If, upon hearing "opera!" you picture overweight women in Viking horns sustaining glass-shattering soprano vibrations, or husky Pavarotti-clones belting about woe in foreign languages, you're not alone.
So maybe Wagner's infamous "Die Walk?ot; ("The Valkyrie," most frequently associated with the Viking horns and military might) might not be for the faint of heart. But cliches aside, musical theater's older, more mature cousin really is not so frightening. Sure, it battles some stereotypes in modern society; but it remains a dynamic and enthralling form of performance that combines vocal ability, classical orchestration, dance and acting.
Many modern musicals are based on opera (Jonathan Larson's "Rent," sprouting from Giacomo Puccini's "La Boh???," immediately comes to mind). And opera boasts a rich and varied tradition - the number of works requiring Viking horns, believe it or not, is not that large.
In Boston - with a thriving intellectual and collegiate population - several venues seek to make opera accessible and affordable for the general public. There are outreach programs, discounted tickets, lectures, and even, in the case of Boston Lyric Opera, occasional free performances. Even if that public is clueless about "vibrato" and "sostenuto," students should still check out some of the city's top venues. The Daily spoke with some representatives from the two main companies in Beantown's opera scene about their overall goals and plans for this year.
Boston Lyric Opera
Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) is the more traditional of the two opera companies. They've done all the famous pieces, from Mozart's "Don Giovanni" to Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin," and are known for being the training ground for many of today's top vocalists.
Although they certainly you have your Verdis and Puccinis, each season the company tries to do "a top ten and one lesser-known work, too," said Leah Moens, BLO marketing manager. Donizetti's "Lucie de Lammermoor," to be sung November 4, "fits into the lesser-known category."
"Lucie" opens the "Diva Season" for BLO after not appearing on this country's stages in almost 100 years. The opera features a young woman torn between her brother and her lover, who, naturally, despise each other. Though the synopsis may not seem too original, "Lucie" is known as an "archetype of Italian Romantic opera," according to Luke Dennis, BLO Education and Community Programs Manager. Though not performed as often as other exports from la bella Italia (think everything Puccini), it is one of the genre's hidden gems.
There are actually two versions of the story of Lammermoor's lovely lady: the first originally written in Italian in 1835 ("Lucia di Lammermoor"), and another which was revised and later translated into French. Among the work's merits is the famous quasi-Ophelian "mad scene," which is raised a step up in the newer opera.
"We performed the original in 1997, and it's always a healthy thing to present different views of a work. It's an interesting choice for our audience, since Donizetti himself orchestrated the later version," said Steven Steiner, Director of Productions at BLO. Changes include additions and subtractions of various characters, as well as new arias.
Co-produced with Glimmerglass Opera, "Lucie de Lammermoor" will star soprano Tracy Dahl in the title role, tenor Yasu Nakajima as her lover Edgar, and baritone Gaetan Laperriere as Henri, the brother, and is scheduled to open November 4.
Opera Boston
Opera Boston, which prides itself on presenting innovative, modern, and lesser-known works, has just completed its run of Menotti's "The Consul" (see the review in the October 24 edition of The Daily). "The Consul," which tells the story of a woman separated from her husband by a totalitarian government, was performed at OB's home base, the Cutler Majestic Theatre. Next in the season is Chabrier's "L'etoile," a tale of love triangles and Parisian confusion, which will be sung in English during March 2006.
Tufts' choral director, Andrew Clark, doubles as choirmaster for Opera Boston.
In September, the company recognized Tufts' own drama department chair, Barbara Grossman, along with Joan Benard Cutler, a philanthropic arts patron, for their work in aiding Boston's artistic scene. A gala-fundraiser, presided over by Governor Mitt Romney was held in honor of the event.
It ain't over while the fat lady sings
Think opera's old-fashioned? Apparently it's not! According to OperaAmerica.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading the word about the art, attendance in the United States grew more than 30 percent from 1982 to 2002.
"Opera has been the fastest growing classical genre," said Carole Charnow, General Director of Opera Boston. "Trends show that audiences are increasing overall."
But in Boston, the opera demographic is still older and predominantly affluent. BLO's average age for patrons is 58, according to Marketing Manager Leah Moens. BLO works to increase the attendance of younger patrons through education and community outreach programs. Students can attend dress rehearsals for a discounted price, as well as catch rush tickets.
BLO broke attendance records in 2002 with its free production of "Carmen on the Common." It drew over 100,000 people, most under the age of 35. Research from the "Carmen" performance confirmed that diverse groups of people really are engaged and intrigued: Fifty percent of those polled at that performance thought "opera is for everyone." BLO plans to repeat the whole "free" spiel in September 2006, with its version of Verdi's classic "Aida."
Opera Boston has a slightly different demographic, perhaps because of its newer repertoire and smaller theater dimensions.
"We share some audience - the connoisseurs," Charnow said, "who tend to attend every opera in Boston. There are also the young professionals who come for the new productions and for the political, theatrical value. Finally, there are students and young people who come for the adventurous repertoire."
OB focuses on works that haven't been performed in Boston. The company produced "Nixon in China" last year for the first time since its primere 20 years ago.
When asked whether they have to compete for audiences, reps from both companies denied rivalry.
"A lot of bigger cities have many more opera companies," Steiner said. Both OB and BLO put on three or so full-stage operas per season, and there are a number of patrons who attend every opera staged by both. They also cite varied repertoires that appeal to different groups of people.
Charnow attributed some of the medium's new popularity to subtitles, which make the show more accessible to an English-speaking audience while conserving the beauty of the libretto's original language. Both opera companies project the subtitles on screens adjacent to the stage.
Even "softer" epic musicals, such as the uber-famous "Phantom of the Opera" or "Les Miserables," apparently draw folks to the real deal, though they're far from being considered opera themselves. "They get the name of opera out there," said Charnow, making people want to go for that overall experience.
With improved technology, vibrant sets, and full orchestras, the theatrical aspect of opera is much more enhanced now than in years past. "The MTV generation responds more to the visual," Clark said.
"It's multimedia," Steiner said. "It can attract young people for the visual aspect, as well as maintain a continuous older audience. The interest is there - the trick is to keep audiences coming back with by engaging them."
But is extra effort still needed to get people to go? Clark admits that part of the problem can be a lack of innovation.
"Opera Boston is certainly innovative," he said, "but even great standard opera repertoire has standards to be performed in a relative way. Plus, it's very expensive to put on and coordinate. For that, it's always going to be vulnerable financially."
Budget constraints are always an issue in artistic organizations, and even more so in classical music. Some performances end up being more draining than expected - including BLO's "Flight" last season. Most projects are financed by individual donations or businesses; for BLO, ticket sales only cover 30 percent of the budget. A large part of the audience consists of seasonal subscribers, though both companies offer cheap rush tickets to students and group discounts. But as interest increases, organizers believe donations will follow.
"Budget constraints do make things more challenging, yes," said Steiner, "but if anything, it's a challenge to think in more creative ways, a challenge to strive for innovation."
Boston lags behind other large cities. Its two prominent companies seem skimpy in comparison to the more than 20 in nearby New York City. Theaters here lack some of the structural features that facilitate consummate operatic performance.
Yet Boston Globe's Geoff Edgers noted a few weeks ago that other companies are catching on, too, like American Repertory Theater and its recent production of "Carmen," adapted for a much more intimate, untraditional space. There's also Teatro Lirico d'Europa, a touring company that also performs in the Cutler Majestic.
It seems as opera gains momentum, both companies will have to reevaluate performance logistics and the breadth of their repertoires. But this is a step towards further progress, not to mention artistic development.
People, especially students, are at last learning that it's not all about Viking hats.
"Young people are going to the opera. I'm very optimistic about the future of opera in Boston - I'm absolutely hopeful," he said
