Sometimes a person has to be hit over the head before he/she/it realizes the opportunity in front of them. All to often I am that person.
There is an odd disconnect in this hemisphere between the orchestral world and the opera world. If you make your living conducting operas then you are labeled an opera conductor and usually ignored by the symphony orchestras out there. Vice versa. This is somewhat frustrating for those of us who were trained to do both and would actually like to. I make my living conducting symphony orchestras but there are several operas I would really like to work on. The late Mozarts are on that list (with a special nod to Magic Flute, my favorite), as are operas by Britten, Stravinsky, Poulenc. But I realize my opportunities are going to be few and far between. There’s that Catch 22 – opera companies ask what experience you’ve had, but it’s hard to get experience when they don’t let you conduct, but what experience do you have? etc. etc. etc…………
Other reasons – in Europe there is a much more established repetiteur tradition. Twelve years ago I worked at the StaatsOper in Berlin on a new production of Fidelio. Having never been there before I didn’t really know what to expect but I knew enough to show up with the entire piano/vocal score under my fingers, especially since the conductor for that run was Daniel Barenboim. Being a repetiteur in that tradition is the first step to getting into the pit. Usually towards the end of a run, when almost nothing could possibly go wrong, the house will throw you a matinee performance. Here’s your opportunity – don’t screw up. But that doesn’t happen much in this hemisphere, more’s the pity. With all these obstacles (plus others) I have resigned myself to not spending a lot of time in the pit.
But a couple of years ago I got a phone call from my manager. Seems some opera company in France was interested in putting together a Porgy & Bess. Funny enough, this opera was not on my wish list. Despite my deep love for Gershwin and the fact that one can hardly avoid a couple of the big arias I really didn’t know the piece well. I was also near the beginning of my tenure in Edmonton, the opera would be a major commitment in time, I wouldn’t see my family for weeks, etc. etc. I thought about it then reluctantly said “Thanks, but no thanks.”
Well, I’ll give them this much – the French are persistent. A few days later my manager received a phone call from the head of the opera in Lyon. They were not going to take “no” for an answer and they started talking about other possibilities – recording, DVD, documentary, revival. I realized some other things – Lyon is the 2nd largest city in France so this is no 3rd-rate company. As far as I could tell this was the first new P&B that Europe would have seen in quite a while. Other considerations too numerous to go into. But the question remained – “why me?” The response was that they had decided that they wanted an American to conduct and they were going to go to great lengths to make that happen.
Well, I’m an American. Furthermore, in case you missed the photo, I’m black. I’m sure that had something to do with Lyon’s phone call but that particular topic has been politely glossed over. Gershwin insisted that the cast for P&B had to be black, but he said nothing about anyone else. No matter, I’ve decided to let that one slide. But it was the “we want an American” that intrigued me. I come down on both sides of the argument when it comes to the argument that a countryman knows his music best. As a pianist I’ve made a special study of Mozart and Brahms even though I’m not of Austrian descent. They just fit in my hands well and I love their music. Funny enough but over the past 7-8 years I have conducted a lot of French music, especially the stuff written from 1910-1930. Something about it just tickles my fancy. At the same time I do think I have a special affinity for Bernstein, Gershwin, Copland, Ellington and their American contemporaries. It’s not necessarily that I understand their music any better than a non-American would, but I have grown up in their society. There is a sociological connection there. When I hear the music that accompanies the words “New York, New York! It’s a helluva town! The Bronx is up and the Battery’s Down!” it’s like I’m back in NYC imagining how it would have looked and felt like in the mid-40s. It just speaks to me. On some level it just makes sense.
Suddenly the idea of bringing Porgy & Bess to life had become very tempting indeed. I know the opera has “issues.” Hell, every opera has “issues.” But those can be overcome, right? There are ways around these problems, yes? How hard could it be?
Next post: How hard it can be to make sense out of Porgy and Bess.
My girlfriend and I attended the performance on Saturday Feb 23rd and as usual we were enthralled. For us the highlight of the evening was the West Side Story set but that is not to diminish the rest of the show in any way. At one point you mentioned that you would be conducting in Lyons, France at the end of May. Well it just so happens that we will be there during that period and would like to know more about the performance with the possibility of attanding. We would be very proud Edmontonians to support you so far from home.
I was also at the performance on Saturday and it was a TERRIFIC program and performance. Bill’s fun to watch conduct (bum waggling and all), but always to musical effect.
I knew the Bernstein and Gershwin, but not the Ellington/Strayhorn/orch. Tyzik Tchaik Nutcracker, which was wonderful.
Allan Gilliland’s new piece was great (Bill played wonderfully, too, and played/conducted from memory). I know Allan and commissioned a piece from him for my choir in Edmonton several years ago, which was good, but have to say, I think Allan has found the perfect composition niche, given his background in jazz.
The trumpet player Bill spoke of in his audition post was playing with the orchestra and also did an excellent job–and not an easy night of playing!
All around, wonderful concept, great programming, and marvelous performance.
Good morning Bill,
It was a pleasure meeting you at the little soiree after the February 23rd concert. It was also nice to get a chance to chat with some of the orchestra members. I was also particularly impressed with the quickness of the food disappearing, but then again, if I were to have played a two hour concert in white tie and tails, I suspect I would be hungry as well. For those interested in the Ellington version of the Nutcracker Suite, you may wish to tell them that it can be found on the CD called “Three Suites”.
The Lyon Opera sounds intriguing, and according to my schedule, I might be able to make it for either the 30th or the 1st.
I took my mother to the lighter classics show on Thursday, and she enjoyed the performance very much. It was good to hear the Rhapsody GEB again, though it sounded different from the right side of the Winspear than from where I sat in the middle at the Masters concert. Madame Sheri was a very good singer, though it is different to hear all those songs sung in a soprano voice, compared to what I perceive to be a alto/baritone voices?