The Arts in New York City
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As a dancer, I must say that I was looking forward to this performance for quite some time. Although I am an avid hip-hop or street jazz dancer that occasionally tiptoes in ballroom, I was very excited to see a new style of dance, most notably a modern or contemporary piece!
As I walked into the BAM theatre, I must say that I was very pleased. It was a very different sight from the night before of extravagant city life at the Met. Here, in downtown Brooklyn, there was definitely a different vibe that exuded not only through the neighborhood, but through the crowd that entered. In addition to the more intimate mood placed upon the smaller venue with a smoke filled ambiance, the crowd was definitely not as dressed up or aristocratic as the night before. Instead of elite socialites, we had the “yuppies” with tattoos, eclectic hairstyles, and young urban working class that came out to enjoy the night. It was definitely a breathe of fresh air.
Now back to the good stuff – the movement, the art, the dance.
The rock and roll atmosphere set upon the venue by loud guitar strums and crazy acoustics threw me off a bit as the show began. At first, I couldn’t help but think if I was in the wrong place. But then the dancing began…
Right from the get go, I knew I was going to be in for an interesting night to say the least as I knew that all these types of dances were going to be different from what I was used to. The movement and style of these dancers were so crazy and hectic, but in a good way! This new profound movement of jittering and random motion almost felt tribal and rustic. The almost purging movement of hands reminded me of a sacrificing ceremony almost with a hint of jazz. I also appreciated the different shapes that the dance company offered to the audience. Usually in dance, judges and critics emphasize on lines but the choreographer did an amazing job in incorporating a different geometrical outlook.
Besides the actual movement, I thought that the musicality that the dancers were moving to was very similar to street styles. A lot of the movements accentuated the loud percussions and the way in which the strings were manipulated was illustrated through the fluid but staccato like accents. Overall, I thought the whole dance was quite enjoyable. Although different from the norm that I am used to, the crazy Dionysian art that exuberated through the opera house was something new and tantalizing. It wasn’t the ordinary modern or contemporary moves with fragile emotions. Instead, Political Mother went beyond that and gave us an emotion filled show.
Personally, throughout the show, I was wondering what the whole concept was all about. Not even in the small pamphlets could you find a small synopsis. I must admit that some type of information would have probably added to my appreciation for the show already. Instead, I was left wondering throughout the whole show, which at the same time could be a good thing. After all, art is subjective; the best part about it is that you can either take it for what it is, or simply interpret it into something more. I feel that for this performance, I was able to take it for what it was and truly appreciate the movement and ability of the dancers instead of understanding it.
Overall, I thought this energetic and eclectic piece was a wonderful production that made me look at the concept of dance in a whole new way. If you wanted something new besides the typical So You Think You Can Dance or Dancing With the Stars movement, then this would have definitely been something to watch. It’s full of crazy movements, energy, and sound that won’t disappoint.
Spellbeamed. Yes, I was definitely spellbeamed to another time and place. Why do I say that? Well, this performance was certainly very peculiar and bizarre, if those words could accurately describe what I saw and heard.
All I really knew going in to this performance was that this was an avant-garde type of performance. This perhaps was not the first of this kind of performance, but it was my first time experiencing such a strange production. I have never heard of such sounds and noises being made by anyone before. This being said, I actually enjoyed it to an extent. Granted there were dissonant moments, but there were also some cool things that the performers did.
I must say the whole thing did strike me as strange but at the same time I thought it was really interesting. In the first part, two women, Shayna Dunkelman and Zeena Parkins, were dressed in white coats and white gloves that made it seem like they were researchers or archeologists looking and examining the items in front of them. Some of the items in front of them were a brush, horsehair, and ribbon. Ms. Parkins proceeded to pass items to Ms. Dunkelman, who “played” each item on a harp laying on its side. I liked the different sounds each object made; the “artifacts” made interesting and unexpected sounds as they were “played” on the harp. While this was going on, a woman, Ms. Joan La Barbara, portraying the dead Walter Benjamin using a voice modifier, was reciting one of his essays. It was hard to understand what she was saying; I only heard bits and pieces like the words “bookkeeper” and “collector.” At times I found it difficult to focus on one woman, but all in all, I thought it was a really cool piece of work.
The performance then proceeded to the stage, where there were musicians from Ne(x)tworks Ensemble and JACK Quartet who played violins, trombone, and harp, just to name a few instruments. These players played both traditional notated music as well as music in the form of pictures. As pictures came up on the screen, each player interpreted them and produced different sounds. Some of the images were paper clips, coins, and a bus. They all were very expressive, intense, and powerful in their playing and movements as they played their music. I give them credit for being able to play in what others may call the “wrong way” because often times when one knows how to play the “right way” it makes it harder to play anyway else.
Some sounds that the musicians produced were dissonant; other sounds were really, really strange. At times I felt a bit overwhelmed by how many different sounds being made at once on stage, but there were also times where I felt I could enjoy the music. The part I really enjoyed was when I saw the piano player, Stephen Gosling, interpret into music a black dot that came on the screen. He played the piano with such power and intensity. I could barely see his hands. I thought that was amazing; I wished I could play like that. The part of the performance I found to be really strange and haunting were the noises coming from Ms. La Barbara’s voice. She seemed to be making sounds I never knew were humanly possible; I don’t know how she made them. Other noises that were produced sounded like when bombs drop in cartoons and the turbines of a plane. It felt so real; I felt like I should be on a plane and taking off.
The use of pictures as music during the performance was interesting. It actually got me thinking about how pictures could have been used as notes. Ancient civilizations, like Egypt, used pictures, hieroglyphics, as written language, why not use pictures as notes? It seems odd to do that now because we have become accustomed to seeing music as 5 lines with black round circles on them, but pictures could have been used as a representation of music; pictures could have been just as valid, perhaps not for use as musical notation now, but maybe it was back in ancient times.
Although many people did not like the performance, I enjoyed watching them play music in a different way. I do agree that it was weird, strange, peculiar, any other type of word along those lines that you could think of, but it was definitely interesting. I certainly don’t think I’ll be forgetting it anytime soon.
As difficult as it was to find the venue for “Political Mother,” the dance itself was even more difficult to interpret. “Political Mother, “created by Hofesh Shechter, could be understood in a multitude of different ways, from a hundred different perspectives. That is, I guess, what is so bewitching about dance. As opposed to a film or an opera, there is no clear-cut interpretation of this particular form of art, and one can perceive a dance in any way one wishes. Although “Political Mother” is as open to interpretation as any other dance, I’d like to suggest an interpretation that, for me, was able to cut through some of the ambiguity.
Sitting in the nosebleed seats, looking out into a theater hugged by a thin, transparent layer of fog, the dancers seemed a world away. As my mind wandered, I began to attempt at making connections between what was happening onstage and the title of the performance. The ranting dictator that yelled incoherently at the top of his lungs was frighteningly reminiscent of Hitler and the lights lining either side of the stage were eerily similar to the spotlights used to keep guard in concentration camps throughout Europe. A few scenes had 5 or 6 shabbily dressed dancers parading themselves in front of mostly still performers, dressed in the dark-green uniform of a Nazi officer and much of the music, aside from the electric guitar, reminded me of the Jewish songs played in every Holocaust movie I’ve ever seen. And that is exactly what I thought “Political Mother” was commenting on, the Holocaust; a political event (if it can be called that) which correlated with the events on stage. It seemed to me that the performance was a commentary on how the chaos following World War I and the dissemination of anti-Semitic propaganda throughout Germany led to the unspeakable tragedy that was the murder of 6 million Jews. In addition, the background of the dance’s creator supports this. Hofesh Shechter was born in Jerusalem in 1975. He is Jewish and has previously made Jewish-themed works such as “The Fools,” which is highly suggestive of Jewish life in the shtetl (the towns Jews were forced to live in during 19th century Russia), and “Ten Plagues,” which is self-explanatory.
Aside from this understanding of the dance, which kept running through my head over and over, I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. I know this sounds self-absorbed, but here are some of my thoughts:
Even though not being able to see the faces of the dancers bothered me at first, I soon realized how irrelevant their faces were in comparison with their movements.
After the first act, which concluded with the corpse of a suicidal samurai laying prone on the stage, and left me thoroughly confused, the performance only improved. I thought it was funny how after the samurai stabbed himself in the stomach, the only thought I had was, “Oh no, not another ‘Spellbeamed.’”
Often, I marveled at the ridiculous body control of the dancers. They switched seamlessly from harsh, tense movements to languid motions that made it seem as if they were gliding. I never thought movements like those were possible.
“Political Mother” lent me a short-lived appreciation for silence. After sitting through the blaring of an extremely loud, though well-played, electric guitar for about an hour and a half, once the dance ended, I couldn’t help but enjoy the silence that followed.
Political Mother. Quite an unusual name if you ask me. Then again, the entire performance was quite unusual. Upon entering the theater, you enter a dense cloud of smoke that spreads throughout the whole building. Your visibility is limited and it feels like you’re in a monster movie in the scene before the monster appears. The auditorium is somewhat dark and we take our seats.
The theater suddenly becomes pitch black and a single spot light appears. A samurai draws out his sword and the audience becomes silent and their attention is locked onto the lone samurai. Nobody could have predicted what was going to happen next. Seppuku, the Japanese ritual of suicide by disembowelment. The audience was transfixed upon the writhing samurai.
The stage went dark again and the music began to play. The music changed abruptly from a calm and serene tune to a rock hard score. Another spotlight turned on and this time there were two dancers on stage. With the music blaring, the audience anxiously awaited for the dancers to begin. The two dancers performed some rather unusual movements and the spotlight dimmed again.
When the spotlight turned on again there was a group of dancers. What was interesting about the way the group danced was the unpredictability of it. Usually performances have a strict rhythm and pattern of movement. However, this was different. At certain times the group would dance together. At specific moments a dancer or a few dancers would break apart from the group and perform their own movements. Amazingly both sets of dancing would seem inharmonious with each other but they would come together in the end both literally and figuratively.
The music was also done live by guitarists and drummers that were hidden in the darkness backstage. They would occasionally be brought to light by the spotlight and seen by the audience. The changes in music from a peaceful melody to a rock score and back constantly kept the audience hypnotized. Various dance moves were seen though out the entire performance, and one was even brought up in class by my professor.
The title of the performance was Political Mother. During the whole performance, the audience members were trying to connect the performance to the title. Out of the darkness came the words, “Where there is pressure, there is-” The audience anxiously awaited the final word as they were trying to figure it out themselves like a game of Wheel of Fortune. I admit I thought the word would be revolution.
The word turned out to be, “folkdance.” I certainly wasn’t expecting that. All in all, Political Mother was an excellent performance that grabbed your attention from the very beginning and held it until the end.
Having a ticket for your first opera performance at the Metropolitan Opera House with a seat in row K, you would think that your seat would be in the middle of the theater. Wrong. After climbing several flights of stairs an usher pointed out our seats, which happened to be in the very last row of the theater at a height that seemed to put the height of Felix Baumgartner’s, “space jump, to shame. Being dressed in jeans and a hoodie in an entire theater of formally dressed people wasn’t going to stop me from enjoying my first opera performance. 
The beautiful chandeliers began to rise signaling the beginning of the performance. A single spotlight began to shine on the protagonist, Nemorino played by Matthew Polezani, as he walked across the foreground of the stage. Behind him appeared what to be an animated movie of a simple town with the townsfolk going about their daily business projected on a curtain. Imagine my surprise when the clear curtain began to rise revealing an incredibly elaborately constructed set with actual actors moving about.
The high seats that we were in are commonly known as the, “nose-bleed seats.” I feel that I must tell you that that is a misnomer. Those seats should be called, “aural seats.” The moment that the performers began singing, each and every note was as crisp and clear as if the performers were singing right in front of you. From the first note of Nemorino’s first song, I was hooked. I could not tear my attention from the stage. I was too focused on the performance to look at the subtitles.
Adina, played by Anna Netrebko, got her share of the spotlight as well. Adina is the main love interest of Nemorino who is asked by Belcore for her hand in marriage. Adina comes from and upper class family while Nemorino is a commoner. However, I must say that the show was defiantly stolen by the crowd favorite, Dulcamara. This comedic character stole the show with his arrogance and misconceptions. His singing was also second to none.
What really impressed me was the amount of work that must have been put into producing this opera. Aside from the main performers singing and the building of the set, the choreography of all the background actors that successfully made the set appear like a realistic town must have been a difficult feat to accomplish.
L’ Elisir D’ Amore will always have a special place in my heart as being the very first opera that I have ever attended. It was an amazing experience, from the traumatizing heights of my seat, to the smooth coating of velvet of the entire theater, to the extravagant performance of the actors.
Considering the fact that I’ve never been to any opera, or show of such sort, I must say that my first experience will forever be a grand memory. From the high-class red velvet arena of classical Italian melodies to chandeliers that have more crystal and shimmer than Lady Gaga’s normal wardrobe, L’Esir d’Amore definitely made lasting impression and has changed my opinion of boring binocular viewed operas.
Even before the entering the venue, the whole essence of New York City and the arts came to life right before my eyes as the fountain, in contrast to the dark city sky, indicated a magical night. I couldn’t help but snap a quick default picture for Instagram. As I continued into the Met, I must admit that I felt out of place. In the midst of tuxedos and red velvet everything, I thought I was in an episode of Gossip Girl. To top that off, my class was practically in the last row in the family circle. I could touch the wooden ceiling…literally.
However, as the Gaga-esque chandeliers raised and the crowd grew silent, all these thoughts of foreignism went away.
I was immediately drawn by Nemorino’s strangely hypnotizing voice. Played by Matthew Polezani, Nemorino’s lonely but relatable character belts out his heart and soul into every scene with either pity, comedic relief, or as in one memorable scene, heart wrenching sorrow that was just asking the audience to hug him (Which actually got him a round of applause). Throughout the play, his character drew me in even more as his versatility between his acting and singing combined into a perfect performance.
In addition to Nemorino, his female counter part, Adina, portrayed by Anna Netrebko, plays an equally powerful counterpart with an octave range similar to that of Mariah Carey, something that I would think was impossible. At first, I was dismissive of Adina’s character due to her elitist attitude in choosing her suitor. However, her character grew on me as she became somewhat relatable to people when she learned of her jealous heart for Nemorino. Her humility in the play gained my respect in a sense as it reminded me of past personal situations. Nonetheless, the balance of acting and voice, like Nemorino’s character, was just right. This chemistry and relationship almost reminded me of many characters on Glee in the sense of relationship drama and musicality.
While Nemorino and Adina may be the two stars of the play, I must also tip my hat off to Ambrogio Maestri, who plays the misleading but comical Dulcamara, the doctor with the love potion who puts this whole story in motion. If it wasn’t for his tactile businessman skills and salesman comedic charm, I don’t think I would have been as interested and into the play as I was. In any form of play or movie, especially in comedy-drama, there seems to be that one character who knows what to say with that good punch line or pun. In this case, it’s definitely Dulcamara. The ingeniousness of Donizetti sees Maestri’s character sing, in my opinion, the most memorable song of the night: Utide, Utide o Rustici. Donizetti combines the whit of Dulcamara with his deep but infectious voice to make the audience laugh not once, but twice, including the end. This standout song definitely had me laughing here and there with its ironic notations of love, fortune, and health. It’s definitely something one could see as a Broadway song. Moreover, I can say that Dulcamara’s character definitely stole the show, for me at least.
Besides the whole show itself, I must also talk about the actual and physical experience of such a show. Our professor told us how we were going to sit at the very back and I thought he was actually kidding but, as luck goes, he wasn’t. However, he noted that due to the acoustic arrangement of the Met, we had the best seats in the house, aurally. And although I can’t judge from the audience’s view from below us, I must admit that I was able to hear pretty well. Professor Minter wasn’t joking when you could hear everything! That cough from way down low during a dramatic pause was definitely a killer.
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting so much “life,” if I can call it that, at an opera. When I imagine operas, I stereotype aristocratic elitists dressed in the finest of clothing with handkerchiefs that cost more than a ticket, to be primed with their noses so high up. In addition, I imagined a very plain and dry play. But I’m glad I was proven wrong. My eyes were opened to a new field of the arts that I definitely enjoyed.
There’s a first time for everything…and I definitely won’t forget this culturing and refined experience. Although I may not find myself sitting in at the Met anytime soon due to prices I shall not speak of, if given the opportunity, I would definitely grab those tickets. It’s an enriching experience that you can only gain something from! You can’t lose! (Maybe money. Shout out to Macaulay for those far but free tickets!)
Even before the curtain lifts, Political Mother has begun. The dim, smoky lighting and cacophonous murmuring of the audience, along with the impassive face of the red curtain shielding the stage, create an initial tone of tension, wildness, and mystery. As the theatre goes dark, the audience is hushed, forcing silence and darkness to take […]
This past Wednesday, my Macaulay seminar class went to see L’Elisir d’Amore, a comic opera by Gaetano Donizetti. Set in 19th Century Italy, the opera tells the tale of villager Nemorino’s quest for Adina, a rich and beautiful farm owner, in the midst of a very busy “tourist” season. Such “tourists” include Sergeant Belcore (akin to Disney’s Gaston), his soldiers, and the conman Dulcamara. Along with the villagers, this colourful cast sings through many a plot twist to spin a fun, clever story.
My favorite aspect of the opera’s plot was its interwoven structure; events in the show fed into each other, even if sometimes it became a bit too coincidental. For example, Adina mentions that Nemorino has a sick uncle, who might not leave Nemorino an inheritance if the he does not visit him. Later in the opera, the uncle dies and leaves Nemorino a fortune; the plot has continuity! Yes! This event feeds into a humorous misunderstanding involving the village maidens and a “love potion”, but I won’t spoil too much for you.
Belcore’s name was also interesting for me. At first, it sounded to me like “Belle cuore”, roughly translating to “beautiful heart.” It seemed like an irony Donizetti might include; Belcore is a handsome man but is obnoxious and shallow. Then my professor pointed out the relation to “Belcore” and “bellicose” (“warlike in nature; aggressive, hostile” – ninjawords.com). Belcore is an aggressive character, as seen by his arrogant pursuit of Adina and in his career in the military. ”There isn’t a beauty who can resist the sight of a plume. In the end, the mother of Love submitted to Mars, the warrior god,” he sings in “Come Paride vezzoso”. (Don’t you just love the mythology reference?!)
The opera’s story was great; the experience of going to the opera was equally amazing. The Metropolitan Opera – the “Met” – must be one of the classiest locations in New York City. Brilliant chandeliers drawn up as the performance began; lush red carpeting… everywhere; an enormous lake of people wearing tuxedoes and eye-catching dresses and even kimonos! It is gorgeous. Outside, Lincoln Center adds to the atmosphere, with a glowing fountain that echoes the appearance of the chandelier, a rectangular “wishing well”, and – my favorite – the grass steps.
The sound in row K of the family circus – a.k.a. the seats three feet from the ceiling – was rich and full. Even though we were really far away, we could hear every note, every trill… it was great. The singers were… wow. Just wow. Go and see it. They made music-pasta (or paper towels) with their voices (a reference to any readers who had Mrs. Nolemi). Also, even though the facial expressions were lost on us, the large gestures conveyed a lot of meaning, so kudos to the director! The costumes helped, as well; for instance, Adina’s red skirt and top hat (oh goodness! The top hat! So glorious!) helped identify characters regardless of distance.
So if you’re looking for something fancy and fun to see this season, I do recommend Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore. And don’t worry about not understanding Italian; the back of the seats have subtitles.
P.S. – What did my fellow opera goers think of the performance?
Links:
Synopsis: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/history/stories/synopsis.aspx?id=436
Tickets/Info: http://www.metoperafamily.org/opera/elisir-amore-donizetti-tickets.aspx
Each student is required to make at least three different review/response blogposts during the term. Each post will review or respond to a performance or event attended for class. Posts may also discuss how a specific course reading is relevant to one of these events (for instance, how Delirious New York is relevant to the Spellbeamed, or how the Beethoven biography is relevant to Missa Solemnis), but this is not a requirement.
The posts will be 250-500 words each. Make sure you categorize your post under “Reviews” so that it shows up in the proper place, and tag your post with the name of the event or performance.
In addition, you are responsible for writing a minimum of three different responses to the reviews posted by others. You may use the “comments” function at the bottom of each post to create your response. Each of these responses should be at least one-paragraph long, and should discuss an issue or issues raised in the other student’s review. You should respond to at least three different students during the course of the entire term.
Everyone is encouraged to post more of his or her own responses and replies to others, but these are the minimum requirements for the term.
