Negro music in America; 19

In the years sixteen seventy eight sent every mon said Opera is a bizarre affair of poetry and music in which the poet and the musician each equally obstructed by the other give themselves no end of trouble to produce a wretched result. On the other hand a hundred years later Mozart said the best thing of all is when a good composer who understands the stage meets an able poet. In that case no fears need be entertained as to the applause even of the ignorant Riverside radio WRVA are in New York City presents opera the battleground of the arts in this series of half hour programmes Borys gold ASCII discusses some of the problems that beset operators and those who create and produce them. The programmes are produced in association with the gold of ski opera Institute for National Educational radio under a grant from the National Home Library Foundation. War is called ASCII is nationally known as an intermission commentator for broadcaster the Metropolitan Opera

and as an opera producer principally through the productions of The God of Opera Theatre which have been presented in about 400 communities from coast to coast. And now here is Mr. Gold of ski an expert act or is a person who is able to communicate a great variety of thoughts moods and emotional states to an audience by uttering words and by moving the muscles of his face arms and body. An expert opera singer is a person who in addition to these skills has a well-trained voice and a considerable knowledge of music. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with these statements but any listener familiar with the realities of operatic life will notice that they put the cart before the horse in up around with very few exceptions the vocal and musical skills are acquired first and the verbal and visible communication of thought and emotions comes much later. Or sometimes not at all. This broadcast in our series is

devoted to consideration of how opera singers may be trained to take part in productions. They do not sacrifice the article values for the sake of musical ones. To assist me in the discussion I have invited an actress and an actor to typify student soprano and a student baritone. Both have adequate musical preparation but have not yet been trained as singing actors. Mystical dog before we go any further would you tell us what the basic responsibilities of the singing actor are. Yes of course. In essence your responsibilities as a singing actor consist of developing your person and your body as an expressive acting instrument and of mastering the techniques of the proscenium stage. What's the first thing we have to learn. To mold yourself into an expressive acting instrument you must first learn to lend your own intellectual and emotional resources to the character you're portraying. This means that you must force yourself to think the

thoughts of that character not only those thoughts you are required to speak or saying but also on written thoughts that you either verbalize silently or that you experience as less clearly defined feelings. I read somewhere that ideally an accomplished actor should be aware only of the thoughts and feelings of his stage character. Would you agree Mr. Gold off screen yes indeed I will. That's terribly hard to achieve Yes. As a student of acting you will soon discover that no matter how hard you try. Thoughts and feelings not related to your stage character keep interfering in distracting you. What kinds of thoughts. Well we can distinguish between technical and personal or irrelevant thoughts. At technical thoughts are those dealing with the mechanics of the performance the vocalizations musical accuracy or the intricacies of acting and stage movement. And I suppose irrelevant thoughts are things from the offstage world of everyday life

that I doubt that it's possible for me ever to sing and act an entire role while thinking only the thoughts of my stage character. I agree. How can I. My voice teacher has been urging me to concentrate on producing the right kind of singing tone and my repertory coaches want me to pay close attention to rests to listen to pitches and to count beats and you may be sure that the stage director will expect you to remember a very complicated stage movements but doesn't all this concentrating listening watching paying close attention and remembering. Involve thinking of the most intense kind. There are thoughts that don't seem to have too much in common with the ideas and emotions that are presumably circulating in the mind of Leonora ora Figaro. Yes and this is exactly why you as opera singers must get rid of these technical thoughts. But how. The best way to accomplish this is to practice the various vocal music and the article skills until they become completely automatic and entirely self-propelling. This is this really possible

mystical doff scheme why not consider how many complicated DVDs you can perform without paying much attention to them. Try to imagine the muscular intricacies connected with walking speaking or writing eating or driving a car. Yet most of us are able to perform these tasks without giving them any serious consideration. Why. Because we have been doing them for so long that by now we have forgotten how difficult it was to learn them in the first place. The experienced performer achieve something very similar. He practices his vocalizing his musical rendition and his stage movement until the mechanics of these acts become second nature and can then be merged with and governed by the thoughts of the character. Can you are Tommy ties everything. I wouldn't think so. Well it is true. You cannot expect to come across every single technical detail. There are certain muscular operations that will always require intense watchfulness in opera as in all other

arts one should treat these technical moments such as a particularly difficult high tones or rhythmic patterns or very tricky movements on stage. Well these should be treated with the greatest respect and while they last should be allotted complete and undivided attention. However aside from these crucial moments the singing actor should be able to eliminate all technical thoughts by what the mentality you've taken care of the technical thoughts. But what can you tell us about our personal thought. I believe you also call them irrelevant thoughts. Yes they are irrelevant because they're not likely to cross the mind of the operatic character you're portraying. A forest as you pose that you are entering the stage in the first act of love away. Prepare to sing the role of Mimi some of Mimi's thoughts on that occasion maybe what. How stupid of me to forget to buy matches. Now I have to annoy strangers. They have a nice room here and so warm. What an attractive and

polite young man. I feel so dizzy I shouldn't have run up these steps so fast. Very good. Now what would a Sopranos thoughts be like. I sure hope that high C comes out all right tonight. Maestro will kill me if I make that stupid mistake again. It's too bad that tenor is so fat. I wonder if they remembered to put tea into the wine bottle. I couldn't sing two notes after swallowing that stuff at the rehearsal yesterday. You see quite clearly not a single one of the Soprano's reflections could possibly have entered Mimi's head. But do you seriously think that the difference between the two lines of thinking would be apparent to the audience at this point. Perhaps not the role of Mimi in the first two acts of the opera. It can be quite adequately impersonated by any pretty girl with a sufficiently attractive voice and normal feminine impulses. It is in the third and fourth act of love poem that our Soprano may give herself away unless she succeeds in re-educating her thinking

process. And when it comes to more complicated roles such as we let the Tosca ego or man know the Soprano's ability to govern what goes on in her mind becomes more and more essential. Yes but how do we gain that ability to govern what goes on in our minds. Many singers you know are not aware that being in character also means thinking in character. Some of them perhaps have sung opera only in foreign languages in which they could not possibly begin to think. Another reason why our missed Soprano could not thing as Mimi was that she probably did not know enough about me. She knew a great deal about herself about her experiences at yesterday's rehearsal about her musical difficulties for which she had been scolded by her my astro and her vocal fears concerning high notes which she had never imagined herself as the little seamstress who forgot to buy matches whose room was probably unheated and who got out of breath by running up those steps to stimulate her imagination. She will have to assemble every

possible bit of information about me about her occupation her daily habits likes and dislikes her mode of life and sickness. If she used to become an actress she will also have to train her emotional responses. Judging from her thoughts when she entered the stage the Rodolfo she saw there was just the pudgy tenor Not so with Mimi be he fat or thin her Rodolfo is always a handsome refined young stranger who has no difficulty sweeping her off her feet with his poetic and impetuous love making as Tosca Army Soprano can heat scar Piya bitterly enough to kill him. And in fact she must kill him. Having done all this she can return safely to her own comfortable environment where they see you thoughts and gentle feelings. But she can portray her other selves fully and truly only if well she's acting out. Tosca she discards her ordinary thoughts and feelings if permitted to survive during her acting these personal thoughts would dilute the

vitality and strength of her characterisation. The actress who remains Mrs Soprano portrays only what she is a rather tame young girl trying very hard to behave like an operatic heroine. Earlier you mentioned that before I can think as Mimi I have to know a great deal about me. How can I find out about her. While this knowledge can come from several sources the text of the opera the authentic background material in this case we rarely send a love you boy I am also from your own personal experiences that are akin to those of me me and recollections of what you may have read about this particular historical period. It would be ideal of course if singers themselves would do this kind of thorough literary and psychological research and some particularly conscientious performers do it. However realistically speaking the singer rarely has enough time or access to the pertinent sources to indulge in all these

complicated investigations. And it is here that the help of the stage director is essential. It is his duty to help the singer clarify the meaning of the dramatic situation. Pinpoint the exact timing of the thoughts feelings and actions and arrive at the best manner of execution. Why don't you give us an example of how you work with Singh is mystical BAFFSKY as a matter of fact we've been working on the second act duet between Father Jim Martin via letter from the Treasury other with a bigger example ministers of the very well indeed. Now then first we'll have to discuss the general outline of the story. The what of the background. And then we become more and more specific and detailed until we can actually start working on the immediate. What are your thoughts feelings and actions and on the when the beginning of these actions and thoughts and maybe the speed at which they unfold. Well let's start with your letter Valerie. Of course her story is so well-known that there is no need to review it in detail.

That will be sufficient to remind you that your letter is about 22 years old very beautiful and very much in love with Alfredo who is 24 at the beginning of the scene. Your letter is expecting a business agent who has been put in charge of selling her jewelry carriages and other valuables which she obtained from her former rich lovers. Since your letter has never seen either the business agent or father's animal she Maginnis that the person who has been ushered into her living room is the agent. She stands near the table and is going over the inventory of the things which are to be sold would you wait a moment please. What about father. I really don't know too much about his character. Well it's not surprising. The details of a father's family background are less well-known and therefore actually worth retelling. Let's see he has just arrived that we'll let the suburban villa near Paris hoping to save his son Alfredo from the clutches of this girl of whom you know he knows nothing

except that she's a notorious kept woman. Fathers or more has been warned of your latest charm and smooth manners but he still expects her to be rather coarse and little more than a common street walk. If I may interrupt again Mr Gove ask how all those fathers are more well fathers or more is actually only in his early fifties but you know 100 years ago this was considered a fairly advanced age. And the point is he's worried about his son Alfredo about his daughter Blanche and the financial threat brought on by his son's unfortunate involvement with this unsavory end as he imagines a greedy woman. And no wonder you know Alfredo has requested the release of a principle portion of the inheritance left him three years ago by his mother. Also the family of Russia's fiance is seriously upset about the news of radio's liers own with this notorious Parisian court isn't unless something is done right away. The wedding will have to be postponed and perhaps cancelled altogether. Fathers are most own

position may be jeopardized as well you know provincial French will have the most conservative souls imaginable and fathers will most of initial post he is by the way a chief collector of county taxes. Depends on the reputation of unquestioned honesty and strict propriety. The thrifty older more is distressed at the elegant appearance of this country estate with its gardens and expensive looking for an issue. The cost of which he believes are paid by his son to his provincial eyes this establishment has the local flavor of a flashy Parisian house of ill repute. He's stiffly uncomfortable does not remove his gloves and refuses to part with his hat which he keeps under his arm. You're indigenous fathers or more is to try to buy off your letter with a single and you hope not too large sum of money. You are however a dignified and polite gentleman and before making any proposals you want to be certain that you are in fact addressing your letter Valerie. Now then. With these facts in mind

we can proceed with a demonstration of the thoughts of the characters in the first part of their confrontation. These thoughts need hardly had been supplied by me not Barry or his librettist. Now let's begin the scene as fathers are more anxious and stops not far from the door of your letter remember I told you is standing near her table looking through papers and barely glancing at her more. This must be the man from the auctioneer's. I wonder if this is she who doesn't look like a crook. I better make sure. Miss Barry I am she. She pointed to a chair inviting him to sit down. Well freedom's father stands before you. Outrageous. And he'll probably stay overnight Thank God the blue guest room has been fixed up and Alfredo is not home. You recently won some tea I'm sure.

I must welcome him warmly. She dropped her papers on the table and runs to him. What's she doing. I don't want to shake hands with this creature. No Romo backs away a couple of steps. Yes well there are the foolish boy who was ruining himself there which by you your little step some distance from him. What's that rule in Bewitched. How dare he. I must control myself. Afterall he is Alfredo's father good. This is stopped or so I am a lady and in my own home. Permit me to leave more for your sake than for mine. You let us start going to her rooms. She certainly acts like a lady. I guess I was rude. This is on. Forgivable. And my hat still in my hand. I must get rid of it.

He turns and goes to put down his hat. I must not cry till I close the door. I must not cry till I close it. I must not cry till I close the. Don't worry if she leaves now all is lost. But she turns the page and all you are mistaken mistaken. Not at all. He plans to give you what he owns. That's not true. So far he has not dared I would refuse. There's something funny. Ramel looks around the room. What about this house in the gardens. Why that rug in the hallway must have cost at least a thousand. Your letter returns to her table. I have to tell him about the money. Let's hope he doesn't say anything to Alfredo. Yes this inventory will do.

Elegans this document is confidential but you may see it that they saw written inventory of her belongings from the table and handed us a trick of some sort. No I don't think so. Not that kind. He put on his glasses and looked at the paper. Let's see an inventory in order to sell. Yes that's the oficial form. This should convince him. After all it's not his fault he's so provincial and prejudiced. Three diamond rings wanted three thousand. The other two thousand. He walks to the right crossing the college. He walks just like Alfredo. How sweet that is. For a moment. Yes yes keep on reading. I wonder if the tax man here knows about this to categorize it.

Imagine thinking that I would let Alfredo pay for the villa. Unfortunately it's only. To understand a cashmere shawls eight hundred heavens what is this you're selling everything you own. You know let the knobs on her head. He can see for himself what a pity our past is so against to the past it seems years ago. The past is dead. Did she really so naive. It is a pity now that I love Alfredo. The good Lord has erased the past. I must tell her about strange. She reminds me of Lashon mother when she was a bride. You're like a ghost the word gentle with my repentance. These

are noble feelings. Oh thank God thank God. Now all is well. He understands he'll accept me. We'll be friends. How sweet your words sound to me. He goes toward her. And since you have these feelings why do you so embarrassed about the inventory. Here I'll take it. I must ask you to make a sacrifice. Oh God I know it. What ties. No wonder Alfredo's in. Love it or steal She seems kind and will understand opposition. Oh no Be silent. Your last quote something dreadful. There and this will give you an idea of the method we use to train young singers to think the thoughts of the characters they are portraying. It seems to me that some of the thought sequences you gave to us cannot be completed in the short time available when the scene is sung an act or the correct musical speech.

That's right at the very beginning for instance when John Moore reveals himself as Alfredo's father. My stream of thoughts can possibly be fitted into the short time that elapses before your most harsh rejection stops me dead in my tracks. Yes but remember that your thoughts are not to be spoken or sung with the music they convey your mental state your total feelings at this moment. It may take many words to describe them but such states generate or rather explode all at once in a fraction of a second. The main purpose of this preparatory exercise is to saturate you to flood used to speak with the in-character concerns for a moment your letter so as to leave no place in your mind for any other technical or personal ideas. You know there's something that's been bothering me. What is it suppose I should get all choked up when I start pleading with father is your mom. How will I sing I'll just fall to pieces vocally.

You know there is no need to fall to pieces in a life. Strong emotions rarely stop people from speaking in the play. Margaret go he still speaks at this point and in the opera Violetta still sings. If you cannot sing then your technique is faulty. Verily knew better than almost anyone what emotions do to people. He was aware that strong feelings affect the breath and he rolled his vocal lines accordingly. Willie realizes that in the sections where Violette is upset she cannot sing without taking many extra breaths and notice that her sentences are broken up into short phrases separated by sobs instead of singing. If I told you how I love him you would realize I can't leave him. I have no one but Alfredo to protect me and to love me. Verdi writes I tell you how I love him. I can't. I have no body affray to protect.

The tone of your letters voice must also change accordingly. We must feel that you are close to tears far from interfering with your performance your emotional involvement should help you to arrive at the most suitable vocal sound for this particular moment. This is precisely where your vocal technique should pay off if you permit your feelings to constrict your throat. They will certainly choke you just as you feared. But if you see to it that your emotional excitement does not affect your vocal apparatus this added energy should help not hinder you. Musical doxy there is something that disturbs me too. What is it. If I have to think and feel all this and to follow all these stage directions you are giving me. Then what about my individual artistic contribution. When I behave just like a marionette whose strings are being pulled by the stage director. Fortunately the answer to this question is an unequivocal no. You see the stage director must organize all the basic the article arrangements just as the author and composer organize the words in the music.

After all singers are not worried over the fact that they are asked to memorize words notes durations dynamics in tunes which are not aided in the score. They know that the better they memorize them the more of themselves their own voices phrasing and interpretation will they be able to superimpose on all these words and note. After all the letters are most seen as sung by all Sopranos and baritones pretty much as it is noted. And yet the differences in interpretation are much more important than the resemblances in words and notes. In spite of all not they should know identities every once in a while singers come along who make us feel that we are hearing this scene for the first time perhaps more beautifully than we had ever imagined it to be. In the same way gifted singing actors and actresses can contribute infinitely more to a role by their physical appearance and charm their magnetism their psychological understanding and believable humanity than a stage director could possibly suggest to

them in the hundreds of rehearsals the operatic stage director can free the singer from The concern of what to think where to go when to react and at what speed to perform an action. Just as the author and the composer free him from the necessity of inventing words and tunes so that he can devote his energies to making his own unique contribution to a given role it is this highly individual contribution which constitutes a singer's creativity. And it is this that has made certain roles for ever identified with specific singing actors for example. Nor one whose social apin as Boris the garden of will forget him. The words notes actions costumes and sets. We're pretty much as they are today. But was God enough. And to us who have seen him all those who have performed the role since been seem little more than feeble imitators. Power

of banishing all thoughts except those of Star Wars was so extraordinary that he convinces us of it even if we don't understand the Russian words he is saying. You've been listening to opera the battleground of the arts with Boris

gold OSC a nationally known operatic commentator. Producer and scholar opera the battleground of the arts is produced in association with the gold all ski operate Institute by the noncommercial cultural and information station of the Riverside Church in New York City. Producer Walter Shepherd production assistance and technical operations. Matthew Bieber feld and Peter Feldman. The parts of the student soprano and baritone were played by their own Shepard and Robert Morris portions of the script for this week's program were drawn from Mr. Gold our skees book bringing opera to Life published by Appleton century coughs next week. Mr. Gold our skees topic is modern technology in the opera house and two weeks from now on the 11th program in the series he'll discuss ersatz opera a grant from the National Home Library Foundation as made possible the production of this program for a national educational

radio. This is the national educational radio network.