One reason I enjoy opera is the noise and action. As an audience member I like action. If I’m at a lecture, I need a good slide show if I’m expected to stay awake. But put me in a comfortable seat, a warm room, dim lights and some beautiful music but no action, and I’m gone. That's usually okay with me and with my neighbours because I’m still, I don’t snore and I’m pretty sure I don’t drool (at least if I do the evidence has been wiped away by the time I wake).
Now, if you google Debussy’s opera Pelléas et Mélisande you will find many adjectives. I am quite keen on adjectives and I would have to concur with the following list:
subtle ~ haunting ~ mysterious ~ elusive ~ magical ~ fatalistic ~ shimmering ~ beautiful ~ fleeting ~ ethereal ~ obsessive ~ ravishing ~ elusive ~ erotic
But I would have to add one more that I feel sure I would have found before long on my search results:
sleep-inducing
Is there any solution to this, in my opinion, unstageable opera? Orchestrally, three fairly brilliant composers have taken a crack at Maeterlinck’s Symbolist play (from 1902): Schoenberg, Fauré and Sibelius; and one operatically: Debussy. I’ve given Debussy’s opera several attempts now. But it always works the same way. I listen to the first ten minutes, all shimmering, haunting, slightly-creepy music and a minimum of action and then… zonk, I’m out like a light. I’m not just dozing. I’m gone!
I won’t go into the details of the production I just saw. Okay, I’ll fess up: I don’t feel I can comment fairly because, apart from the fact that the bits I heard sounded pretty good (okay, Russel Braun was fantastic), I was asleep for about 80% of it. I don’t have sleep issues, I’m not overly tired. But this opera is one long lullaby! As for the eroticism, I caught moments of it when I woke. “Wha~? Oh. Oh!… mmmm… snooze.” Never was eroticism so vaguely out of reach, so fragile and annoyingly delicate. When the opera premiered in 1902, a Paris Conservatory professor criticized its “filthy score”. That might give a hint to a possible solution (she intoned hopefully). I’ll bet a bar of Soma’s Madagascar/Conocado chocolate that a really naughty production of Pelléas et Mélisande keeps me awake.
10 comments:
I havent heard of this one. And every now and then I can snnoze during a performance.I admit it. We said this year perhaps we will try matinees rather than a late evening midweek.
Well, I hope the 80 percent you slept it was good sleep!
You are something else. What are we to do with you? This is such a cool write-up... I can't remember the operas... but this definitely has happened to me before. My snooze time is probably more like 25-30% on occasion... it depends upon the performers...and the length of a certain aria..sometimes I've thought.. Oh, is she ever going to stop..and what on earth was the composer on the day he wrote this work anyway?...haa haa.. but for the most part opera is very entertaining and I am so impressed with the detail and dedication of the performer to his work. Good write, BPG... so funny too!
Bach
Lots of adjectives Princess G! I am no big fan of the word “Impressionism” for Debussy, but it might be good for someone like Delius (regurgitated Debussy). I can’t help but consider Debussy an extremely concrete, intra-musical thinker, rather than a painter of pictures (his postscripts to the Preludes notwithstanding). Although he is a master of ambiguity, I don’t believe that’s the same thing as being vague – for ambiguity to work, one has to be extremely clear (non-vague) in the positing of musical structures that can be read in more than one way. Debussy was a master of extended harmony, extending it to the point where all the notes of a specific scale could be used to express a certain harmony. Scales used by Debussy for this purpose included the (his!) famous whole-tone scale, the so-called harmonic major scale, the ascending melodic minor, and other more familiar diatonic modes. The easiest piece to read this way is L’Isle Joyeuse ... though this example is so clear as to be almost pedantic. The Preludes are, case-by-case, much more enticingly evasive in this regard, and clearly much more mature pieces.
I saw P&M last year with Angelika Kirchschlager as Mélisande. The production? H’m, why try to be clever-clever about this most enigmatic of operas? It’s quite capable of providing its own oblique mysteries, its own non sequiturs and cul-de-sacs; it does not need heavy handed pointers or underscoring. Some of the tricks came out of the box quite effectively – the red dresses, the sleeping beggars were good theatre. But overall, as my young friend Melissa observed, they needlessly dominated the stage, drove what limited action there is in this work way into second place, and made it difficult to concentrate on the music. It was better after the interval, but only because the absence of staging was preferable to the presence of gimmickry. As for the costumes – so embarrassing!
Rattle, after one interval, appealed to the audience to stop coughing – saying that a lot of the music was quiet and that sound travels both ways. I had it in full surround sound from at least ten of the stupid bastards, although it did tend to be in full flow at the beginning of each act, and gradually die down.
What is the matter with people? If I had to cough, I would at least try to stifle it, use a handkerchief or something.
Anyway, I like my opera to be music theatre, an experience for the eyes and ears. The ears were winners by a country mile on that occasion. Pity.
I wonder, is it ever possible (or desirable) to focus on the music and not be distracted by the costumes and scenery?
Who could resist a post with those tags?
I must say that your write up and the comments here sound much more entertaining than the opera itself must have been! At least you had a good nap! Was teddy in your purse sleeping, too?
My sentiments exactly, Blog Princess G! Good opera in my little book has to be full of interesting drama, great sets, beautiful costumes, professional acting...oh yes....and gorgeous music and top notch voices. It's a package deal. Am I being too picky? Without all the elements, it does induce sleep! ;)
Saw it opening night. I stayed awake and loved it but it's one opera that I can't help wishing they would do away with the singers - interrupts the orchestral music too much - and that coming from a singer!
Unfortunately, someone a few rows in front of us had a rather violent stomach reaction which made things quite unpleasant for those nearby. Everyone's a critic! :) :)
I'll settle for the Looney Tunes smash hit of Bugs Bunny singing to Elmer Fudd in "The Rabbit Of Seville" (1950).
A very nice rendition of Rossini's overture, I might add.
(Voted #2 of the 50 greatest cartoons of all time). Available on iTunes for a buck 99. Rabbit Seasoning also included.
"Next!"
BPG, this post was great. Your comments about no snoring and possible drool being wiped away were hysterical. I've nearly fallen asleep at a ballet performance before and have in a movie theater...Ah...this is what getting older has done for me...I used to be able to stay awake through the most boring of college lectures but I fear I couldn't do that..Goodness, I've nearly dosed in the middle of a sermon or two at church! EEK!!!!
Thank you all.
Willow: Teddy was not in my purse and I paid for that on my return home.
RAD: I'll take your word for it about poor ole Delius. I seem to attract coughers and talkers. GRRRRRRRR.
Suza: I heard about that. Blimey!
Bill: I finally saw the Bugs Bunny Barber as well as the Ring tribute - they are brilliant.
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