I will be the first to admit that I dislike modern staging of operas. I once sat through a performance of Aida at the Met that was so bad, I sat there making a list of the mistakes in the staging of said opera. Fortunately, several years later, the Met did a new production which met with my approval. (I’m an Egyptology freak – don’t insult my intelligence with a poorly staged production of Aida, at least not at the Met).
My initial reaction to the Islamic threats of violence against the Berlin Opera’s gruesome staging of Idomeneo has nothing to do with the blasted opera. A brief explanation of Idomeneo is needed. It is typical neo-classical melodrama: Prince, captive princess, runaway, war, shipwreck, rejection exile, romance, sea-serpent, happily every after. Nowhere is Neptune, whose voice is featured in the final act, decapitated. Why the heck are Mohammed, Buddha, and Christ decapitated? I am fully aware of literary license, metaphor, allegory, etc. but this is way over the top. If I would ever want to view this sort of thing I could watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre on the Sci Fi Channel, not the Berlin Opera.
After waxing poetic over on my blog about threats of intimidation, I was outraged. We must stop allowing Islamic bullies to turn our Western civilization into the equivalent of a corner bar being shaken down by the mob for payola. Then I realized perhaps the Islamic bullies who don’t approve of the Pope’s remarks and have no sense of humor about a few tasteless cartoons might actually be showing good taste here! If I were a season ticket holder, I’d be squawking bloody H – E – double toothpick. Why can’t impresarios and set designers stick to the tried and true staging practices of Franco Zeffirelli? His staging of La Boheme at the Met was a gift from the gods – an exquisite work of art.
Article comments
1 - Iloz Zoc
Now now--you would not be able to see such stuff on the Sci-Fi channel, they cut the gory parts to hell. I recommend going to DVD.
I agree with you, though. I don't understand why every so often, someone has to come along and re-imagine a perfectly good opera into something that would sit better in a totally new opera that no one would probably see.
2 - Ernst Roeder
Love you Reidhead. I read Idomeneus just now in my operabook.
No beheadings. Who gives and takes the freedom to change classical works? This author should be persuaded to learn and appreciate a good, classical story. Don't change Mozart!!!
3 - SJ Reidhead
RE: #1 Dar Iloz Zoc...
The Sci Fi Channel is removing the gory parts? That's news to me. It's nothing but a slaughter house over there. That's all they do now.
4 - david raphael israel
Since, as you note, evidently the opera production may in fact go forward, perhaps in time we'll have an opportunity to find out (via reviews, interviews, and whatnot) what the opera director's idea with the triple-Salome may be. I would not, off hand, assume there was no thought and no purpose to it. I'm not currently versed in the opera; but to presume the director has no ideas behind the novelty, seems questionable as a kneejerk assumption. Certainly some of Peter Sellers' stagings of Mozard sound to have been interesting perhaps beyond the point of idly provocative (though they elicited a wide range of responses). It will be a matter of interest to hear the other side of the story on this one too.
cheers,
d.i.