NEW PUBLICATIONS

ARTICLES Block. Geoffrey. 'The Broadway Canon from Show Boat to West Side Story and the European Operatic Ideal." Journal ofMusicology 11, no. 4 (Fall 1993): 525-544. Brooks,Jeanice R. "Nadia Boulanger and the Salon ofthe Princesse de Polignac." Journal ofthe American Musicological Society 46, no. 3 (Fall 1993): 415-468. Dtimling, Albrecht. "Hearing, Speaking, Singing, Writing: The Meaning of Oral Tradi­ tion for Bert Brecht." In Music and Gennan Literature: Their Relationship Since the Middle Ages, edited by James M. McGiathery, 31~326. Columbia, SC: Camden House, 1992. Krabbe, Niels. "Pris Kulden, M0rket Og Fordrervet: Requiem for 20'ernes Berlin." In Musikken Har Ordet: 36 Musikalske Studier, redigeret af Finn Gravesen, 133-142. Copenhagen: Gads Forlag, 1993. Lipman, Samuel. ''Wby Kurt Weill?" In Music and More: Essays, 1975-1991. By Samuel Lipman, 3~49. Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press, 1992. Margry, Karel. "'Theresienstadt' (1944-1945):The Nazi Propaganda Film Depicting the Concentration Camp as Paradise." Historical Journal ofFilm, Radio and Television 12, no. 2 (1992): 145-162. [A Gennan version appeared in: Kamy, Miroslav, ed. 11ieresienstadt: Jn der "Endlosung der Judenfrage." Prag: Panorama, 1992.) Schebera, Ji.irgen. '"Meine Tage in Dessau sind gezahlt .. .': Kurt Weill in Briefen aus seiner Vaterstadt." Dessauer Ka/ender 37 (1993): 18-24. Taruskin, Richard. 'The Golden Age ofKitsch: The Seductions and Betrayals ofWeimar Opera." The New Republic (21 March 1994): 28-36. BOOKS Green, Paul. A Southern life: Letters ofPaul Green: 1916-1981. Edited by Laurence G. Avery. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, 1994. Murphy, Donna B. and Stephen Moore. Helen Hayes: A Bio-Bibliography. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1993. McCready, Sam. Lucille Lortel: A Bio-Bibliography. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1993. Spergel, Mark. Reinventing Reality: The Art and Life ofRouben Mamoutian. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1993. Thomson, Peter and Glendry Sacks, eds. The Cambridge Companion to Brecht. Cam­ Steve l?oss bridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1994. [Includes "TI1e Zelda Syndrome: Brecht and l h -eal lfle Elisabeth Hauptmann" by John Fuegi; "Brecht and Music: Theory and Practice" by Kim H. Kowalke; "The Threepenny Opera" by Stephen McNeff, and "Learningfora New Society: The Lehrstucke" by Roswitha Mueller.] THESES AND DISSERTATIONS Mtinch, Barbara. "Die 'Gotterdammerung' der Kleinbi.irger: Sozialkritik und Tragik in Bertolt Brechts und Kurt Weills Die sieben Todsunden." Hausarbeit zum Erwerb des Magistergrades an der Philosophischen Fakultatfi.ir Sprach-und Literaturwissenschaft II. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Mi.inchen, 1992. Wyatt, Susan Beth Masters. ''Kurt Weill: A Song Composer in Wartime with Three Recitals of Selected Works of Mozart, Strauss, Bach, Schubert, and Others." D.M.A Dissertation. University of North Texas, 1993. RECORDINGS Die sieben Todsunden. Anja Silja, soprano; The Cleveland Orchestra; Chri,stoph von Dohnaoyi, conductor. The Cleveland Orchestra Seventy-Fifth Anniversary Compact f' ~i!~~ Disc Edition TCO93-75. ~-~... J ltURT W EILL Die sieben Todsunden. Songs. Gisela May, with various artists. Berlin Classics BC 2069- 8QTO.I..T &~rc:icT 2. [CD reissue] DIE• .SI IBEN TODSUNDl!N sO.Gir - Die sieben Todsiinden. Koiner Rundfunkorchester; Lothar Zagrosek, cond. Mahagonny u;;;;;;;;-- Songspiel. Konig-Ensemble: Jan Latham-Konig, cond. Capriccio 60 028-1. Hut• !•II t'I.JlQ~1100,n llnu.11•hoK'UM Die sieben Todsunden. Stravinsky: Pulcinella (complete ballet). Elise Ross, soprano; ~ISELA_M_~ Simon Rattle, cond. EMI Classics 7 64739 2 [CD reissue] ..,....,~[:.=~ I G.tltrw.o I.to Steve Ross at the Algonquin. Stolen Moments SMCD 1939. [Includes ''Here I'llStay" and RllMAw~Cnunu t>o~-.rn "It Never Was You"] RVll!'n'n'·l:.itto•a. 0.-CllHtOlW~ "Zeitgenossen arrangieren Salonmusik." Salonorchester Colin. EM! CDC 7 49983 2. HtUU-f lt.liGll I HCJNi ROc;wn [Includes arrangement of "Mack the Knife" by Bruno Madema.]

16 Volume 12 Number 1 Kurt Weill Newsletter BooKs

ers many facets of Schreker's life that extensive ever published for Schreker. were eitherpr eviously littleknown or mis­ With this book, Hailey has raised understood. His close friendship with Schreker scholarship to an entirely new Schoenberg, for instance. has seldom in level. His biographical account of the the past been emphasized by scholars of composer can well be regarded as defini­ either composer. Schreker's uneasy rela­ tive and will inspire discussions of tionship with some of his pupils in the Schreker's music that will provide a firm 1920s, especially Alois Baba and Ernst base for future research. Krenek, shows the tensions underlying In a way, Marc Weiner's book comple­ two generations of composers and their ments the discussion of cultural context divergent aesthetic perspectives. emphasized by Hailey. Weiner focuses on Hailey also succeeds in placing Schreker the use of music in German literature to within a wider historical context by includ­ evoke social and political issuesof the day. ing consideration of social and cultural His starting point for this examination is topics to complement his narrative. Sev­ the debate fueled by Hans Pfitzner's po­ eral issues in particular come to the fore: lemics against the writings of Fenuccio the marketing of modem music, the im­ Busoni and Bekker. Weiner sees this Franz Schreker, 1878-1934: A pact of technological innovations such as debate primarily in sociopolitical terms, Cultura l Biography. By radio, film, and sound recording on the citing the contrast between Pfitzner's de­ Christopher Hailey. (Cambridge: dissemination of music in the 1920s, and fense of a Germanic hegemony in music Cambridge University Press, 1993). the rise of National Socialism. and the more international outlook of 433 pp. Although Schreker's life is thefocal point Busoni and Bekker. Weiner sounds sev­ of this book, Hailey also provides a valu­ eral themesthatrecurthroughouthisbook: Undertones of Insurrection: able introduction to his music. Each ofthe the difference between an elitist view of Music, Politics, and the Social operas is considered in terms of both the music and a more community-oriented Sphere in the Modern German composer's development and contempo­ approach, and the notion of music as a rary trends. Well-chosen musical ex­ symbol of social position. In succeeding Narrative. By Marc A. Weiner. amples give the reader an excellent grasp chapters, he explores these themes in (Lincoln: University of Nebraska of the distinctive features of each work. works ofThomas Mann (Death in Venice, Press,1993). 313pp. Hailey also devotes considerable space to Reflections ofa Nonpolitical Man, and Doc· the Rewptionsgeschichte ofSchre ker's com­ tor Faustus), Hermann Hesse The reputation of Franz Schreker has positions. Thec1itical responses presented (Steppenwo/J) , FranzWerfel (Verdi:A Novel risen dramatically in recent years. Like here chait a course from the mixed reac­ ofthe Opera) , Hugo von Hofrnannsthal (his many of his contemporaries, such as tions accorded his first mature works libretto for Strauss's Die Fra1, ohne AlexanderZemlinsky, Franz Schmidt, and through the nearly unanimous endorse­ Schatten), and Arthur &hnitzler (RhaP• Kurt Weill, Schreker is now assigned a ment of Der Schatzgriiber to the increas­ sody: a Dream Novel). more prominent position in early twenti­ ingly hostile r eviews - sometimes tinged Weiner's approach is especially con­ eth-century music than he had been in with anti-Semitism-ofthe 1920sand 1930s. vincing when the reference to music in earlier years. The time for a full-length Schreker's correspondence with the these literary works is at its most explicit. biographical study like Christopher influential critic Paul Bekker holds par­ The change undergone by the protagonist Hailey's has clearly come. ticular interest. These letters, quoted ex­ of Steppenwolf, Harry Haller, is a case in As the author points out in his introduc­ tensively by Hailey, are revealing docu­ point Hailer's uncritical acceptance ofthe tion, a study ofSchreke rmu stcastlight not ments of the composer's aesthetic ideals, narrow bourgeois values imparted by his only on the composer but also upon his and they provide insights into his compo­ youthful education gives way to a more times. How could a composer once hailed sitional process. Bekker detected in favorable view of other cultures. This as a musical revolutionary - following the Schreker's music a kinship with earlier transformation is reflected in Hailer's ini­ successful premieres of Der ferne Klang French and Italian operatic traditions char­ tially reverential attitude toward Goethe (1912), Die Gezeiclmeten (1918) and Der acterized by a predominantly lyiical style and Mozart, two icons of high German Schatzgriiber (1920) - become passe in a ofvocal writing. Itwas Schreker's achieve­ classicism, and his later enthusiasm for matter of only a few years? The outline of ment., Bekker wrote, that he was able to jazz, a symbol of the infiltration of Ameri­ Schreker'scareer illuminates and reflects meld this trait with the Germ.an heritageof can culture into Germany during the 1920s. the rapidly changing aesthetic and stylis­ Musikdrama formulated by Wagner. As Similarly, Weiner's discussion ofWerfel's tic trends ofb.is day, from the late roman­ Hailey observes, Bekker's appreciation of novel shows how Verdi's aesthetic repre­ ticism ofthe early twentieth century to the this melodic style can serve as a needed sents a populist view of the artist in society Neue Sachlichkeitofthe Weimar Republic. corrective to the overemphasis on instru­ as opposed to the more elitist one depicted It is only in view of these b·ends that mental and hannonic color that has domi­ in Pfitzner's Palestrina. Schreker's shifting fortunes become un­ nated critical evaluation of Schreker's Anyone interested in the relationship derstandable. Moreover, since his career music throughout this century. between music and its cultural context., took a path from professor at the Vienna The book is physically well-produced. I presently a topic ofgreat interest, will find Music Acauemy to director of the would only criticize the placementofootes this study worth reading. Weiner's book is Hochschule filr Musik in Berlin, the de­ at the end of the text, arranged by chapter also a welcome addition to the growing tails of the composer's biography also re­ (a practice all too common in recent times), numberofworks thatexamine music from veal much about these two imp01tant mu­ and a few typographical errors. One lone an interdisciplinary perspective. sical centers. factual errorcaught my eye: the death date Drawing on an impressive array ofdo cu­ of tl1e critic Kurt Singer is given as 1940 KEITH COCHRAN mentation, including correspondence, re­ rather than the correct 1944. The works University of North Carolina views, and reminiscences, Hailey uncov- list and bibliography are by far the most at Chapel Hill

Kurt Weill Newsletter Volume 12 Number 1 17 BOOKS

correct a few inaccuracies or flaws of ing, or to entertain hisfriends, orto mock memory, but their overall effect is to someone, or to demonstrate his literary confirm that, for the mostpart, Miinsterer talent as a lyricist, words and music at "got it right." this period of his life were inextricably connected and seldom appeared in isola­ 1 was impressed on re-reading this tion. work after nearly three decades by the relative accuracy and wealth of informa­ Mtinsterer describes a period when tion in this account of Brecht's youth. thecoterie wasobsessed with Afro-Ameri­ especiallyouhisattachmenttoAugsburg. can culture and its translation into themes As a poet and writer himself, Mtinsterer in certain plays and lyrics. They were gives a better sense than any subsequent also fascinated with the musical implica­ memoirs I know (including those by tions of the jazz rhythms they heard. He Brecht's brother Walter) of how the reports as weU that Brecht thought of writer, in company with his friends, pro­ revivifying opera and operetta, both of cessed virtually every aspect of his life in which he saw as wrongly neglected mar­ those days as art - family, friends, his kets for lyric poetry. (Though his idea to women, the War, encounters with au­ smuggle his poetry into uncultured house­ thority, his recreation, the Augsburg holds printed on toilet paper rolls sug­ The Young Brecht. By Hans Otto cityscape. and much, much more. This gests that his approach would not have M0nsterer. Translated and youthful and intense group of would-be been highbrow.) Bohemians and artists, of whom Brecht introduced by Tom Kuhn and In the section "Further Perspectives,'' remained the unchallenged leader, gave Karen J. Leeder, preface by Michael the editors-translators cite testimony by him ready-made coUaborators who sup­ other contemporaries who remember Morley. (London: Libria, 1992), plied him witll materials and feedback Brecht in a brothel giving a guitar rendi­ 195 pp. and became his audience for tlle self­ stylizations that characterized his own tion of Goethe's "God and the Dancing Girl" tllat brought down the house in life and his attempts at art. Hans Otto Mi.insterer's memoirs ofhis front of an audience that passed the hat association with Brecht from 1917-22, Inevitably, these self-stylfaations result and demanded encores. Another mem­ written by this erstwhile member of the in a portrait of starkcontradictionsin the ber ofthe clique reports that"Mostofhis literary coterie which Brecht assembled youthful Brecht - bashful naivete and songs began life as texts for tunes he in his hometown ofAugsburg, havegrown outrageous impudence, intolerable ob­ would m.ake up on his guitar. He didn't in importance and relevance since they noxiousness and extraordinary charm, sing well, but with an overpowering pas­ first appeared in German in 1963. This painful shyness and towering confidence. sion - drunk with his own verses, pic­ complete and generally accurate portrait But tlley also reveal that at an early age, tures, and figures, in the way others get is written byone who belonged to Brecht's the aspiring poet and playwright was drunk on wine - and he made bis listen­ earliest "production team" and who pos­ engaged in what is sometimes today ers drunk with them, too." sessed literary talent himself. called "performance art.'' It is in this area The author's observation that" it seems Mtinsterer's collector's instinct also that one sees the basis for his later col­ very plausible.. . that many of Weill's or moved him to preserve partial or com­ laboration with Kurt Weill. plete Brecht-related documents-mostly Dessau'scompositionscan betraced back poems - and information about the Adominantmotifin Mlinsterer'smem­ to Brecht's own ideas" might raise objec­ writer's literary and biographical back­ oirs reveals Brecht as a performing bal­ tions in some quarters, but evidence from ground. These, plus journal entries and ladeer or singer of lyrics. Repeatedly in Mtinsterer's journals and letters suggest letters, captured additional data thatboth these pages the young poet appears witll that Brecht's practice at this young age provided a context for many early works his guitar under his arm, singing his made his later collaborations with Kurt and gave unique accounts of lost works, poems to friends in his circle while ac­ Weill and other composers an extension all of which has inspired much scholar­ companying himself to his own tunes or ofan already established modus operandi. ship in the ensuing years. those borrowed from popular culture. However rudinlentary Brecht's musical Mtinsterer claims tllat "Brecht's excep­ knowledge may have been, it informed Besides offering a highly readable tional musical gifts enabled him to com­ his creative world as it did in few lyric translation of Mtinsterer's text and the pose folk melodies for almost all his po­ poets since lhe minnesingers. numerous poems it cites (as well as use­ ems.'' He recalls how he brought Brecht Anyone seriously interested inBrecht's ful brieffootnotes that decipher obscure oneof his ownserenades for their nightly origins and development as a lyric poet, references), the editors-translators have sessions, whereupon Brecht responded a theater man, and a collaborator with appended a long section e ntitled "Fur­ "with a spontaneous rendition of an im­ composers in subsequentyearsmustdeal ther Perspectives." Drawing on informa­ provised guitar accompaniment." tion about Brecht's youth that has with this work. Nothing else in English emerged since 1963, including unpub­ By his account, the vast majority of or German compares. 1t is an informa­ lished documents, these essays ("'The Brecht's poems written during these, the tive, entertaining, "easy read" on a writer Family in Augsburg," "Brecht and His most productive lyric years of his life, who has been stirring up people since his Clique," "Girlfriends," 'The War," "Dia­ eitherarose simultaneously as words and youth and continues to do so. ries ofthe Revolution ," "Fatherhood and music, or, if they were written down Marriage,n wrhe Literary Profession, 0 beforehand, were set to music by Brecht "Patrons and Critics,'' and "1922 and Ber­ almost immediately after tlley were read JAMES K. LYON lin") update, supplement, and corrobo­ aloud. Whether he used poems to ser­ University of California, rate much of whatMii nstererwrote. 11,ey enade the young women he was court- San Diego

18 Volume 12 Number 1 Kurt Weill Newsletter BOOKS

The Cambridge Companion to Berlin Cabaret. By Peter Jelavich. Brecht. Edited by Peter Thomson (Cambridge, MA: Harvard and Glendyr Sacks. (Cambridge: University Press, 1993). 322 pp. Cambridge University Press, 1994). 302 pp. Some, but certainly not all, of the con­ that grip you tensely from the first to the BERLIN CABARET tributions to this volume conform to what last note") seems not to fulfil] the de­ I would have expected of a self-styled mand for "an unsentimental, repertorial, "compan_ion" to Brecht. German sachlich mode of presentation." Handbii.cher on Brecht, Mann or Kafka. The likely explanation for this discrep­ and the Oxford Companions to German ancy is that Brecht's theoretical state­ Literature, Music and so forth. have led ments about music only partially fitted one to expectthat such books will mainly his real demands, as indeed is generally contain the kind of factual information true of the relation between theory and that will help the user to understand and practice in his work. Naturally enough, appreciate particular authors, genres. or his theoretical statements tended to em­ works. The volume begins in this vein phasize thepoints ofdifference from other with a brief "Brecht Calendar" lhal, fol­ conceptions oftheater. In practice, how­ lowing Volker'sBrecht-Chronik, tabulates ever, his theater continued to employ a At last a new English-language book important events in Brecht's life and work. whole range of familiar rhetorical tech­ on German cabarethas appeared to com­ The remainder of the volume is made up niques alongside tbe "effects of alien­ plement Lisa Appignanesi's coffee-table ofessays, anumberofwhich seek mainly ation." Eisler suited Brecht better from volume of 1976. Peter Jelavich's study to be informative. Thus the reader will 1930 onwards, I suspect, because they offers a wealth of documentation as it find useful guides to "Brecht's Germany" were then closely attuned ideologically recounts the history and theory ofthis art (but only, unfortunately, covering the and because Eisler was therefore ready form from its beginnings in 1901 to its period 1898-1933), to his practical work and able to place the rhetorical empha­ "death" in Nazi concentration camps. with theBerliner Ensemble, to hispoetry ses in the same places as Brecht. Thus, elavich examines the cabaretin relation­ (but not, unfortunately, to the uses of although Kowalke's essay is one of the J shipto other popular entertainmentforms language in his plays). to actors' experi­ longer (and more informative) ones in including variety theater, operetta. re­ ences of working with and oo Brecht, the volume, it shares a difficulty with the vue, nude dance, and agitprop. Indeed, and, probably of most interest to the other essays, namely that of handling a despite its title, this volume is more of a readers of the Kurt Weill Newsletter. to complex topic within the narrow con­ volume on entertainment and perfor­ the theory and practice of music in fines permitted to the contributors, of Brecht's tbeater. finding space for background informa­ mance than strictly cabaret. One chap­ ter, for instance, focuses oo the bombas­ Kim Kowalke's essay on this topic lists tion, textual-musical analysis, argument, tictheatricalrevuesand chorus-girlshows Brecht's musical collaborators - Weill, and evaluation. Here, as elsewhere, one of the twenties that are only marginally would bave liked to see greater differen­ Eisler, Hindemith, Parmet and others - related to the cabaret. The studysituates but he is mainly interested in the ques­ tiation and more specific detail. the development of these entertainment tion of what kind of music best accorded A further difficulty, not uncommon in forms in a detailed historical context in with Brecht's conception of Epic The­ books by many hands, is that of overlap. order to examine how the performances ater. Kowalke draws attention to the dif­ Kowalkecoverssomeofthesameground reflected changing attitudes, roles. and ferent notions Brecht and Weill enter­ as Stephan McNeff's article on The political values, as well as how artists tained of "gestus" in music and to the Threeepenny Opera, which is a pity since attempted to address the urban experi­ progressive tensions in their relation­ McNeff could have used more space to ence with the new aesthetic of montage. ship, someofwhich werepersonal , some describe textual variants and analyse ideological, and others the result of a musical effects, matters which really be­ As he concentrates on four thematic perceived contestfor supremacybetween long in a "Companion." complexes - politics, sex, fashion, and words and music in theatrical perfor­ Taken asa whole, Ifeel thatthe editors race - Jelavich highlights the ambiva­ mance. Kowalke argues thatBrechtfound and contributors of this Companion to lence and contradictory nature of the his "ideal musical colleague" not in Weill, Brecht did not have a sufficiently clear portrayal ofthese topics in popular enter­ butin Eisler, whose music (''highly effec­ notion of their target audience. The be­ tainment, and he questions repeatedly tive, but strictly subordinate to the text") ginner needs a good deal offundamenta l the effectiveness and function of satire, conformed more closely than that of any information that is lacking here. The which can critique power structures yet othercomposerto Brecht's expectations. initiate is likely to feel frustrated by the also reinforce them through its function On thefaceofit, this isasurprisingclaim, often too sketchy and cavalier treatment as a safety valve, venting aggression and since Brecht's theoretical demand for of critical issues. A missed opportunity,1 trivializingculturalconflicts. Apparently, the "separation of the elements" in Epic fear, since theEnglish marketco uld have then, modem or resistant culture can Theater would seem to be well metby the done with something similar to what the suddenly reveal itselfto be faddish, hypo­ independent, subversive instrumentation volumes of Knopfs Brecht Handbuch of­ critical, even complicitous. However, favored by Weill. Conversely, the often fer German readers. the most damning weakness of German directly appellative character of Eisler's satirists, the author argues, was their settings (described by one of the critics RONALD SPEIRS inability to recognize the immensity of quoted by Kowalke as "proletarian songs University of Birmingham the danger Adolf Hitler represented.

Kurt Weill Newsletter Volume 12 Number 1 19 BOOKS PERFORMANCES

Concerto for Violin and Wind Instruments, Op. 12. New York, Carnegie Hall. The Philadelphia Orchestra, Charles Dutoit, cond., Chantal Juillet, violin. 16 November 1993.

Jelavich admits the difficulty of captur­ The 1993-4 New York cultural season pressiveness. When these disparate af. ing such an effervescent and intimate art has been a satisfying one for partisans of fective worlds are not coordinated care­ in a scholarly book, and indeed, little of Weill'smusic. TheNewSchoolforSocial fully, the work falls apart. the playfulness, humor, vitality and per­ Research offered a Mahagonny Songspiel. The Philadelphia Orchestra and solo­ sonality of these performances shines Der Zar lasst sich photographieren (in ist Chantal Juillet satisfied these criteria through the dense historical background. English translation) bowed at the Man­ and offered a superb accountof the work. The occasional snippets of cabaret lyrics hattan School of Music, and a concert As well as attending to the Concerto's are well translated, but they are few and production ofLady in the DarkwiLI appear contrasts in mood and variegated struc­ far between, and one wishes for more in May at City Center. revealing photographic documentation. ture, the soloist must execute demand­ More troublesome is an inherent contra­ Any interest in Weill's music is encour­ ingvirtuoso passagework. (Indeed,Weill diction in the argumentation: while in­ aging, of course, but pe1iormances by dedicated the Concerto to Josef Szigeti.) sisting that early German cabaret was the so-called "big five" orchestras are Juilletmetthis challenge; her traversal of not primarily political, Jelavich unwill­ especially welcome. As representatives the second movement "Cadenza'' was ingly distorts its character by focusing so ofthe mainstream musical establishment, extraordinary. One sensed that both heavily on political satire. The theycommand thelargestaudiences and Charles Dutoit and the gifted Juillet, a Katakombe, the revived Schall and Rauch, wield the most influence. Because expo­ former pupil of Dorothy De Lay, possess and Friedrich Hollander's revues, all earn sure in such a forum affords a piece the an intuitive grasp of the Concerto's mention only for their political numbers, opportunity to become a part of the rep­ aesthetic. which were actually disproportionately ertory, two other events were especially As befits a world-class orchestra, the few. The only artist of the Katakombe noteworthy: the New York Philharmonic musicianship of the Philadelphians was from 1929 to 1933 who earns significant incorporated Die sieben Todsiinden into nonpareil. The ability ofthe ensemble to mention is the communist singer Ernst its autumn programming [see thereview articulate local details and characteristics Busch,who was an anomaly in the troupe. in this issue] and the Philadelphia Or­ of sections without losing a sense of the The author devotes little attention to chestra brought the Concerto for violin overall work proved particularly impres­ music and the many non-verbal arts of and wind instruments to Carnegie Hall. sive. Among many outstanding individual the cabaret, such as improvisation, im­ The Conce1to (1924) marks an impor­ performances, those of the two flutists personation, noise artists, or Grotesktanz, deserved special acknowledgment all of which are admittedly difficult to tant juncture in Weill's compositional reconstruct On the other hand,]elavich 's output, being one of his earliest mature Although problems of execution are analysis of censorship in matters both pieces and his last purely orchestral com­ usually to be expected in so demanding a sexual and political is thorough and fasci­ position untiltheSymphony No.2 (1934). piece, the faults in this performance nating, as is his recounting ofthe system­ Rooted in an unconventional tonal. idiom seemed few and minor. Ensemble at­ atic muzzling of topical humor under the that some would term "atonal,'' it is a tacks, particularly on tutti chords, were Nazis and thetragicfateofthecabaretin difficult work for both conductor and sometimes hesitant and, consequently, concentration camps, a gripping tale of a soloist. The cohesive structural role tra­ lacked sharpness. Dutoit had isolated schizophrenic dance in the face of doom. ditionally played by lonal harmony is difficulties with the maintenance of bal­ assumed instead bycarefully maintained Apostscript regarding an actor remem­ ances, and the soloist's occasional into­ relationships among motives, texture, nation and articulation problems tended bered for his work on Weill: Jelavich meter, tempo, and dynamics. The con­ recirculates several misconceptions re­ to blur passages. Most troubling was ductor must mediate control of these garding the 1944-5 Theresienstadt Juillet's failure to observe Weill's muting film, factors with careful observance of the popularly referred to as DerF uhrerschenkt specifications during a passage in the score's numerous dynamic and articula­ second movement, resulting in an exact denfuden eine Stadt. Two recent articles tion indications, attending especiaUy to by Karel Margry clear up much of the repetition of the preceding measures in­ the contrast between legato and non­ misinformation and straighten out the stead of a variation through timbral legato. challenge under any record on Kurt Gerron's role in and re­ A change. sponsibility for the film. (See "New Pub­ circumstances, this assignment is com­ plicated byWeill 's transparent orchestra­ All in all, Dutoitand Juilletgave a very lications.") tion. satisfying, highly musical performance, and the composer was well served. Sig­ Further confronting the conductor is nificantly for the general public interest the task of coordinating and articulating ALAN LAREAU in WeilJ, the work was presented to a the three main movements - and their Concordia College Carnegie Hall audience. subsections - while still retaining the concept of the whole. The Concerto is a work of shifting moods. Certain pas­ * * * * * sages are meant to sound asb·ingent and MICHAEL VON DER LINN detached; others exhibit a romantic ex- Columbia University

20 Volume 12 Number 1 Kurt Weill Newsletter PERFORMANCES

Die sieben Todsunden. New Street Scene. Houston. Houston York, Avery Fisher Hall. New York Grand Opera, Francesca Zambello, Philharmonic, Kurt Masur, cond., dir., Ward Holmquist, cond. 28, Angelina Reaux, soprano, 30 January, 2, 5, 8, 11, 13 February members of Hudson Shad vocal 1994. ensemble. 15-18 December, 1994.

Angelina Reaux achieved a genuine spiritual aspects of the piece that consti­ Under David Gockley, the company's success as Anna I & II in her four perfor­ tute Weill's triumphant accomplishment general director, the Houston Grand mances of Die sieben Todsiinden with and which lift Die sieben Todsunden far Opera has carved out a special niche by Kurt Masur and the New York Philhar­ above the limitations of its scenario and showcasing American music theater, monic. The soprano projected a justifi­ Brecht's text. The Philharmonic's from revivals of classics like Treemonisha, able confidence in her vocal and theatri­ "frame" for its pairing of the Weill and Show Boat, and Porgy and Bess, to new operas by Bernstein, Floyd, Glass.Adams, cal capabilities, displaying a performing Berg's "Brecht, Weill and Lulu Suite - and other. Its stunning new production persona of sufficient individuality and Berlin, 1929-1935'' - was something of a ofWeill's Street Scene, performed in the scope to sustain a demanding role under red herring to begin with, and Reaux's company's Wortham Center 28 January the challenging conditions of a concert focus on the socio-psychological and sa­ through 13 February, gives further cred­ presentation. tirical aspects of the piece tended to coo­ ibility to HGO's deep commitment to the Working with a chair and a few props, neel it unhelpfully with stereotyped no­ American repertoire. tions of cabaret. Reaux executed a carefully worked-out Originally composed for Broadway, interpretation with flair and self-assur­ The real disappointment, though, was Street Scene is as operatic as Carmen and many other works that similarly use spo­ ance. The basic concept of her portrayal Masur's interpretation: despite evident ken dialogue, and it transfers well to the was clear and vivid from the sta1t of the enthusiasm and commitment on his part big stage. For this production, one had to Prologue: this Anna was a young woman/ and from the players, he rushed through strain a bit to hear all the Elmer Rice girl always looking nervously to her domi­ the score. At least.five of the seven Sins dialogue (strident New York and florid neering bourgeois family for approval sped by too quickly for their individual Italian accents came across the footlights and guidance. Her intermittent rebel­ qualities to make their mark. At this better than guttural German and Swed­ lions against their authority represented pace, the rhythms of the piece often ish ones), but the audience was spared the desperate, needy gestures of some­ lacked proper articulation. Thus, a work ear-splitting amplification. In addition, one fundamentally unsw·e of her own full of contrasts between light and dark the production used surtitles judiciously identity. The dualism inherent in the emerged monochromatic and flat. for some of the work's sung portions, and ballet's premise acquired subtler socio­ though one might question the ramifica­ logicaJand psychological dimensions, and tions of surtitles for sung English, the NICHOLAS DEUTSCH Anna's journey towards spiritual exhaus­ superb Langston Hughes lyrics certainly New York City merit the scrutiny they afford. tion became a satirical-pathetic lesson in the political construction of neurosis. Vocally, as well, Reaux emphasized fragmentation rather than homogeneity, moving skill.fully between the extremes of the "little girl" voice in which she sang the Prologue and the sensual, mature timbre she exhibited in Lust. Not every­ thing sat comfortably in her voice. She sometimes broke the musical line in or­ der to project text (in well-studied Ger­ man, a few wayward vowels apart). Given the role's tricky tessitura and the difficul­ ties of singing unmiked over an orches­ tration intended for the theater, this was an understandable choice. As the family, four members of the vocal sextet Hudson Shad were first-rate both vocally and dramatically (with Wilbur Pauley a wittily demure Mother, purse on arm). Their moment in the spotlight during Gluttony was a high point of the evening. For all its pleasures, the peiiormance fell short of delivering the full impact of Kip Wilborn (Sam Kaplan) and Lee Merrill (Rose Maurrant) in the Houston Weill's score. It only hinted atthe deeper Grand Opera production of Street Scene. Photo: Jim Caldwell.

Kurt Weill Newsletter Volume 12 Number 1 21 PERFORMANCES

Der Lindberghflug. Dessau, "Kurt Weill Fest '94." Ehemaliger Festsaal der Junkerswerke. Stephan BIOher, director, Jurgen Bruns, conductor. 4, 5 March 1994.

When the curtain rose to reveal Deborah Leamy, in a loud floral skirt The organizers of the second Kurt Adrianne Lobel's set, a strikingly lifelike and lime-colored pumps, and Dick Weill Festival chose carefully and pur­ recreation of a poor mid town Manhattan McGann, in a bluecheckeredjacket, red posely the Junker's Propeller Works in street in the 1930s, the audience fairly shirt and cream-colored pants, made the Dessau as the venue for the concert per­ gasped. The entire space was filled with most of their delightful jitterbug-blues formance of the Weill-Brecht radio can­ enormous tenement brownstones, all set number, "Moon-faced, Starry-eyed," well tata, Der Lindberghfl.ug. The obvious aim neartheproscenium'sedgeandrendered choreographed by Denny Berry. Laura in selecting this site was to stir up asso­ Knoop, wonderfully lanky as a young in meticulous detail, including period ciations between the work and the physi­ architectural carvings and fire escapes, Jennie Hildebrand, did well by the opera's cal locale. floral curtains and venetian blinds, gera­ sweetly rousing, "Wrapped in a Ribbon niums and ash cans, even a dog and an and Tied in a Bow." And the ensemble This stage, which had been used for infant. (During intermission, audience work throughout was finely tuned and military purposes since the war and thus members-like visitors toa Disney theme ingeniously staged, including the closed off to the public, offered a perfor­ park - came up to the pit to gawk at the children's number, "Catch Me If You mance space off the beaten path and yet exposed set.) Can.'' located in tbespiritual centerofthe piece; The huge buildings not only dwarfed Conductor Ward Holmquist followed thus, a memorial was created to the eu­ the cast, but overpowered the audience the singers with exemplary care while phoriaof mankind's technological accom­ also. ln a printed program interview, driving the drama forward at all times. plishments. Similarly, Der Lindbergh/lug, director Francesca Zambello admon­ He had a fine orchestra at his disposal, composed in 1929andfollowingthesame ishes, "don't forget, these !Manhattan] fully able to cope with Weill's verismo streets are only 24 feet wide, including spirit, returned to the home of its com­ lyricism, jazz rhythms, and expressionist poser for this performance. six to eight feet ofsidewalk. I wanted the discord. set to be shallow, so it feels like the The production has already garnered For months, students from Dessau's audience is living in the building across warmly appreciative reviews in the Hous­ Philanthropiun1, the most prestigious the street And the buildings are five ton dailies, the New York Times and the Gymnasium in the city, rehearsed Der stories high, so big that even in the front Wall Streetjournal. The production goes Lindbergh/lugs choral sections during row you can't see the sky above them. thiswintertoLudwigshafenand Berlin. I which their teacher, Erdmute Geyer, Because when you 're on a tenementstreet hope someone televises it, for itwarrants challenged the limits of their abilities. you really don't see the sky unless you national attention. Ideally, one might Although a precedent for didactic music­ look straight up." prefer a staging on the more intimate drama presentation had been set with The set's colors - greenish grays and scale originally conceived, but I cannot last year's production of DerJasager, the rusty reds - suggested Edward Hopper imagine another production making a dynamics of this performance posed a to many viewers, and Zambello herself stronger case for the work's importance new challenge: this year the use of a describes the colors as having an "Ed­ and viability as an opera. ward Hopper twist to them.~ Whereas professional orchestra raised markedly such colors often evoke a kind of deso­ the artistic standards. The fact that pro­ late emptinessin Edward Hopper's paint­ HOWARD POLLACK fessionals and ambitious amateurs came ings, here they emphasize t he University of Houston together to pull off a truly worthwhile production's garish claustrophobia, as do the sizzling yellows, whites, and or­ anges of Mimi Jordan Sberin's remark­ able lighting and the alternately washed­ out and vibrant pastels of Martin Pakledinaz's costumes. Zarnbello's kind of stinging urban realism reminded me more of Reginald Marsh than Edward Hopper. HGO assembled a remarkably strong cast. As the sensitive, young Rose Maurrant and Sam Kaplan, Merrill Lee and Kip W.:Jbom turned in dramatically stirring and vocally thrilling perfor­ mances, including a very moving "Lonely House" sung by Wilborn under a lamp­ post Sheri Greenawald made a tremen­ dously sympatheticAnna Maurrant, only slightly compromised by an occasional propensity to go flat on high notes. Rob­ ert McFarland was compelling as her Shirley Harned (Olga Olsen), Eutene Pe.ny (Henry Davis), Rodney Stenborg (George brutish husband, Frank. His solo, "Let Jones), J anice Felty (Emma Jones), Jerold Siena (Lippo Fiorentino), John Kuether (Carl Things Be Like They Always Was," Olsen), and Wendy Hill (Greta Fiorentino) in 'The Ice Cream Sextet" in the Houston proved particularly riveting. Grand Opera production of Street Scet1e. Photo: Jim Caldwell.

22 Volume 12 Number 1 Kurt Weill Newsletter RECORDINGS

performance proved the most beautiful wished to see young people involved in Die sieben Todsunden. Anja surprise of the production on 4 March. the realization of their didactic works. Silja, soprano; male quartet; At the same time, it illustrated the goal of the Dessau Festival, namely, a common Indeed, a few aspects did clistractfrom Cleveland Orchestra, Christoph the performance, e.g., the performance search for Kurt Weill, the artist, on many von Dohnanyi, cond. Cleveland of "Fog'' and occasional lapses in the levels. Orchestra TC093-75 (10 CD set: exceedinglydemandingtenorpart. None­ Bela Bartok's Divertimento for Strings, theless, the fine ensemble never flagged "The Cleveland Orchestra Seventy­ played brilliantly by the Kammer­ in intensity during the performance. The Fifth Anniversary Compact Disc symphooie Berlin and conducted with pertormance was made especially conge­ Edition"). great attention to tonecolors and flexibil­ nial by the active give and take between ity oftempo byJurgen Bruns, openedthe soloists and chorus. In retrospect, one program. Andreas Jungwirth, an actor may note that. fortunately, a planned Die sieben Todsunden. Brigitte from the Dessauer Landestheater, fol­ change of scenery was cut, allowing the Fassbaender; male quartet; NDR lowed with the introductory dedication· audience to concentrate on the work. Radio Philharmonia (Hannover), prologue to Der lindberghfl.ug, which has Thus, neither flaws nor strengths were proven an indispensable concession to concealed by artistic trickery; the in­ Cord Garben, cond_ Complainte the Brechtheirs. Bathed in colored light tended concert atmosphere was main­ de la Seine; Youkali; Nannas lied; that was nearly too bright for the scenes tained. Instead of modernisms, one ob­ Wie lange noch?; Es reg net; Berlin to follow, the narrator found hls way served a visible effort for respectful au· im Licht-Song. Brigitte through the static physical arrangement thenticity that could never be miscon­ Fassbaender, mezzo-soprano; of the chorus and conveyed a sense of strued as self-conscious reverence. distance by an interpretation that never Cord Garben, piano. Harmonia quite exposed the pathos of the libretto. This fresh, uncomplicated treatment Mundi France HMC-901420. of Weill's work stirred the audience, and "Hier ist der Apparat! Steig ein." generous applause rewarded the actors Against the sparse scenery, a fateful as well as the director Stephan Bltiher Die sieben Todsunden. Doris propellor swung from side to side in the (from the Komische Oper Berlin). A Bierett, mezzo-soprano; male Junkers Propeller Works. During the second performance during the festival first fifteen parts, the chorus captivated repeated the success of the premiere. quartet; Cologne Radio Orchestra, Lothar Zagrosek, cond. the auclience with clear, focused, and Dr. Joachim Lucchesi of the secure cliction, only rarely marred by Technische Universitat Berlin comple­ Mahagonny Songspiel. Gabriele inclividual voices. The young conductor mented this part of the festival with a Ramm, soprano; Trudeliese sensitively held back his musicians, detailed introduction to the historical Schmidt, mezzo-soprano; Horst brought fotward the singers, and bal­ background and origins of Der anced the whole. Tenor Martin Tetzold Hierstermann, tenor; Peter Lindbergh/lug. Audience members could Nikolaus Kante, tenor; Walter conveyed a powerful Lindbergh, and bari­ also view an exhibition, "lm Rhythmus tone Andreas Scholz and bass Dirk der Zeit," at the Dessau Historical Mu­ Raffeiner, baritone; Hans Franzen, Schmidt contributed adequately to the seum on the historyoftheairplaneindus­ baritone; Konig-Ensemble, Jan proceedings. But the most impressive try in Dessau . Latham-Konig, cond. Capriccio contribution was that of the students: they tackled their parts with concentra­ 60-028-1. tion and held their own against the pro­ ANDREAS HILLGER fessional singers, all very much in the Dessau spirit of the authors, who expressly Translated /J,y Kathleen Finnegan The good news is that the original version of Die sieben Todsiinden is being performed and recorded more often: two of these three new recordings employ it - and the third, on Capriccio, was appar· ently recorded as long ago as 1978, so its use of the transposed Bruckner· Rtiggebergversion doesn't represent the current state of affairs. The bad news is thatthe bestrecording ofthe Urtextis the least accessible: the Silja-Dohnanyi per­ formance, recorded in concertat the 1992 Salzburg Festival, is an inextricable pa,t ofa ten-disc historical survey ofthe Cleve­ land Orchestra (a fascinating survey in• deed, including long-unavailable commer­ cial recordings plus a wealth of live-per· formance material, notably from the long Soloists, Chorus, and members of the Kammersymphonie Berlin in tenure of George Szell - but hardly a a performance ofDer Lindbergh/tug atthefonner Fest.<,aalJunkerswerke casual purchase). in Dessau. Photo: Bernd Helbig.

Kurt Weill Newsletter Volume 12 Number 1 23 RECORDINGS

MAHAGONNY SONGSPIEL

Exceptional in the Cleveland perfor­ rendering of the Brtickner-Riiggeberg Der Lindberghflug. Film mance is the charged conviction of both version from the Cologne Radio Archives produced by WDR/La SepVINA. singing and playing; the march and dance to pairwith a new Mahagonny Songspiel is Directed by Jean-Fran~ois Jung. and song rhythms are defiantly precise. a mystery- too bad, too, for Jan Latham­ Koiner Rundfunkorchester, Jan the ensemble is sleek and brilliant, the Konig leads a more respectable perfor­ Latham-Konig, cond., Pro Musica quartet is well-blended (though the first mance of the latter, delivering the kind of Koln and Koiner Rundfunkchor, tenor could be sweeter). The Cleveland rhythmic drive that was missing in his Johannes Hornberg, cond. is the only world-class orchestra in this completeAufetieg for the same company; trio, and that makes a difference, even if by comparison, the Mauceri recording Die sieben Todsunden (Les sept we may feel that its shiny Rolls-Royce seems stodgy. The singers are a strong pechescapitaux). Film produced group (Walter Raffeiner, singing the tenor power is not always the aptest vehicle for by La Sept-Arte/Opera de Lyon . the work. Silja's fervent Anna is not role of Charlie, is mysteriously credited Directed by Peter Sellars. Orchestre without problems: her inherent tremolo as a baritone, though he has always pre­ de l'Opera Lyon, Kent Nagano, renders intonation frequentlyimpure, the viously been billed as a tenor), and, un­ notes at the top of the staff tend to be like Mauceri's cast, they don't have to cond., Teresa Stratas, soprano. shrill and blowsy, and some variation of dumb down to match Ute Lemper. The Theopeningshotofthe Westdeutscher the incessantly bright timbre would yield fascinating score deserves all the atten­ greater emotional shading. tion it can get, for - rather than a "suite" Rundfunk's television film of Der - it offers versions of the songs signifi­ Lindbergh/lug fades to a table supporting Fassbaender's performance has more cantly denser and more original than a small Alt Deco lamp and a circa-1927 such shading and is also occasionally radio. Over the airwaves, a voice briefly those in the later opera. freer with the written notes. This is a recounts the exploits of the aviator, add­ tough-minded interpretation, with no At present Lenya's unique recording ing some revisionist perspective. The sentiment to spare for the big tune in of the transposed version of Die sieben graceful hand ofan unseen listener occa­ "lust.'' Her colleagues are not in the same Todsiinden is out of the catalogue; those sionally reaches over to adjust the tun­ league as Silja's; an ill-balanced quartet, a who insist on the low keys might note ing, as static constantly encroaches on less proficient orchestra, a conductor who that the 1966 Gisela May-Herbert Kegel the broadcast The film is in black-and­ fails to vitalize the rhythms or integrate recording, which boasts a splendid male white, the texture one of inviting, muted the tempos and thus undercuts the quartet headed by Peter Schreier, has elegance. singer's expressive edginess. 111e filler just returned on the Berlin Classics label The first frames of La Sept-Arte's film songs (taken in low keys) make a more (BC-2069-2) , coupled witl1 a standard of Die sieben Todsiinden reveal a highway consistent impact, which will not sur­ selection ofBerlin theatersongs. Forthe on the outskirts of a faceless Ainerican prise those who have observed Ms. original version, those not tempted to city. We see two vehicles pass; a white Fassbaender's gradual metamorphosis invest in the history of the Cleveland Mazda pick-up is clearly identified by the into a diseuse; she gives every song point Orchestra will probably prefer to wait for camera. Suddenly, we cut to our dual and character, and, though the sound is Teldec'sforthcomingversion byAngelina protagonists, Anna I and Anna II, who are no longer plush, it remains potent and Reaux and the New York Philharmonic standing against a blue, two-dimensional expressive. Garben's piano accompani­ under Kurt Masur. backdrop in a studio, ostensibly hitch­ ments have the firmness he was appar­ hiking. The cuts continue to alternate ently unable to wrest from the orchestra. between the outdoor location video of Just why Cap1iccio's Weill series res­ DAVID HAMILTON the highway and the reaction shots ofthe urrected a 1978 tape of a commonplace New York City Annas in the rather flatly-lit studio. The

24 Volume 12 Number 1 Kurt Weill Newsletter VIDEOS

clumsy juxtaposition of these shots is sieben Todsiinden, Der Lindbergh/lug is a Jung with exquisite elegance, invention_, jarring and disorienting, and is the first se1ies of tableaux - fifteen in all - sepa­ and craft. One only wishes the work had indication of director Peter Sellars's gen­ rated in this film by shots of a radio been.filmed ratherthan video-taped. This eral ineptness with a camera. The con­ commentator who reads the title of each production is more than worthy of the stant cutting between Teresa Stratas's scene, occasionally using visual aids. deeper visual texture that the film me­ haunted, world-weary face and shaky dium affords. The craft, pacing, wit, composition, video images ofviews peering out of and and coordination of shots with elements into quickly moving vehicles invoke noth­ Unfortunately, La Sept-Arte's produc­ of the score are superb throughout. TI1e tion of fails to attain ing more than a fourth-rate Godard, lack­ Die sieben Todsunden choir scenes contain, for the most part, a ing the underlying formal logic, not to the same level of achievement. Peter toned-down Ziegfeldesque approach to mention brilliance. Both of these open­ Sellars's almost ceaseless and always staging and tracking sequences. In Scene ing moments reveal immediately the es­ relentless cutting "technique" shifts the 7, "'Schlaf' (the opening is reminiscent sential features of the films, providing camera arbitrarily and capriciously, MTV­ rhythmically and harmonicallyof"Berlin style, with every phrase, sometimes re­ respectively positive and negativeobject­ im Licht Song"), Lindbergh drifts off to lessons on what can be accomplished sulting in embarrassingly infantile repre­ sleep, and an image of God-as-giant ap­ with a modest budget. sentations of whole scenes. There is pears looming over the plane. The cam­ nothing inherently wrong with fast cut­ The radio voice at the opening of Der era revolves around this bass soloist. ting where quick rhythms and clipped Lindberghflug intones Bertolt Brecht's shifting perspective, and the plane is sud- articulations suggest it, such as in the Prologue as he amended itin 1950, exuberant fox-trot of "Zorn." In twenty-one years after the work's this production, however, it in­ completion. This new Prologue explicably pervades even the introduces the protagonist and most lyrical sections of the extols his triumph over the ele­ score. Further, Sellars's choice ments, but it follows with a dis­ and ordering of subjects seems claimer, motivated by Lindbergh's largely incoherent. He employs Nazi sympathies before and dur­ unpredictable shifts of perspec­ ing World War II: "You are warned: tive, numerous zoom-ins, and neilher courage nor knowledge of abundant close-ups of faces, motors and seamaps" is enough shoulders. torsos, and occasion­ for canonization in a hero's song. ally of subjects that remain uni­ The revised 1950 text follows up dentifiable. on this warning by expurgating all mention of Lindbergh's name. A It is this last element - the new focus for the work is found in omnipresence ofclose-ups-that thecelebrationoftheworkerswho frustrates most Sellars's work builtand assembled the plane, ran Richard Erwin Sammel as Charles Lindbergh in the for tl1e stage has many positive Westdeutscher Rund.funk/la Sept/lnstitut National de and creative attributes. But the the printing presses, etc. Brecht l'Audiovisuel co-production of Der Lindbergh/lug. Photo: few brief glimpses of the entire even renamed the work, giving it Michel Lioret. the generic title DerOzea1iflug. All stage allowed by Sellars the film of this was engineered without Weill's denly transformed into a scale model on directorareneversufficientfortheviewer knowledge, who died shortly thereafter. a table at a society party. Contemporary to derive any sense ofblocking, let alone fluidity or continuity. Despite using the 1950 Prologue in bis stock footage is well-chosen for the "Ar­ film, Jean-Fran~ois Jung does not ob­ rival" scene at Paris's Le Bourget airport. Overall, the film gives the sense of a serve the letter of its intent Lindbergh's Richard Erwin Sammet cuts a stun­ directorial style at cross purposes wiili name and photograph appear repeatedly ningly effective figure as Lindbergh - itself. The location video sequences be­ throughout the film in newspaper head­ µhysic.allyand dramatically. The soloists tween each scene suggest the director's lines and photographs. Images from (Wolfgang Schmidt, Herbe1t Feckler, desire for an actual location film. This silent films and early talkies whimsically Lorenz Mi nth, Christoph Scheeben) and ambition is negated, however, by each infuse the mise-en-scene: a dotted line chorus (the Pro Musica Koln) perform return to the studio set with its flat, fea­ drawing itself across the globe, tracing throughout with clarity, power, and ease. tureless backdrops. Sellars's quick cut­ the flight; matte shots of the New York Peter WoUasch is an amusing presence ting - a purely cinematic technique - skyline, with Lindbergh's face looming as the speaker, and the Koine r juxtaposes thelocationfootagewith what in the center; the camera's fetish-like Rundfunkorchester, under ilie direction appears to be a pre-existing theatrical obsession with machine1y; and patently of Jan Latham-Konig, delivers a solid, staging. Such conceptual conflicts have obvious miniature models of ships and moving account of the score. Special manifested themselves previously in the the Spirit of St. Louis. This monlage of mention must be made of Raymond director's films of Mozart and Handel visual elements matches approp1iately Geiger's sublime, expressionisl lighting operas, but never to such an extreme the overall design of the work. Like Die design. The whole has been directed by degree.

Kurt Weill Newsletter Volume 12 Number 1 25 VIDEOS

As is typical with most Sellars offer­ ings, his Sieben Todsiinden is set in the present. Prominent trademarks, logos, and advertising images appear through­ out. References are also made to current events: while in Hollywood ("Zorn"), the Annas are shown looting in the midst of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, with the fam­ ily observing in grave consternation via television. While this scene seems rather gratuitous, there are several others that comeoff as relevant and clever. In ''Sloth," the family seems to live in a vague world of blended social institutions - is the family in prison, in line for welfare checks, or at the unemployment office? Visual clues finally assert the last option, while Peter Rose, wide-eyed with maternal hor­ ror, sings in an impressive basso profundo of ''her" daughter's notorious laziness. Until "Pride," no real dramatic interac­ tion is visible between Anna I (Teresa Stratas) and her catalyzing foil Anna II Nora Kimball (Anna II) and Teresa Stratas (Anna I) in Die sieben Todsiinden, a co­ (dancer Nora Kimball). Die sieben production of La Sept and Opera de Lyon. Photo: Gerard Ansellem. subtitled a "ballet with sing­ Todsiinden , women seem for the first time materially possess the requisite strength and reso- ing," is a stew of genres, and the chal­ "balanced" from a visualperspective. The nance of voice the score demands, and lenge presented by the dance compo­ costumed fa~ade is stripped away sud- they are all excellent actors, who can nent ofthe work (or, specifically, what to denly at the tutti fortissimo chords that deftly straddle the border between self- do with Anna 10 has inspired a variety of end the scene; the Annas are once again parody and seriousness. The ensemble approaches bydifferentdirectors. Sellars haggard and unkempt, as they were at istight,withtheexceptionofoneuncom- develops Anna Il's movement no more the opening, and wear gray sweatsuits. fortable moment in "Covetousness." than he does that of the singing Anna I, though any choreography would be ren­ The camera pans back to reveal the two Teresa Stratas conveys the complexity dered mostly inscrutable by the camera sons sitting near them, facing different of her character with ever startling, mov- techniques described above. Still, the directions, and the parents standing and ing conviction and presence in a perfor- interaction ofStratas and Kimball electri­ facing away at an oblique angle. This is mancefuUofmomentsofalmostunbear- fies once it is allowed to surface. Thefinal one of the few shots where we glimpse able poignancy. Mymemoryofhervoice shot of this scene - one of the few held the totality of the staging. The effect is and image as she sings "... und auch aus shots in the production - is brilliant: the one of tragic dislocation, and is, at the Liebe" in "Lust'' will persist for a long same time, beautifully melancholic. time. faces of both Annas form a beautifully composed, interlocking geometry, a la IfSellarshadsimplysetupacamerain The execution by Kent Nagano's lngmar Bergman's Persona. the middle ofthe theater and allowed the Orchestre de L'Opera de Lyon is mostly In "Covetousness," the family displays viewer to see the entire stage, providing clean yet not spotless; many of the tern- its conspicuous consumption by playing only occasional close-ups in appropriate pos seem to drag, perhaps in service to sections, the quality of this video produc- the directorial concept (fhe energy, with various contemporary leisure-time toys. A nice touch is tenor Frank Kelley tion would have risen immeasurably. Die naked power, and precision of Michael is inherently cinematic Tilson Thomas's London Symphony Or- (first son) jogging in a day-glo jumpsuit sieben Todsunden enough so that the potential for a great chestra audio recording are vastly supe- to the beat of the psychotic, hemiola­ film version being made someday re- rior.) Despite this and the maddening laden waltz that comprises this section. Kelley's powerful voice, too, is featured mains high; but for that, we will have to film direction, the video is a worthy docu- in thescene'squasi-Heldentenorsolo, the wait for a director who can meet the ment of the superb work of this cast and centerpiece of a compelling - and hair­ challenge. of the special interpretive gift of Teresa raising - musical number. As for the performances, nothing but Stratas. high praise for the cast. Along with Rose Near the end of their odyssey, "Envy" and Kelley, whose contributions have finds the Annas suddenly wearing white been noted above, baritone Howard and sporting elegant hairstyles. Despite Haskin and bass-baritone Herbert Perry GEOFFREY BURLESON the text's projection of bitter envy, the comprise the rest of the family. All four College of the Holy Cross

26 Volume 12 Number 1 Kurt Weill Newsletter SELECTED PERFORMANCES

AUSTRIA ISRAEL Die Dreigroschenoper, Graz. Schauspielhaus, Oliver Keymis, dir.,Johannes Lost ill the Stars, Tel-Aviv. Habimah National Theatre, Uri Paster, dir., Rafi Kern, cond., in repertory 1993-94 season. Kadishsohn, cond., 5-13; 29-31 March; 2-5, 7, 9-11 April; 11-12, 14, 16-19, CANADA 21-22 May 1994. Rise and Fall ofthe CityofMahagonny, Toronto. Canadian Opera Company JAPAN in co-production with the Scottish National Opera, Robert LePage, Der jasager, Tokyo. Sogakudo, Hikaii Hayashi and Ensemble, 21, 22 dir.,Richard Bradshaw. cond., October 1995. January 1994. Die sieben Todsunden, Montreal. Angelina Reaux, soprdllo, Montreal NETHERLANDS Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit, cond .• 14 May 1994. Four Watt Whitman Songs. Radio Netherlam.l s, The Great Crossing Series, FRANCE 5 November 1993. Cello Sonata, Paris. The Amerit.-an Cathedral in Paris, Chamber Music SWEDEN Society of Lincoln Center, 10 February 1994 Die Dreigroschenoper, Giiteborg. Grand Theater, Cosmorama, l, 2, 5, 6, 8, Lost in the Stars, Paris. The American Cathedral in Paris, Michael Sisk, dir., 9, 10, 13, 15-18, 20, 22, 23, 25-27, 29-31 March 1994. Diego Masson, cond., 21-23; 28-29 April 1994. One Touch ofVenttS (in Swedish), Malmii, Malmii Stadsteater. September Die Dreigrosclumoper, Bordeaux. Theatre Femina, 30 December 1994. 1994 (premiere), in repertory 1994-95, 1995-96 seasons. L'OPera de quat'sous, Le Thou. Municipal Theatre. June 1994. SWITZERLAND Die sieben Todsiinden, Lyon. Conservatoire Nation ale Superieur de Musique, Der nette Orpheus, Basel. Basel Sinfionetta, Jtirg Wyttenbach, cood., 18 20 January 1994. March 1994. GERMANY UNITED KINGDOM Au/stieg und Fall der Stadt Mahago11ny, Stuttgart. Staatstheater Stuttgart. Rise and Fall ofthe City ofMahagonny, London. English National Opera, Ruth Berghaus, dir., Markus Stenz. cond., May 1995. Sian Edwards, cond., Febrnary 1995, in repertory. Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny, Gelsenkirchen. Musikt.heater im Aufstieg 1md Fall der Stadt Mahagonny. Glasgow. Scottish National Opera, Revier, Jean Bauer, dir., Uwe Eric Laufenberg, cond., 27 March; 3, 7, 9, Robert LePage, dir., Richard Bradshaw, cond., May 1996, in repertory. 24, 27 April; 20, 21 May 1994. }olmny]olmson, London. Trinity College, Rhonda Kess,cond., 24-25 March Berliner Requiem, Miinchen. Miinchner Vokalensemble, Herkulessaal 1994. der Mtinchner Residenz, 9 November 1993. Knickerbocker Holiday, London. English Chamber Orchestra, Rhonda Concerto for Violin and Wind Jnslruments, Op.12, Essen. Folkwang Kess. cond .. 29 November 1994. Hochschule fiir Musik, Orchester der Hochschule, 28 January 1994. Der 11eue Orpheus, Kleine Dreigroschenmus-ik, London. BBC Studios, BBC Die DreigroschenoPer, Pforzheim. Stadttheater. Rolf Heiermann, dir., Symphony Orchesb-a, Jan Latham-Koenig, cond., 7 Februaiy 1994. Wolfgang Heinz, cond., 31 March 1994, in repertory. Symphony No.2, Birmingham. Birmingham Sinfonia, Andrew Moreglia, Die Dreigrosche11oper, Neunkirchen. Blirgerhaus, 1 October 1993, in rei>­ cond., 10 March (in Stratford) 17 March 1994. ertory 1993-94 season. Die sieben Todsiinden, Birmingham. Symphony Hall. Ute Lemper, John Die Dreigroschenoper, Kaiserslautem. Pfalztheater, 29 September 1993, in Eliot Gardiner, cond. 28 January 1994. repertory 1993-94 season. UNITED STATES Die Dreigroschenoper, Hamburg. Staatstheater, July 1994, in repertory Concerto for Violin and Wind Instruments, Op. 12, Oberlin, OH. Oberlin 1994 summer season. Omservatory, 10 March 1994. Die Dreigrosclumoper, Frankfurt. Schauspielhaus, Ensemble Modern, HK Gruber, cond., October 1994, in repertory 1994-95 season. Fraue11ta11z,Mahago1wy Songspiel, New Brunswick, NJ , New Proscenium 'Theatre, Opera at Rutgers, Benton Hess, cond., 15, 16, 22 and 23 April Ha,ppy End, Nordhausen. Stadttheater, 17 September 1993 (premiere), in repertory 1993-94 season. 1994. Happy End, Leipzig. Kammerspiele, 4 December 1993, in repertory 1993- "Kurt Weill: Bilbao to Broadway", Baltimore, MD. Baltimore Symphony 94 season. Orchestra, David Zinman, cond., 9-llJune 1994. Happy End, Hannover. Niedersiichsisches StaatstJ1eater, Schauspielhaus, Lady in the Dark, (concert performance) New York City, NY. City Center, Peter Kosiol, cond., 18 December, in repertory 1993-94. Encores, Great American Musicals in Concert. Robert Fisher, cond., Der Kuhhandel, Bautzen. Deutsch-Sorbisches Volkstheater, Wolfgang May 4-7 1994. Poch, dir., 18June (premiere), in repertory 1994 Summer season. Mahagomiy Songspiel and Concerto for Violin and Wind Instruments, Der Lindbergh/lug, Dessau. lndustriehalle, Chor des Philaolhropinums. Op.12, Des Moines. IA Des Moines Art Center, TI1omas Griswold. Kammersymphonie Berlin, Jtirgen Bruns, cond., 4, 5 March 1994. cond., Fall 1994. Mahago1111y So11gspiel, Dessau. Landestheater, Daniel Lipton. cond .. 25 Nanna's Lied, San Francisco, CA. San Francisco Ballet, 10 March 1994, in February; 2, 17 March 1994. repertory Spring 1994. One Touch of Venus, Meiningen. Das Meininger Theater, Wolfgang Symphony No.2, Santa Monica, CA. Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra, Hocke, cond., 17 June 1994 (premiere) in repe1tory 1994 Summer Allen Gross, cond., 30 January 1994. season. Street Scene (in German), Munich. Staatstheater am Gartnerplatz, Herbert The Seven Deadly Sins, Winston-Salem, NC. North Carolina School of the Mogg, cond., Frank Arnold, dir. 4 February; 6, 8 March; 30 May; 15, 16 Arts. 5-8 May 1994. June 1994. Die sieben Todsii11de11. Saratoga Springs, NY. Angelina Reaux, soprano, Street Scene (in English), Ludwigshafen, Theater irn Pfalzbau (co-produc­ Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit, cond., 10 August 1995. tion with Houston Grand Opera & Theater des Westens), Francesca The Seven Deadly Sins, Brooklyn, NY. Marianne Faithful, Brooklyn Phil­ Zambello, dir., James Holmes, concl, 18 December 1994 (premiere), in harmonic Orchestra, Dennis Russell Davies, cond., 7, 8 April 1995. repertory. Street Scene (in English), Berlin.111eater des West.ens (co-production with Street Scene, Knoxville, TN. University ofTennessee Opera Theatre, 26, 28 Houston Grand Opera and 'Ibeater irn Pfa!zbau), Francesca Zambello, February 1994. dir., James Holmes, cond .. January 1995, in repertory. String Quarlet, Op.8, New York City, NY. Walter Reade Theater, Orion DerZarlii/1ts£chplrotogr<;1Phiere11, Heidelberg. Festder20er.January 1995. Quartet, 24 January 1994. HUNGARY 17,e Threepenny Opera, Winston-Salem, NC. North Carolina School of the Die Dreigroschenoper, Szekszard. Deutsche Btihne, 1993-94 season. Arts, 2(}-24April 1994.

Kurt Weill Newsletter Volume 12 Number 1 27 NEWSLETTER RESPONSE FORM

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Drew. Kurt Weill: A Handbook. Faber, 1987. $30.00

Hinton. Kurt Weill: The Threepenny Opera Cambridge, 1990 $12.00(Pbk) $35.00

Huynh, trans. and ed. Kurt Weill de Berlin a Broadway. Editions Plume, 1993. $30.00

Kortlander, Meiszies, Farneth, eds. Vom Kurf0rstendamm zum Broadway: Kurt Weill (1900-1950) Droste, 1990. $18 00(Pbk)

Kowalke, ed. A New Orpheus: Essays on Kurt Weill. Yale University Press, 1986. $18.00(Pbk) $28.50

Schebera. Kurt Weill: Eine Biographie. VEB Deutscher Verlag, 1990. $30.00

Weill. Gesamme/te Schriften (Hinton/Schebera, eds.). $30.00

Recording. Berlin im Licht. Largo 5514. $15.00

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