I attended a dance performance last week, and was reminded of Ben Krywosz’s theory of the continuum of Perfect Beautiful Voice and the Ugly but Useful Voice–each voice having its dramatic uses. I never stopped being wowed by the dancers. And I asked myself–quite frequently during the second half of the show–why being wowed wasn’t enough. What movement quality would support the disturbing nature of the subject matter? Why did “Wow!” not equal the emotional response I felt was being demanded?
These are serious questions. I was raised on the Metropolitan Opera, listening to radio broadcasts, and dressing up in my best clothes to see them each spring at Northrup Auditorium, back when the Met toured. We audience members accepted the convention that it was enough to hear perfect beautiful singing, leaving aside all dramatic conceptions. But that is not good enough anymore. This goes beyond trite objections to watching the fat tenor sing to the fat soprano as they both feigned (clumsily) being teenagers in love.
Joan Sutherland in the mad scene from Lucia
I want to hear the gasp and crack in the voice. I want to see the limp in the step. That’s the way we sing, and that’s the way we move.
3 Comments
fool
You must be little short of an ignoramus. No wonder opera is declining as an art form, when cretins and morons such as yourself say that anything less than perfection is acceptable! You fucking idiot
It’s a little difficult, “Marjorie” and your alter ego “test, to know exactly what you are talking about, since um you don’t seem to address the thing I was writing about. But in the interest of free expression your comments are posted and will stand. Maybe you can clarify some time.