I have deep mixed feelings about this opera. Audiences and critics have been loving it, I am so happy, except to say, I wish they wouldn't settle. It is an attempt to bring opera to an audience, but still is full of austerity in its score (Mark-Anthony Turnage) and shock tactics in its libretto (Richard Thomas) and subject. The music does not actually reach the public, or enhance the story or characters, it is just there. It pretends to communicate. The libretto is quite clever, but takes delight in shocking its audience, offending and alienating, leaving nothing to the imagination... so much for class at the opera.
Turnage's score actually has tunes, which most audience members may even be able to hum when leaving the theater "you can dream..." But it tries its best to still prove it is "serious music" as it disables its ability and clarity by its orchestration through a thick veil of modernity, instead of choosing honesty and directness. I believe an audience will gleam a little bit of communication from the score and become satisfied saying: "finally a bit of modern music I can understand", but for me it is not enough. There is too much obfuscation going on, hiding of the substance behind a veil of manner, (as defined in an earlier post in November 2010). One striking example of this is the opening of Act 2, the main tune is played, but with an E-flat clarinet, very high, verging always sharp, scored so high it is not possible to play beautifully - it is a brutal sound and very "modern." The actual theme is very beautiful and simple however the material is twisted to make sure we know it is modern. This is also the case with all the loud sharp brass punctuations throughout the piece, making a sound that proves it is "modern music" covering the directness that the score sometimes contains.
It is wonderful when a new piece is able to strike a chord with an audience, but this piece just leaves one feeling absolutely disgusted. I am not sure that makes a great work of art. That has already been tried and done, but the real problem is the lack of empathy for the characters. In a two hours show one might be able to feel empathy for at least one character, alas, like so much of what is in fad in popular entertainment, every character is despicable and a-moral. The rich Marshall, sung exquisitely by Alan Oke, comes the closest (he actually gets to sing). Gerald Finley's finely sung, slimy Howard Stern is not meant to be endearing (shining teethe and all). Sidebar: the sweet voice of Chinese baritone Zheng Zhong Zhou as the Runner was heard for a few impressive seconds, I look forward to hearing more of him at ROH. A title character deserves a shot at empathy, and the libretto gives it to her towards the end, but the music falls short. We never get to hear Eva-Maria Westbroek really open her mouth and sing with her sizable Wagnerian chops. She is too busy barking like a dog (well, howling) and singing coloratura (which she can do but its not what is special about her voice). If that could have happened, the opera would have had a redeeming quality, but she has no aria, there is no explanation of Anna's motivations or insight into her thoughts. All we get for compensation is monotonous a-tonal music of the second act, brightly orchestrated in a sure fire way to remove all beauty - as a kiss "blown" to us all.
The first act is quite well structured, with several tunes and pastiche numbers, but it is basically exposition, the actual story does not come into its own until the second act. Act 1 is full of Shock and Awe, no heart strings found here, no greater truths. Richard Jones' inspired Walmart drones were a fantastic touch! The sleek dancers as cameras were also wonderfully creepy and told a story unto themselves. The production quality is high and carries much of the entertainment value of the work.
The audience seems to enjoy the piece, and the show with all its elements is probably a decent night out. However, great art, it is not. It is wrapped up in its mannerism, like a filthy libretto and the assertion in the score that this really is modern music.
Please go and see it and make up your mind for yourself, no doubt it will return to the ROH stage, who should be commended for taking a risk like this, but unfortunately with a shallow pay-off, instead of a great work of art, great jokes about farts...
Please go and see it and make up your mind for yourself, no doubt it will return to the ROH stage, who should be commended for taking a risk like this, but unfortunately with a shallow pay-off, instead of a great work of art, great jokes about farts...
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If you like or are intrigued by what the review says, please check out some of my first posts on the blog and join in the search for modern music that communicates to audiences without dumbing down.
-BW
Great to read thoughtful writing ! Much of the impact is the OTT staging which makes it fun as theatre. So it's a good idea to listen again to the broadcast minus the visuals. First Act pretty much a dead loss, but Second Act tries harder. This time round I was impressed by Susan Bickley (always am) as the voice of conscience. I really liked the Danny drugs aria, even more poignant as everything else was so crass. The whole story is sick, sick, sick and AN wasn't a very nice person, victim or not. So maybe the strident blasts and violence are a kind of protest. Since the opera's about real people they can't really delve too deeply or they'd get sued. This hampers what can actually said explicitly and kills psychological depth. I'm no fan of Turnage and even less of his guru Gunther Schuller, but he's an ultra repressed Brit with a love/hate thing for the US. In theory in the US you can become whatever you dream, but in practice that can mean selling out. Gosh I wish they'd dropped the phoney accents. Zheng is a first year Young Artist, highly regarded, I too hope to hear more.
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