear, jealousy, happiness, sorrow, regret.
When art draws its inspiration from politics, as is the case with John Adams here with "Doctor Atomic", and in two other works I sampled - "The Death of Klinghoffer" and "Nixon in China" - it felt like Adams had taken me off the opera stage and into a news broadcast or a documentary film. I will need to hear the full operas, rather than make a judgment based on first impressions.
Meanwhile, I enjoyed Julia Bullock's performance of "Am I In Your Light" from "Doctor Atomic", because of her lovely voice and the melody. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of replaying a longer version, featuring Kitty and Robert Oppenheimer, along with superimposed lyrics (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf8Z_ciROM4).
This was enough to drive me back to earlier lessons where the declarations of love (even in translation) were extravagant and for the ages. Lyrics (or is that librettos?) matter!
Opera Daily, 7SEP2020 (Luciano Pavarotti, "M'appari, Tutt' Amor" from "Martha" by Friedrich von Flotow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypDQoiryv1Q&feature=youtu.be)
She appeared to me, purest of love.
I discovered with my eyes this vision of delight.
Lovely was she, that my hungry heart, in a snap, to her did fly;
I was hurt, I was charmed by that beauty from above.
Love is etched in my heart, and cannot now be erased.
The mere thought that our hearts with sweet love might beat as one
Is enough to forget all the sorrow that fills my heart.
Opera Daily, 30SEP2020 Joan Sutherland, "O rendetemi la speme... Qui la voce... Vien, diletto" from Vincenzo Bellini's "I Puritani. "
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypDQoiryv1Q&feature=youtu.be)
It was here his soft voice called me… and then disappeared.
He swore to me he’d be faithful, this he vowed.
And then cruelly he ran away!
Ah, we are no longer together, in the joy of our sighs.
Ah, return to me my hope, or let me die.
Come my beloved, the moon is in the sky!
All is quiet around us; until dawn when the sun rises, come and rest upon my heart!
Hurry! Make haste my Arturo, return to me, dear, it’s your Elvira:
she weeps and longs for you, come my dear, my love, etc.
Forgive me for adding my two cents worth about falling in love with opera so often. I realize not everyone has the time to engage this forum, but with so much sadness in the world around us, Opera Daily has become my happy place. I hope more of your hundreds of subscribers in cyberspace will offer their two cents worth, too. We'll all be the richer for it.
So much to think about here!!! I am going to sleep on this but I am coming back....
I have been thinking about this period and music and your comments a lot. Also realizing that "contemporary" can mean many things and how the stories and music can differ so much. I am going to write more about in tomorrows selection because I feel like it has brought up so many feelings! (I say "feelings" because that doesn't make them right or wrong ;)...) but in the meantime, I wanted to share that I sent this thought of yours to my friend Heather the other day along with a comment:
“When art draws its inspiration from politics, as is the case with John Adams here with "Doctor Atomic", and in two other works I sampled - "The Death of Klinghoffer" and "Nixon in China" - it felt like Adams had taken me off the opera stage and into a news broadcast or a documentary film.” Heather, this is so true - I often feel like the modern stuff forces me to work too hard..that’s why I often struggle - but maybe it’s because I like my coffee black versus with milk and sugar....trying to think about why I resist it so much...and maybe I don't WANT to use the medium of opera to feel like the news today...
More later.....
My thanks to you, and to Ms. Heathermezzo, for thinking about this topic. I don't wish to veer off the course you've so carefully charted. It just seems as though the vision of many "contemporary artists" (whether in music, the performing, or the fine arts) is purposely confounding, confusing, confrontational and, to my mind, unaesthetic. I'm okay with owning these feelings, or struggling to access a creator's intent or meaning, when I feel like it If I'm not looking for a Rubik's cube experience, however, I'll just keep it moving. Maybe it all comes down to "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
Absolutely not, these comments are the lifeblood of OD and exactly the course we should be on! I had been dancing around sharing the 20th and 21st century pieces for a reason - and I finally stopped dancing this week! This is an important conversation and I think will help as we work to go back and appreciate and interrogate other periods.