Latest news with #Mozart
New York Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
They're Exquisite. They're Divine. They're Incomprehensible. Why?
I recently had the privilege to receive an honorary degree. The diploma is in Latin. I like that. My Latin is approximate, but even when I can't read the words, the fact that diplomas are written in a different and antique language gives them an air of distinction, distance, gravitas. Pondering that effect reminded me that some people feel the same way about how we encounter opera. I couldn't agree less. The debate over translation in opera is lively and ongoing, but it's more relevant than ever today, when opera companies struggle to attract new audiences and digital distractions lure away even some devoted fans. Like the qwerty keyboard, sitting through a three-or-more-hour performance in a language we don't understand is a peculiar cultural phenomenon we accept only because it's often the only option we're given. It's happenstance. And it's a big part of what keeps opera from reaching more people. In the 1800s and well into the 1900s, it was routine in many countries to present operas in the language of the audience. The music critic Anthony Tommasini wrote, 'Verdi would have found it absurd for a French audience to hear 'Il Trovatore' in Italian. Even in Salzburg and Vienna, Mozart's operas were typically performed in German until World War II.' Wagner expected his works to be translated into French when they were performed in France. I wish I regularly had the chance to experience them in my native language. In Act II of 'Die Walküre' ('The Valkyrie') the god Wotan solemnly recounts the 'Ring' story and reflects on his fate for what can be 20 minutes of rumination. It is a pitiless challenge to theatrical momentum that wears me to a nubbin. (I once watched it sitting next to a very famous singer I will refrain from naming, who was so underwhelmed that he spent the whole section canoodling with the woman he had brought.) If the performance had been in English, at least the audience members would have been able to comprehend what they were struggling through. America used to cherish opera in translation. An English version of Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville' was a big hit in New York for season after season between 1819 and 1824 and played in French in New Orleans in 1823. But in the Gilded Age, opera caught on with the wealthy as a symbol of European sophistication, conditioning an idea that to really count, it had to be performed in the original language. In 1961 the classical music critic Harold Schonberg sniffed, 'The fact that the Paris Opera does Verdi in French, or the Berlin Staatsoper does Puccini in German, does not necessarily mean the procedure is right.' The arguments for these translations have 'immoral aspects,' he wrote. 'Instead of wanting to bring people up to the level of music, they are demanding that music be brought down to the level of the people. Their idea is to get people into the opera houses by offering inducements and bribery.' Nevertheless, in the mid-20th century, European opera in English experienced a certain fashion on these shores. Especially cherished were the fresh and singable lyrics of Ruth and Thomas Martin. In their version of Mozart's 'Così Fan Tutte,' instead of the early passage that begins with 'La mia Dorabella capace non è,' we got 'To doubt Dorabella is simply absurd. Completely absurd. She'll always be faithful and true to her word.'' That may not be identical to what its Italian librettist, Lorenzo Da Ponte, wrote, but it's exquisite. To the extent that opera in translation acquired real traction here, the advent of supertitles, the simultaneous translations projected above the stage or on the backs of seats, wiped it out in the 1980s. They did spare singers from having to learn the same opera in more than one language. But with supertitles, you're always peeking away from the action, reading when you're supposed to be hearing and never — at least in my experience — feeling truly satisfied. Puccini didn't write 'Madama Butterfly' to be read. Many opera fans object to translation on the grounds that composers set the music to the words carefully, according to the accent patterns and vowel colors of the language in question, in a way that translation can't hope to reproduce. Others note, in particular, how ideally suited Italian, with its open vowels and buttery consonant clusters, happens to be for singing. But the composers of yore had their works translated, despite both of these concerns, because they wanted audiences to understand what they were hearing. I'm with them. It's hard to imagine any English translation of 'La Bohème' that would allow Mimi to introduce herself — on the seven opening notes of 'Sì, mi chiamano Mimi' — as perfectly as she does in the Italian original. Yet to know what Mimi is saying line by line (and she says a good deal; she is deep) is a richer experience than hearing her singing mere syllables, no matter how pretty. As the conductor Mark Wigglesworth wrote in response to this question, 'Few artistic experiences are more complete than understanding singers' words at exactly the moment they are sung.' Of course, operatic diction can make it difficult to understand even in your native language — but not harder than it is to understand a language you don't speak. Plus I find that Anglophone singers can be quite good at getting English across in an operatic voice. My first opera was the Houston Grand Opera's production of 'Porgy and Bess' when it came to Philadelphia when I was 10. I'm sure I missed the occasional word or sentence, but the singers did their job with the diction, and I had no trouble overall. (I will never forget Clamma Dale's fierce and eternal Bess and Wilma Shakesnider's Serena, who made me realize in one song that life is complicated.) Singing in a language that you speak as a native and that the audience understands also makes for better acting. In Vienna in the 1950s, performances of Mozart's operas shifted from German to the original Italian, largely because of the influence of the maestro Herbert von Karajan. The famed soprano Phyllis Curtin recounted the effect on two seasoned German-speaking actors: 'After we switched to Italian, all of a sudden, because the Viennese audience didn't understand them in the same way, these two consummate artists started acting like the Marx Brothers.' As they used to say, I'm hip. A quarter-century ago, I flirted with becoming an opera singer, and in a summer program I played Antonio the gardener in 'The Marriage of Figaro.' A friend who had seen me doing my yeomanly thing in some local productions of musicals and plays said that as Antonio, I hadn't really connected. I said, 'Yeah, he speaks Italian.' Around the same time, I used 'O Isis und Osiris' from 'The Magic Flute' as an audition and performance song, alternating between the English (by Andrew Porter) and the German. The German version was in no way superior. After a while, I let go of singing opera. The main reason was that despite my exposure to foreign languages, I never could truly understand why we were singing in Italian, French and German. It seemed like something we wouldn't do if we could roll the tape back and start again. The lyricist and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II said he wrote a Black English version of Georges Bizet's 'Carmen,' 'Carmen Jones,' because 'listening to people sing words you didn't understand wasn't much fun.' I highly recommend 'Carmen Jones' as a starter. Try the film and then the EMI recording with Wilhelmenia Fernandez for a more complete version of the score. The Metropolitan Opera is seriously ailing financially, and its attempts to shift to more contemporary programming do not seem to be solving the problem. A suggestion: It should try having all foreign-language operas performed in English and advertising the change. This season 'Aida,' 'Fidelio,' 'Tosca,' 'La Bohème,' 'The Barber of Seville,' 'Tales of Hoffmann,' 'Rigoletto' and 'Salome' all should have been in the language that the greatest portion of the audience in New York speaks and understands. The Opera Theater of St. Louis and the English National Opera are among the companies that saw the light on this long ago. If the Met gets on board, it will surely encounter Schonberg-type naysayers. But a little controversy would only stir up curiosity — and ticket sales. Tradition is fine but should never be an end in its own right. And even the greatest composers agreed: Opera is better when you can understand it.
The Star
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Weekend for the arts: 'Young Mozart Voyager', Deepset and DDA at Live Fact
CONCERT: KL CITY OPERA'S 'YOUNG MOZART VOYAGER' Venue: The Platform, Menara KEN, Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), Kuala Lumpur Date: May 31 School holiday alert! Introduce the young ones to something new. KL City Opera, fresh off its double win at the recent Boh Cameronian Arts Awards (for the acclaimed Opera Si! La Boheme ), is now setting its sights on a younger audience with Young Mozart Voyager. Set to play at The Platform, Menara KEN TTDI in Kuala Lumpur on May 31, this original, family-friendly opera pantomime welcomes children and families into the whimsical world of Mozart through a lively blend of music, theatre, and storytelling. There will be two performances on the day – one at 3pm and another at 8pm. Children aged six and above require a ticket. Ages five and below enter free but must share a seat with a parent. 'We wanted to create something magical and accessible – where families can laugh, learn, and enjoy the wonders of Mozart together,' says Danny Chen, KL City Opera executive producer. Performed in English, the 110-minute production (with an intermission) features excerpts from The Marriage Of Figaro and The Magic Flute, offering a playful and engaging introduction to opera. On stage, Young Mozart Voyager follows a curious child who journeys through the fantastical realms of Mozart's operas, meeting beloved characters such as Papageno, the Queen of the Night, and Figaro. The cast features Qahar Aqilah as Mozart, Cheryl Tan as Susanna, Renna Kim as the Countess, Natalie Makulin as Cherubino and Papagena, Wynn Ch'ng Way Sean as Figaro, Cao Yixiao as the Count, Adry Nasution as Papageno, Thompson Yunga as Tamino, Sharlene Rani as Pamina, and Irma Lailatul as the Queen of the Night. More info: Deepset (from left: Lothfi, Zubair, Asshad and Azwan), a longtime fixture at indie venue Live Fact, returns on May 31 to help celebrate its 10th anniversary. Photo: Nadia Jasmine CONCERT: LIVE FACT 'CAN'T BELIEVE IT ... WE ARE 10!' Venue: Live Fact, The Strand, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya Date: May 31 and June 1 Independent venue Live Fact in Petaling Jaya is steadily turning up the heat with its 10th anniversary party series – a rare chance to not just celebrate a vital space for fringe music, but to reflect on what it means to be part of a community shaped by curious ears and open minds. The 'Can't Believe It ... We Are 10!' anniversary celebrations, which kicked off on May 17, continues with four more shows, spotlighting a diverse range of acts across post rock, electronica, singer-songwriter and ambient pop genres. From its humble beginnings in an Old Klang Road suburb to its 2018 move to The Strand, Kota Damansara, Live Fact has seen many bands grow with it and stick around for the long haul. This Saturday (May 31), Live Fact welcomes a familiar name – Deepset – to the stage, joined by Daighila, Metaphor, and Moi Last Von. "From our earliest days to our toughest ones, Deepset has always been there to carry us through. What's a celebration without them?" reads a heartfelt post from Live Fact's social media, underscoring the post rock band's enduring bond with the venue. Back in June 2021, Deepset teamed up with Live Fact on a documentary project aimed at raising funds to help keep the venue afloat during the pandemic. The weekend gets even better with Damn Dirty Apes set to take the Live Fact stage this Sunday (June 1), with support from Ratchet. Known for its intense, atmospheric guitar soundscapes, Damn Dirty Apes, promising new material, bring raw energy and emotional heft to every performance. On June 7, Live Fact dives into electronica and psychedelia with a line-up featuring Euseng Seto, The Filters, and Capt'n Trips and The Kid. On June 15, the Live Fact anniversary goes on 'tour,' making a nostalgic return to Taman Danau Desa in KL with a show at TDSC – a nod to the venue's early roots and the community that shaped it. The line-up for the final anniversary party features Amrita Soon, Ally Lew, Tottie, and Stemilyn. More info here. A view of Khabir's installation artwork from his solo exhibition 'Sukma: Megah, Tundok' at Wei-Ling Gallery, Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Wei-Ling Gallery EXHIBITION: KHABIR ROSLAN'S 'SUKMA: MEGAH, TUNDOK' Venue: Wei-Ling Gallery, Kuala Lumpur Date: ends June 21 After his time in the WLG Incubator Young Artists programme in 2023 under the mentorship of Yau Bee Ling, emerging artist Khabir Roslan presents a solo debut exhibition at Wei-Ling Gallery, exploring time through themes of decomposition, repair, and transformation. Using compost soil mixed with pigments and oil, along with stitched bandages and cloth, Khabir creates large-scale, tactile works layered with care and memory. Hexagonal motifs - echoing Singgora clay roof tiles from Nusantara architecture - repeat across the surfaces, evoking both fragmentation and continuity. Titled from the Bahasa Malaysia words sukma (soul), megah (greatness), and tundok (humility), the show reflects on cyclical rhythms of making. Neither quite painting nor sculpture, the works unfold as soil-stained scrolls that stretch floor to ceiling, anchored by a fragment of a boat's hull - merging gesture, object, and grounded reflection. For those new to his work, Khabir is a transdisciplinary artist whose practice weaves together science, cosmology, and philosophy. A Fine Arts graduate from UiTM Shah Alam, he was awarded "Most Promising Artist" after winning the UOB Painting of the Year 2020 in the Emerging Artist category. More info here. Wong's new exhibition ' at Galeri Sasha features paintings, sculptures, and a contemporary take on wayang kulit. Photo: Galeri Sasha EXHIBITION: WONG PERNG FEY'S ' Venue: Galeri Sasha, Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), Kuala Lumpur Date: ends June 21 Galeri Sasha is showing a solo exhibition by Wong Perng Fey, through to June 21. Developed between Austria and Malaysia, the show marks a tonal shift from the psychological intensity of his Beijing years toward a language of clarity, wit, and restraint. Featuring painting, sculpture, and a contemporary take on wayang kulit, the exhibition explores presence without performance - being rather than becoming. It signals a moment of arrival for Wong, placing him firmly within ongoing conversations around abstraction and self-representation. Known for his gestural style and evolving material language, the globe-trotting Wong has exhibited across Asia, with works in major collections including Khazanah Nasional, Singapore Art Museum, and Bank Negara Malaysia. He lives and works between Graz and Kuala Lumpur. More info here. Ramlan (right) shares insights on his work 'Multiplicity' during the recent opening of Tali Art Gallery in Petaling Jaya. Photo: Danny Stones ART TALK: LEA VALENTIN AND RAMLAN ABDULLAH Venue: Tali Art Gallery, Jam PJ (access via The Gasket Alley), Petaling Jaya Date: May 31, 5pm This Saturday, step into a conversation that bridges continents and disciplines as French ceramicist Lea Valentin joins veteran Malaysian sculptor Ramlan Abdullah for an hour-long dialogue on art, space, and the evolving language of contemporary practice. Held via video call at Tali Art Gallery, this intimate session offers a rare glimpse into the minds of two artists whose works - though grounded in very different materials - share a deep sensitivity to spatial experience and sculptural form. The talk is part of Transmapping: Transitive Spaces in Art, t he debut exhibition by Tali Art Gallery, running until June 15. Featuring works by Valentin, Ramlan, and eight other artists from Australia, France, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, the exhibition explores the fluid boundaries between art, space, and perception - inviting viewers to reconsider how we map meaning onto the spaces we inhabit. Admission is free, and all are welcome to be part of this unfolding conversation. More info here. Lai's exhibition 'Ethereal Echoes' offers the public a rare opportunity to engage with over 80 deeply reflective works - including manuscripts, oil paintings, and ink pieces - created by the artist between 1986 and 2024. Photo: Lai Loong Sung EXHIBITION: LAI LOONG SUNG'S 'ETHEREAL ECHOES' Venue: Wisma Kebudayaan Soka Gakkai Malaysia, Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL Date: ends June 8 Ethereal Echoes: Sketches And Recent Works, an evocative solo exhibition that traces the four-decade artistic journey of Selangor-born veteran artist Lai Loong Sung has taken over the Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM) art gallery space. It offers the public a rare opportunity to engage with over 80 deeply reflective works — including manuscripts, oil paintings, and ink pieces — created by Lai between 1986 and 2024. Rooted in both philosophical insight and personal revelation, Ethereal Echoes draws inspiration from the ancient Chinese text Zhuangzi, where 'Tianlai' (Heavenly Sound) refers to the 'unspoken word' — the soundless sound that echoes from the universe and the depths of the human soul. As Lai shares, ' Ethereal Echoes is a melody from the heavens and a sound born within humanity.' This exhibition represents the culmination of Lai's ongoing reflections on the complexities of contemporary life — from war and environmental degradation to the impact of rapid technological advancement — woven together with intimate expressions of the inner self. The show is divided into three sections, each part of the exhibition invites viewers on a deeply contemplative journey. Lai has also transformed the gallery into a working studio, where he'll be developing a large-scale painting and occasionally offering live art demonstrations. Free admission exhibition. Open: 11am-5pm. Closed on Mondays. More info here.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gloucestershire Young Musician of the Year 2024 to perform in Stroud
GLOUCESTERSHIRE'S Young Musician of the Year 2024 is performing in a Woodchester church. Violinist James Li will play Mozart's Violin Concerto No 1 alongside the Capriol Chamber Orchestra at the concert on Saturday, June 7. The concert will feature additional Schubert and Mendelssohn pieces, with Jonathan Trim as the conductor, and orchestra leader Natasha Bowen-Jones. The event will take place at St Mary's Church, North Woodchester, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £14 with reduced fees for pre-purchased tickets and eligible concessions. They are available from the Sub Rooms and the Capriol Orchestra website.
DW
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- DW
Did Mozart have friends? – DW – 05/28/2025
Mozart had many admirers and would no doubt have countless followers on Instagram today. But did he have real friends? Or did he live solely for music? All is explored at the Mozart festival in Würzburg. If the famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart were a child prodigy today, he would probably have millions of followers and "friend" requests on social media. But even in the 18th century, Mozart's father Leopold warned his son against false friends — people who envied him, but also flatterers who only told him what he wanted to hear. This year's Mozartfest Würzburg , which started this week and runs through June 22, is about Mozart's friendships. The festival in Würzburg is the oldest and largest Mozart festival in Germany, held every year at the Würzburg Residence, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The festival's motto this year, "But through sound: friend Mozart," refers to one of his quotes, and how music was his main form of expression — and connection. "A true friendship requires trust and mutual understanding," says artistic director Evelyn Meining, adding that even millions of followers on social media platforms cannot replace such a relationship. His 'dearest friend': A representation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Joseph Haydn playing together Image: picture-alliance/Leemage The child prodigy without friends? Mozart caused a sensation in the mid-18th century as a so-called wunderkind. He traveled with his father through Europe for years, captivating court nobles with his talent on the violin and piano. But there was no time for close friendships with his peers. "Of course, the family was very focused on itself; the bond was particularly strong in the early 1760s," Meining told DW. Even later, one cannot imagine Mozart hanging out with friends at cozy dining events. "These were more likely relationships built within a musical context: colleagues, musician friends, teachers, patrons or orchestra musicians from the bands," explains Meining. It's through Mozart's musical talent, evident at a very young age, that the English language acquired the word 'wunderkind' Image: akg-images/picture alliance Artistic friendships at the Mozartfest Artistic friendships also play a special role among the performers at the Mozartfest this year. The opening event featured friends Nils Mönkemeyer (viola) and William Youn (piano), accompanied by the Ensemble Resonanz under conductor Riccardo Minasi. Mönkemeyer and Youn met through music. They love Mozart's works, but they also wanted something more modern for their performance. They therefore commissioned Manfred Trojahn, who has made a name for himself with modern operas, to write a new piece: "Trame lunari," a double concerto for viola, piano and chamber orchestra that facilitates an unusual combination of instruments. "Trame lunari" translates roughly as "moon phantoms." "There are many color changes in the piece, many nuances of lighting, and that's what the title refers to," Trojahn told DW. He appreciates the transparency of Mozart's music. "My composition should by light and transparent, just like Mozart's works," Trojahn explains. Mönkemeyer and Youn are a well-rehearsed team. They performed sometimes extremely delicate sounds with nuance and sensitivity. The Mozart Festival's opening concert with Nils Mönkemeyer, playing viola, and William Youn, at the piano Image: Mozartfest/Foto: Dita Vollmond Joseph Haydn, the fatherly friend Mozart is still considered a role model for many musicians today. He himself had role models such as the composer Joseph Haydn and Bach's son, Johann Christian Bach, whom he admired for his elegant, light music. Joseph Haydn was 24 years older than Mozart. They developed a friendly father-son relationship, and Mozart wrote in letters that Haydn was his "dearest friend." In 1785, he dedicated six string quartets to Haydn, to whom he handed the scores, saying they were his "children." Wax portrait reliefs of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Joseph Haydn Image: Oskar Anrather/picture-alliance/brandstaetter images The horn player Joseph Leutgeb was also one of Mozart's close friends. Mozart wrote humorous taunts into his scores, such as "For you, Mr. Donkey." Mozart was also friends with Anton Stadler, one of the best clarinetists of his time. He composed a clarinet quintet and a clarinet concerto for him. Later, as Mozart became increasingly ill and lonely, he wrote that music was essentially his only friend. The 'false friends'? And what about the false friends Mozart's father worried about? One of them appears in Milos Forman's 1984 film, "Amadeus": Antonio Salieri is portrayed in the movie as a mediocre composer and as Mozart's adversary, scheming behind Mozart's back and even poisoning him. The story of Mozart and Salieri's alleged rivalry has been brought to the screen through the 1984 film 'Amadeus' Image: Leemage/dpa/picture-alliance Although this narrative has long since been refuted, it remains a popular belief. Evelyn Meining wants to dispel such clichés at the Mozartfest: "Salieri was not a vicious competitor. That's all untrue," she says. Nor was he a failure living in Mozart's shadow, but a respected court composer. "Mozart and Salieri held each other in high esteem," Meining adds. The 'Black Mozart' Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, is also portrayed as Mozart's rival in literature and in the film "Chevalier" (2022), directed by Stephen Williams. Born in Guadeloupe in 1745, the son of a white French nobleman and a Black slave, he came to France as a child. He made a name for himself early on as a violinist and composer. Joseph Haydn later composed for Bologne's own orchestra. Bologne was also considered for the position of director of the Academie Royale de Musique, but racial discrimination prevented his appointment. The violin duel between Mozart and Bologne depicted in the film "Chevalier" never actually took place. It is questionable whether Bologne, nine years older than Mozart, even had direct contact with him as a young musician. As composers who were active at the same time and were celebrated artists in their circles, it has simply been since assumed that they were competitors, explains Meining. Even the label "Black Mozart" for Joseph Bologne only came about posthumously. Composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799) Image: Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/picture alliance Friendships yesterday and today The festival's "Mozart Laboratory" hosts discussions on the topic of friendship, with a focus on artistic associations and social networks. "Because, of course, we are in the midst of a revolutionary social transformation, strongly driven by new digital developments such as the internet, social media and AI," says Meining. To counteract this, there will also be concerts held in private homes, where like-minded people can come together and perhaps rediscover music as a "medium of friendship." Who knows, the event might lead to new friendships. This article was originally written in German.
TimesLIVE
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Vegetable orchestra plays classics on carrots and zucchini
The classical music of Mozart could be heard echoing around the streets of the southern English town of Esher. Outside Garson's farm shop, an ensemble of musicians turned carrots, zucchini and bell peppers into working instruments to perform famous tunes for passers-by.
