As Andrew, Evan, and I stroll in with our over-flowing tub of large, unbuttered popcorn, we have our pick of seats. On the screen, we watch as opera-goers stroll into the MET Opera theatre in New York City, finding their assigned places. They settle in, dressed to the nines, while we in our jeans and tennis shoes start munching on our snacks. We read about the upcoming show on a xeroxed 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper while they page through their ad-filled, four-color programs, perhaps searching for their names listed under the patron section.
The show we were about to see was not live...the live streaming of select MET operas are on Saturdays at 12:55 (mostly), so we prefer to catch the Wednesday evening "encore" performances. It would be a bit more exciting to know you were viewing it live, but it's not worth the trade-off of having to give up my Saturday afternoons! Tonight's opera is "Satyagraha", the Sanskrit word for the peaceful social actions Ghandi employed. This work focuses on his time in South Africa. The score is written by Philip Glass, a contemporary composer knows as a minimalist, although he prefers to be thought of as a composer of "music with repetitive structures" (see Philip Glass link to his bio).
The libretto (words sung) is extracted from the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text, which the boys and I read aloud together two years ago. It is an incredibly rich, thought-provoking text which deals with the morality of war and duty. How exciting for us to revisit the text under such different circumstances, presented with the modern context!
However, my excitement at the outset of the performance doesn't come close to my excitement upon leaving the theatre. This was, hands-down, the BEST show I have seen in my life. That doesn't mean it would be for everyone...but it struck me on many levels, and resonated with me like no other performance. THIS is the whole reason we seek and enjoy art. But opera has the potential to reach heights no other art can attempt--the sum is so much greater than its parts. The music was trance-like and meditative. The stage production was phenomenal, with its brilliant use of two-story puppets, glorious costumes and make-up, and multi-level action on the set. The acting of Richard Croft as Ghandi was among the best acting I've ever seen--there could've been a camera on his face the entire time, and I wouldn't have gotten bored watching his face for the slight variations which expressed the gamut of emotion that Ghandi himself must've experienced (in an interview during the first intermission, Mr. Croft admitted that he read every book on Ghandi he could get his hands on to prepare for the role. It showed!) This great acting was no small feat, either--he was onstage for nearly every orchestral note, and there were many times where his expression had to carry the visual interest for long, repetitive, simple sections of the score with no vocals. (As Evan said to me at one point, "It's not what he's doing, but what he doesn't do!" Well-said). Although there was no dancing in the traditional sense, the movement of the Skills Ensemble (part of the Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch director/designer team) was brilliant...perfectly balanced, and although every gesture was probably intentional and planned, it looked very natural and random.
As with colors, or food, or musical notes, elements can come together and create total disaster or complete wonder. The same is true when creating opera, a mix of music, visual art, dance, and acting. This opera, in particular, was tricky because the music is very difficult at best. Delicious and delightful, but difficult. It could've been trumped by an overly-magnificent spectacle, and completely flopped for me. It's beyond my ability to express how perfectly this work came together. I am SO sorry there will not be another opportunity for you to see it, except perhaps on a PBS broadcast.
If you do watch for this opera to somehow make its way to you, please know that opera is not like traveling Broadway shows. Each production is created anew with its component parts--the conductor, director, designer, actors, could all be different. Or, you could see the exact same show, and have a totally different reaction...
But my reason for writing this post is this--in this small-town, in this small theatre, I was able to experience a grand artistic event. Outside of my family, only four other tickets were sold. I don't feel confident that these opportunities will continue to come around, and I'm not here to convince you that you'd love it...but I do want to raise awareness for you closet opera lovers!
And if you're thinking that these performances will take away from the ticket sales of the Detroit Opera House, a fabulous organization, I say that any endeavor which will grow the interest in this rare art will benefit all in the long-run. There's nothing like sitting before a live performance, that's true. But my love for the radio and my CDs doesn't diminish my desire to attend a live concert, so I draw a parallel with opera as well.
This Saturday, April 9th, you can go to the Goodrich Oxford 7 and see a live streaming of "Faust" from the MET. Showtime is 12:55. Wish I could say, "See you there!", but I'll have to hope I can make the encore presentation when it comes around...
Spread the word!
I should add that ticket prices for the operas are more than a regular movie ticket. $16 for adults, and $13.50 for shorties.
ReplyDelete