 A Letter to a Music / Opera Critic
A LETTER TO A MUSIC / OPERA CRITIC
(The following letter was written two years ago to a former music critic with a local newspaper regarding some astonishingly uninformed critiques that appeared over a period of time regarding a few Baroque opera productions at some locations near to us. One written line in particular sounded as though it had been written by a very young person who was somewhat embarrassed by the idea of high male voices. My letter was composed not immediately after his published reviews but, rather, at some time later when he solicited comments from the public. I also sent a similar letter to another publication’s music critic at a time when he, too, invited comments. I had little hope at that time that my input would have much effect, if any; however, I welcomed the opportunity to express my observations. I actually had met and talked with the critic in question. He seems to have a relatively good grasp of music in general; however, he seemed almost frightened to address the topic of Baroque opera. My conclusion was that he appeared less sure of himself with that music genre. I hoped that my letter would, at least be “food for thought.” As for the unfortunate production of “Giulio Cesare,” the perpetrators since have moved on.)
Dear Mr. xxxxxxxxxxx,
[Responding to your invitation to comment upon Opera Colorado’s productions]
Thank you for this opportunity to “get my two cents in” regarding Opera Colorado. More specifically, I wish to refer to the one opera production, “Giulio Cesare”, that represented today’s least understood and too often poorly performed genre, Baroque opera.
I would guess that most opera audiences, and quite possibly most music critics, know far less about Baroque opera, and the voices required, than they do for any other genre. Their formal music training or personal exposure regarding Baroque opera understandably has been quite limited. The genre was neglected for many decades because of a change in fashion and, especially, the difficulty in finding suitable voices. 80% of all operas were written before the year 1800, and 70% percent of the roles, especially the lead roles, were written for castrati, obviously a practice long shunned. In the past, audiences and critics alike, therefore, have experienced few Baroque operas, and the castrato roles substituted either tenors or baritones, which defeats the composers’ original intentions, or women, whose voices often lack the purity, clarity, power, and precision required. In addition, staging and acting often suffer with female substitutions whose appearance distracts from the performances.
What has become encouraging in recent operatic history is that newer methods of training alto, falsetto countertenors has improved to the point that better singers are being produced in sufficient numbers to be cast in major, male alto roles, not merely secondary roles. With the growing interest in hearing Baroque operas, directors should be making greater effort to abandon the old practice of “any voice will do so long as it can reach the higher notes.” With some notable exceptions today, many female voices have a very pronounced vibrato in contrast to the voci-bianche purity of the male Baroque voice. Equally disturbing is the tendency for some years toward a far more loose technique, sliding upward into higher notes and other technical habits that are far less precise than required for Baroque opera. Whether for female or male roles, there fortunately are a few sopranos today either whose natural voices are more clear and strong and/or who have received specialized, Baroque vocal training similar to that of countertenors. This commendable trend is in marked contrast to the misbegotten belief expressed in an article in the August issue of “Opera News” that implied that “any old voice will do, no specialized training nor understanding required.”
I have spoken with Pat Pearson, General and Artistic Director of the Central City Opera, and I applaud him for his efforts toward achieving excellence and authenticity. When he cast the role of Nerone in Monteverdi’s “Coronation,” he at first attempted to hire a rare male soprano, who unfortunately was booked already elsewhere. His second attempt was to engage an excellent quality countertenor who had sung the role before but who declined, not wishing to attempt again some of the higher notes (although young Philippe Jaroussky and some other countertenors now appear to have the necessary tessitura.) Only then did Pat acquire a woman whose voice and acting were far more successful than most similar substitutions. Ironically, critiques of that production appeared to miss the vocal successes and to concentrate more upon the staging which, in contrast to Opera Colorado, was not nearly so outrageous as “Giulio Cesare.”
In contrast to Central City Opera, Opera Colorado appears not to have made any attempt to hire one of the several high-quality countertenors for the lead, male-alto role. Yes, Stephanie Blythe has a reputation for frequently having sung Handel, and she did quite well in a female role in “Rodelinda” at the Met. In "Giulio Cesare," her voice was acceptable but not nearly so satisfying to the trained ear. The visual aspect on stage was even more disappointing, along with the ridiculous costumes and staging. Sextus, the teenage son of the slain king is supposed to have “fire in his belly,” and he desires vengeance. The female cast in that role was suitable for the role of a young girl in a Mozart opera. She did not have the male timbre nor vocal power and clarity for that role.
While we are at it, I should like to mention that the two lead female roles were sung well. What reviewer (not your publication), however, implied that the countertenor in the role of Ptolemny did not have to sing well because his character was unlikable?
Then, let us come to the staging of this production. Yes, I understand that artistic directors feel compelled to be “original;” however, the trend for some years appears to have been to be “pushing the envelope” to the point of severely detracting from the production. Placing “Giulio Cesare” in 1930s Hollywood was an extreme example. How ridiculous was Stephanie Blythe in a red, general’s uniform and Cleopatra as a 1930s movie star? Did anyone fondly keep the fake army tank as a memento of the opera? And, I certainly did not enjoy having to shield my eyes from the “movie” spotlights throughout the opera. At the conclusion (which came none too soon), I felt that I had been robbed of my time as well as my money. As an antidote, I immediately felt compelled to order the DVD of the 1994 Sydney production with the more satisfying Graham Pushee and with far more pleasing staging. Recently, I also acquired the Copenhagen production with the wonderful countertenor Andreas Scholl in the lead role, an A+ vocal performance throughout.
American audiences have kind hearts, if not in-depth understanding of Baroque opera, and they are very prone to standing ovations for just about anything. I am sure that people might say, “Well, I liked it. Most people liked it.” Probably, most people have not learned the difference in sound between a Chinese-made, baby-grand piano and a Bosendorfer concert grand (I assume that you have, now that Opera Colorado has acquired several pianos of that make.) But for those of us who are blessed (or cursed ) with acute hearing and musical understanding, I would hope that the new staff will have greater understanding and that any future Baroque productions at Opera Colorado are cast and produced with greater care and success.
Sincerely yours,
S.F. K., Denver.  |
