Moksada and Rakhal in 'Snatched by the Gods', Netherlands Opera Production 1992
The Peacock from 'Broken Strings', Netherlands Opera Production 1992
SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, May 25 1992
Mythic, Dramatic Journeys to the Inside
(Mythische, dramatische Reisen ins Innere)
Two One-act Operas by the Indian Composer Param Vir in Munich’s Muffathalle
by WOLFGANG SCHREIBER
Translation from the German by Karen Thatcher
Openness, teamwork and a cross-over of cultures and languages — this useful and beautiful idea central to the Munich Biennale has born ripe fruit in these two short operas: two old Indian tales; two English librettists (William Radice, David Rudkin) who took them and created gripping scenarios; an Indian composer living in London who has studied Europe’s new music; “De Nederlandse Opera Amsterdam” who developed the two pieces magnificently, both theatrically and musically. The performance of Param Vir’s mini-operas “Snatched by the Gods” and “Broken Strings” by the Dutch ensemble fit the theme of the Biennale ideally as well as the space of the Muffathalle, and received unanimous approval, even enthusiasm, on the part of the audience.
Artistic Unity
The artistic unity of the dramatic, musical and visual conception was most convincing. The pieces were captivating, both Rabindranath Tagore’s mythic poem of a dramatic pilgrimage on the Holy River including catastrophes and divine offerings (“Snatched by the Gods”), as well as the profound Buddhist tale of a heated competition between two musicians for the position of king’s court player and the wonder of notes (“Broken Strings”). The fascinating ambience on stage, the highly intensive theatrical and vocal skill, and Param Vir’s brilliantly vivid sound structures gave the performance forceful contours. The unity (surely of Asiatic influence) of simplicity and high refinement, of corporeal definition and mystic secrecy were also very convincing.
It is good to know that the intense stage atmosphere of the performance was created by two artists who have been working with the genius of theatre, Peter Brook, for a long time. Greek set and costume-designer Chloe Obolensky created the ‘stage of the Muffathalle through a large rectangle consisting only of shimmering black sand. (The audience sat on wooden benches along one of the long sides of the rectangle while the orchestra was placed perpendicular to the audience on another side.) The backdrop opposite the audience was a magnificent, rhythmic construction of dark-brown wood and space which Jannis Kounellis had created for the Amsterdam production of Schoenberg’s “Die Glueckliche Hand” in 1991. A simple, square wooden podium hung from the ceiling on ropes and swinging back and forth, symbolised the monumental ship around which the stormy waters and struggles raged in the human drama. For the second piece Chloe Obolensky was content to place the musicians on a large white mat on which - without any other adornment - to carry out their competition of musical notes. No further props!
However, the artful lighting by Jean Kalman (the other colleague of Brook) fully gave this fascinatingly empty room its magical reality: shafts of light shining from both sides of the stage gave the performers (fiercely directed by Amsterdam’s opera director, Pierre Audi) the appearance of sculptures in a room. Whether cowering, standing up or moving, by the end of “Broken Strings” the performers truly seemed to have brought Rodin’s “The Burghers of Calais” to life. And the first piece often conjured up memories of Géricault’s dramatic picture of “The Raft of the Medusa.” The performer-singers from Amsterdam achieved a rare degree of suspense and intensity in their performance which also clearly demonstrated the vocal and musical eminence of the ensemble.
A Creative Process
Why are the big themes of historic world literature so often used for opera productions? This frequently posed question is easily answered: they address questions of human existence and represent human archetypes with a depth that makes them applicable not only for the 17th, 18th or 19th centuries, but also for today. Hans Werner Henze strongly recommends to young artists to work on such themes and gain the benefits of such a difficult task, even though risk is involved. Even though the contemporary and experimental nature of such creative processes makes it impossible to guarantee success, the audience of Munich’s Biennale has been allowed to witness them for the third time already.
The forty-year-old Indian composer Param Vir successfully graduated from the English School (Maxwell Davies, Knussen); his vocal lines are emotionally determined, not even shying away from traces of Puccini or Henze. He demonstrates - both furiously and fearlessly — his knowledge of the pathos of grand opera as well as musical pastel colours. Param Vir also retains our curiosity and attentiveness through great instrumental brilliance and colour as well as exact musical timing. Whether his musical creativity matches the subjects (which he sets to music without hints of Indian style), or perhaps not that well after all — it shows both sensitive expressivity and intense effect.
The Triumph of Music
In his music, Param Vir is able to reach hysteria in the sailors’ fight for their lives on the Ganges, the stormy powers of nature, a supposed divine utterance for a child sacrifice and the mother’s despair; at the same time, he can express deep human emotions of love and fear of life. In contrast, in “Broken Strings” he is able to present, musically convincingly, a wonderful Zen-riddle: why the brilliant virtuosity of the younger musician cannot compete against the inwardly centred musicality of the older musician, even though his instrument is physically nearly broken down but hardly requires the strings. Param Vir expanded the spiritual realm by introducing three mythical animals which are musically expressed; the king simultaneously encompasses the spheres of the private, the court and artificial virtuosity.
The musical as well as the theatrical performance of Amsterdam’s “Muziektheater” and the ASKO-Instrumental Ensemble was admirably intense, under the highly knowledgeable and sensitive direction of David Porcelijn. The Biennale has certainly made up for past disappointments with this justifiably celebrated production.