June 10, 2009
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.
May 14, 2009
We–Nancy Nair and Mary Keepers and I– will have a presentation of
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities at Nautilus Music Theater this coming Monday and Tuesday, May 18th and 19th.
I have rescored for a piano trio and Nancy has re-choreographed for two dancers. I am blown away by Nancy’s choreography, and by MacKenzie, (that’s her on the left) who is a lovely dancer. Mary is our director. Thank god.
It’s only five bucks to get in the door, and they serve milk and cookies on the break. I strongly recommend calling for reservations (651) 298-9913 if you are going on Monday night, because seating is very limited in the Lowertown space. Tuesday night will be at the Foss Center on the Augsburg campus in Minneapolis.
March 8, 2009
I am listening to and reading other piano trios while writing the trio version of
In Dreams... Now I have some Beethoven going (”The Ghost” with duPre, Barenboim and Zuckerman) so if this post is a little scatter-brained, that’s why.
Today I will try to figure out the “Merry-Go-Round” section, which is a little dance piece centering around major seventh and ninth harmony and depending on repetition for its effect. My tendency is to get bored easily when I am writing, and to want variation for its own sake. I remember thinking when I wrote this piece that I wanted to limit what I said. The point of a carousel is that the same thing happens over and over. As the Father and Mother spin around on the carousel, it seems the music will never stop and they will never get off. Now I will see what I can do with new instruments to make that happen.
This is the photo we used for the Fringe Production of "In Dreams…"
The new version will be performed for Nautilus Rough Cuts on the evenings of May 18th and 19th. It will be fully danced, so on the 18th we will probably be downstairs from Nautilus’s itty little studio, to give it more space. I hope to find a nice dance space for the 19th.
February 9, 2009
My Aunt Natalie died this morning in New Jersey. She was among other things, an enthusiastic folk dancer. She was a particularly gracious woman whose eyes sparkled and whose mouth always had a smile quivering about it. She had a great talent for love and she passed that talent on to her children, my cousins, who are open, warmhearted and emotionally generous.
Her husband, children, grandchildren, brothers and sister were with her at the end. She was ready to go.
My sister, her namesake, is a dancer. And this Friday, three days before Aunt Natalie died, my niece gave birth to Natalia who is sure to become a dancer as well.
