Classical Music: Shock and awe at CCM

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Shock and awe at CCM

I saw a preview performance of the new opera Miss Lonelyhearts at CCM last night. Here's the review. What did you think?

11 Comments:

at 2/07/2008 05:57:00 PM

Anonymous said...

Miss Lonelyhearts, the opera, worked for me on several levels (I can't say anything about the novella, not having read it), although I felt that most (or maybe even all) of the characters lacked depth. I was unable to form a steady emotional connection to anyone in the opera; I would say what I felt most consistently was pity for people who seem to be human no longer. But what a wonderful score! That alone was worth the price of admission. The singers and staging were especially effective too.

I haven't seen a dozen operas yet in my life, but there seems to me that modern opera has a penchant for philosophizing much more than Classical and Romantic-era operas. Is it not okay for an opera simply to be entertaining anymore?

Not that Lonelyhearts was bad; I've spent hours pondering its intellectual depth.

--Austin

at 2/07/2008 07:23:00 PM

Anonymous said...

I was there..

The score and the orchestra were terrific!!

All that happened on the stage was swill (pig slop) to me....

I did not think the singing was any good. The only character that acted and sang well was Doyle, unfortunately, his part was short.

I stayed to the end..

and, they changed the ending... Quite brazen, if you ask me,

hey, they are doing an opera of a classic novel, and they take liberty to change the ending.

well, then you really did not see an opera of the original material!!

This show tries to manipulate your feelings with their ending. Quite different from the book.

Oh well, glad I will never have to see this one again.

As I left, on the elevator to the garage, an older woman spoke up to the strangers and said, "Guess you will never see this one at the Metropolitan"

So aptly said.

Why does the university waste time on this swill, teach the students the classics.

at 2/08/2008 07:55:00 AM

Anonymous said...

Doesnt anyone at CCM think that it is important for the orchestral and opera students to have the experience of performing the Basics of Opera like Mozart, Verdi and Puccini? Why the slop of Miss Lonelyhearts instead? I believe that the orchestra and cast is made up of mostly grad students who are there for only two years. There arent that many chances to stage a full opera at any college. What a waste of time and energy. Does anyone there think that the repertoire from "Miss Lonelyhearts" is going to be on a casting audition for the met? or on the audition list for the orchestra? Leave "cutting edge" to opera company. Stick to the basics.

at 2/08/2008 04:48:00 PM

Anonymous said...

I saw the opera. It was interesting. I do think that it was bold of CCM to do this piece with its uncomfortable sexuality, racial and religious slurs, and depressing story line. But, it is pretty great that we can have options to see different works like this. CCM did a Mozart opera last quarter, by the way. These students need to have experiences, where they are pushed out of their comfort zones, musically and dramatically. The students did an excellent job, although possibly the music did not suit their individual voices perfectly. The orchestra (although it sounded very good) at times seemed a bit overpowering, or maybe it was just balance problems with the microphones. Thanks to CCM for doing something different. Although the story was odd, and I wasn't a huge fan of the music, it is wonderful to experience new and unusual works. Who cares if it doesn't go to the Met???

at 2/09/2008 11:15:00 AM

Anonymous said...

I thought this was a challenging and interesting evening at the opera. I enjoyed the score quite a bit and although not all the imagery or lyrics were in my comfort zone, nothing seemed gratuitous. It was sad to hear so many comments from people in the lobby prior to the start of the performance indicating a negative attitude and expressing a willingness to walk out on the basis of what they read about the production. What a set-up for these young performers! Who can deny the timeless artistry of the classic scores, but this is Art, folks. If you just want to hear beautifully executed performances of the classics, stay home and listen to your gramophone. Kudos to CCM and the other institutions for providing their young artists an opportunity to create something new.

at 2/09/2008 11:32:00 AM

Wes said...

Y'know, if CCM exists just to "[s]tick to the basics," then clearly I should go burn the degree I earned from there (MM, composition, 1996). After all, what reason do I have to compose if major colleges and universities don't teach people how to perform new music?

Heaven forbid anyone present anything new or challenging. Is Miss Lonelyhearts going to make it into the repertoire? Most likely not (a shame, if you ask me, but that's the breaks). But if you look at the history of music (and opera in particular), very few pieces of music survive their first few performances. More operas are lost to time and history than are in the repertoire.

So yeah, good on CCM for going out there and trying something different. Miss Lonelyhearts may never achieve the status of Die Zauberflöte or Tosca, but it is what it is and should be given a suitable launch.

WF

at 2/10/2008 05:02:00 PM

Anonymous said...

Generally it worked for us and we do think that CCM should be presenting cutting edge stuff. We were not particulaly shocked - life is tough and this was not "swill". Surprised that neither you or your "commenters" have mentioned the religious aspect of the piece especially since they lowered 3 Christ figures the last being so large it could hardly have been overlooked. Surely Lonelyheart saw himself in the role of "taking away the sins of the world" but was powerless to act and was beset by guilt and cynicism of all (except one) those around him.

at 2/11/2008 10:25:00 AM

Anonymous said...

I don't know when various forms of crotch manipulation became "art," (perhaps the "influence" of The Vagina Monologues?), but I thought this production was generally over-wrought, over-tortured, over-acclaimed psychopathology. The music was to me generally flat and lifeless and thoroughly pedestrian, though well-performed. I left after Act 1, not because I was offended, just completely bored. Honestly, I felt sorry for the actors, who had to work so hard to create the impression that they were contributing something important to the culture. No doubt this will add some substance to many a resume, but beyond that - ?

--John I.

at 2/11/2008 06:04:00 PM

Janelle Gelfand said...

Dear Richard, In fact I did mention the religious overtones in my review, which was cut by editors for the print edition (but you can click above to see it in full). Here's what I wrote:

The opera's creators closely follow the novel, offering a few changes, such as a more violent ending. Miss Lonelyhearts' struggle with religion is all-pervasive, with looming figures of Christ that grow larger with each personal crisis. The opera opens with Shrike's prayer, "Soul of Miss L., glorify me," which Shrike sings wearing a cardinal's red robes.

...I think you captured very succinctly what all that symbolizes.

at 2/14/2008 04:22:00 PM

Anonymous said...

This is the kind of tripe we had to put up with when Nic Muni was with Cincinnati Opera.
Let's not wish this trend on CCM.

This production has his fingerprints all over it...

at 2/21/2008 09:14:00 PM

Anonymous said...

As a member of the team who worked on Miss Lonelyhearts I would like to thank all of you for your comments. The banter that has come up on this blog reminds me why I do theater that is intense and controversial.

Also, I would like to say that Nic Muni had nothing to do with this production in particular.

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Thursday, February 07, 2008

Shock and awe at CCM

11 Comments: