Date sent: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 16:28:01 EST
Subject: re: Hines/modern
To: vocalist
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

>Besides the fact that I
think he dealt with John Cage and the art student in
bad faith,

I am unfamiliar with this example; would you share it please? (I don't own
the book and don't dare go to the bookstore so close to Christmas!)

>I also find attitudes like Hines' troubling
in their inability to see things in terms of
non-verbal or non-narrative communication - and of
course the power of a lot of music is that it
communicates something that is not verbal nor
narrative, even if it is the music used for a Mozart
or Rossini aria. I would imagine most people
interested in opera would agree with that, and yet
some are not willing to extend that opinion to, say,
modern compositions (which they view as being
"noise"), or current productions of operas.

I agree! The aesthetics are so troubling for many people that they are put
off looking for the communicative aspects. At least this was the case with
me until I had the chance to work with some wonderful teachers who
demonstrated the ample beauty and meaning in 20c works. Now I love them!
(as if you hadn't guessed!)

>A good
case in point is Robert Wilson's production of
Lohengrin at the Met.

Which I ADORED! I really think it's a dramaturgical mistake to attempt
kitchen-table realism in Wagner -- and I can't stand the usual set design for
his operas, which I jokingly refer to as the Wagner grotto! I'm all for
getting Wagner out of the grotto! (The Tristan production was quite
blissful, too, and I don't think I'll ever hear it better sung.)

NGL