PRELUDE, FUGUE News for Friends of Leonard Bernstein RIFFS Fall/Winter 2006/2007 Candide Camera
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PRELUDE, FUGUE News for Friends of Leonard Bernstein RIFFS Fall/Winter 2006/2007 Candide Camera by Robert Carsen hen Jean-Luc Choplin asked me two years ago W whether I would like to direct the Parisian pre miere of Leonard Bernstein's Candide for his first season as artistic director of the Chatelet Theatre, the answer was an immediate and unconditional "Yes". Although I had never seen the musical (comic operetta? operatic comedy? opera comique?), I knew the work from recordings and had always loved it. I still haven't seen a live performance: that will have to wait until our first night on December 11th. But I certainly had no idea that this invitation was to lead to eighteen months of the most exhilarating, fascinating and time-consuming work imaginable. The "TV" set for "Glitter and Be Gay." Together with my long-time scenic collaborator Michael topples as he charts his young have loved working on it), is that Levine, I began to try and find hero's roller-coaster development Voltaire celebrates even as he a way to approach this rich and from innocent optimist to disillu condemns. Studying the piece exhilarating work that would sioned realist. (which surprisingly is celebrating somehow do justice to the I felt strongly that our produc its 50th anniversary this year), it mordant, debunking, snoop tion should be neither realistic seemed important to remember cocking (thumbing your nose) nor reasonable: the original novel that both the book and the irreverence of the original. After proliferates with absurd and musical were conceived as satire. all, Voltaire's Candide is as anar impossible events and situations. It is equally important to chic and biting a satire as has And there are a lot of disasters: bear in mind, however, that been written since Aristophanes: shipwrecks, earthquakes, and Leonard Bernstein's Candide is religion, government, war, social wars to name but a few. What an American take on the French injustice, freedom and sex are just gives the book its unique qual- classic. As he himself wrote in an a few of the pillars which Voltaire ity (and why Bernstein must article which was published in (continued on page 2) Inside ... 4 Leonard Bernstein Center Update 7 Bringing Mozart To Life 10 Selected Performances 6 Exulting Freedom In Music 8 In the News 12 Looking Ahead Candide Camera, continued To Our the New York Times just a few - all of them American (except weeks prior to the Broadway Wheeler) - as he revised the premiere in 1956 ("Candide or musical's book and lyrics. We Readers Omnibus," in which he inter know that the dubious activi- viewed himself under the guise ties of Senator Joseph McCarthy of his own Irrepressible Demon): and the House Committee on "Voltaire's satire is international. Un-American Activities were s we observe the 16th anniver It throws light on all the dark significant in motivating Lillian A sary of Bernstein's death this places, whether European or Hellman to suggest Candide to autumn, we can only marvel at the American. Of course, it's not an Bernstein as a topical subject for astonishing array of releases, per American book, but the mat- a musical stage piece in 1953. formances and activities revolving ters with which it is concerned When she had appeared before around the life and work of are as valid for us as any - and the Commission the previous Leonard Bernstein. An exciting new sometimes I think they are espe year, she was asked to name production of Candide is taking cially valid for us in America. names of acquaintances with shape at the Chatelet for its Puritanical snobbery, phony Communist affiliations. Instead, Parisian permiere, while new moralism, inquisitorial attacks on she famously delivered a prepared DVD's and recordings continue the individual, brave-new-world statement, part of which read: to make news. optimism, essential superiority "To hurt innocent people whom And when Bernstein appears - aren't these all charges lev I knew many years ago in order twice in the top twenty-five movie eled against American society by to save myself is, to me, inhuman musicals of all time, we know his our best thinkers? And they are and indecent and dishonorable. music isn't going to be forgotten also the charges made by Voltaire I cannot and will not cut my con any time soon. against his own society." science to fit this year's fashions, We especially wish Bernstein even though I long ago came to were here to see how his education the conclusion that I was not a al legacy is thriving at Gettysburg Religion, government, political person and could have College, where the Leonard no comfortable place in any Bernstein Center is revolutionizing war, social injustice, political group." teaching practices in this country. freedom and sex are A lot has happened since Except for the frustrating detail those Communist witch-hunts to of his corporeal absence, there is just a few of the pillars make the world further consider the sense that Bernstein is still very America's loss of innocence. It much among us, gracing our lives which Voltaire topples occurred to me that in our new with his wisdom, his passion and production, we could parallel his music. as he charts his young Candide's loss of optimism J.B.• with the loss of optimism that hero's roller-coaster much of the world now feels for America as a whole. After all, development from what Pangloss pretends to believe innocent optimist to in is a kind of philosophical and political spin "avant-la-lettre," disillusioned realist. (after the fact) all too reminiscent of what we have been hearing recently from Washington. And In the same article, Bernstein so as I began to imagine the work goes on to make the point that in the light of an American satire, the musical will be American I found myself rearranging the because his collaborators are order of some of the songs and, all American and will therefore with the help of my long-term each bring his or her quality of dramaturge Ian Burton, rewriting American style, wit and humor to and restructuring the book. the work. Bernstein collaborated It says something of the need first with Lillian Hellman and to keep the satire fresh that there then Richard Wilbur, Dorothy has hardly been a new produc Parker, John Latouche, Stephen tion of Candide which hasn't Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler altered the work's content or 0 structure to some degree. In that respect we are following in the footsteps of what has become an unusual tradition. Nevertheless, it was surprising even for us to discover how easily the events of the musical allowed themselves to be transposed to a twentieth century American setting. I'm not just referring to the Act 2 scenes set in the "New World": there are striking parallels to be found for the most imposing house in Westphalia, the war, the ship wrecks, the earthquakes and the auto-da-fe, to name but a few. In our version, Voltaire's important narrative role is perhaps even larger than it has been hitherto. This is surely appropriate for the work's Parisian premiere, where his voice will be heard in French (much of it taken directly from the original novel). Given the rapidity with which Travels in the New World. the action and locales change (as well as the aforementioned cycle there may be to criticize about of natural and man-made disas the American way of life and its ters), it seemed that television dissemination throughout the could be a useful and amusing world, I do hope that it is still Candide scenic device with which to frame possible to remain optimistic in the action. It would give us the at least one respect: that it is not appropriate post-modern distance Theatre du Chatelet too late to cultivate what is left from which Voltaire could December 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, of our garden. narrate, allow us to "channel • 23, 26, 28 hop" from one event to another Director Robert Carsen (while viewing the bad news in the same way we do today), Robert Carsen works inter Music Director John Axelrod nationally in opera, theatre and prevent the action from Candide William Burden ever becoming too "real". It and musical theatre. Born in Cunegonde Anna Christy would also serve well to remind Canada, he lives in London and Dr. Pangloss, the audience of the "innocent" Paris. Recent opera productions Martin, Voltaire Lambert Wilson America of the late 1950s, before include work for the Paris Opera, President Kennedy's assassination. Salzburg Festival, La Fenice, the Old Lady Kim Criswell It won't be long now before Metropolitan Opera, La Scala and Maximilian David Adam Moore we see how it all turns out. In the Vienna State Opera. Musical Paquette Jeni Bern any case, I hope our new version theatre includes Andrew Lloyd Governor, will succeed at least in showing Webber's "The Beautiful Game" Vanderdendur John Daszak just how topical the work has and "Sunset Boulevard" in the remained. Very few composers UK and "Nomade" with Ute Stage Designer Michael Levine have been as politically motivated Lemper in Paris. Earlier this year Costumes Buki Shiff as Leonard Bernstein. If he were he directed "Mother Courage" for Dramaturgie Ian Burton still alive today, I hope he would the Piccolo Teatro in Milan. Light Design Robert Carsen approve of the choices we have Peter Van Praet made and, particularly, why we have made them. Yet whatever e Leonard Bernstein Center Update by Kenneth Pool ettysburg College is proud to Ghave become the new home of the Leonard Bernstein Center for Learning (LBC) this past year.