The Sacred in Opera June 2012 In This Issue... Ruth Dobson In the June 2012 issue of the Sacred in Opera newsletter, we have three inspirational articles about the practical side of producing sacred drama from some of those who do it. The process of presenting these works has its own unique challenges. We have John Pfautz two articles from John Pfautz, who has been the pri- mary driving force behind the institution of the Sacred Augustana College in Opera Initiative of NOA. John is a recent past-presi- Rock Island, IL dent of NOA. His strong vision for promoting and pro- ducing sacred drama is reflected beautifully in the fol- lowing two articles, one about his work in Nigeria and the other an overview of his many productions at Au- gustana College, where he is Professor of Music. Kurt- Alexander Zeller, who with John is a member of the SIO committee, tells us about his recent experience (in some hilarious detail) presenting Britten’s Noye’s Fludde at Clayton State University in Georgia. We hope these articles will inspire you to present one of the many wonderful works available in this field in your own communities. Kurt-Alexander Zeller We are looking forward to presenting a staged Clayton State University sacred opera (title TBA) during the upcoming conven- Morrow, GA tion on the evening of Friday, January 4, at the beauti- ful First Congregational Church in downtown Portland, just two blocks from the convention hotel. We know you will want to join us for this very special event. More details about the production will be included in the December Sacred in Opera Newsletter. 1 The National Opera Association The Sacred in Opera A N igerian Sacred in Opera Experience John Pfautz During the summer of 2004, while teach- and faculty of the Faculty of Church Music at NBTS ing a weeklong seminar on Sacred Music Drama at worked tirelessly on difficult repertoire that fully chal- Southern Baptist Seminary, I met music missionary lenged the limits of the tonic sol-fa system on which Dr. Paul Davidson, who was ending a year of furlough many Africans rely. and preparing for his return to the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary (NBTS) in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. Following a choral processional of a western Of the various scenes that we prepared from this ex- arrangement of a South African tune and text, and a citing genre, Paul mentioned that they were appropri- few choral selections, we began our presentation of ate for presentation by the students at NBTS. He and I scenes from Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Pilgrim’s Prog- discussed the possibility of me spending my sabbati- ress, Randall Thompson’s The Nativity According to cal teaching/directing at NBTS the following Spring. St. Luke, and Jeff Barker and Ron Melrose’s And God Though Dr. Davidson and his family were unable to Said…. Additionally, we presented selections from remain in Nigeria due to a family member’s illness, Hymn Readings for Christian Worship by John and Audra I stepped into the role of visiting professor, teaching Parker (“Amazing Grace,” “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” voice lessons, church music courses, repertoire cours- and “Were you there?”) es, conducting ensembles, and directing scenes from sacred music drama. [For definitive information on this As you may know, drama and music drama has genre, including operas with sacred themes, and mu- a long history in West Africa both outside and in the sical theatre pieces such as Godspell, both full-length church. The participants in the rehearsals were enthu- and short scenes, I recommend Dr. Carl Gerbrandt’s siastic and fastidious about the preparations. A num- book: Sacred Music Drama: The Producer’s Guide.] ber of students wanted to head up the costuming, another set about building light boxes for the front of Being my first teaching experience outside of the stage. Rough, but appropriate props came from North America and desperate to provide a worthwhile unlikely sources. As expected, the process became a learning experience for the students and faculty at the community event. Each participant understood his/ seminary, I barreled ahead with an agenda of bring- her “job,” however large or small, to be integral to the ing the same type of operatic experience that we had successful presentation of the overall project. experienced at Southern Seminary in Kentucky. In spite of my lack of cultural sensitivities, the students continued on page 3 2 The National Opera Association The Sacred in Opera Allow me to share three of my fondest memo- advocated for time for us at one of the services to ries. Though the musical challenges of Melrose’s score present a short scene of sacred music drama. It took of the Abraham and Isaac scene of And God Said… some convincing to gain the approval for not more than are beyond the scope of all but the most advanced five minutes to present a sung dramatization based on practitioner of tonic sol-fa, the students embraced the “Amazing Grace.” To the 14,000 in attendance, the challenge and presented the dissonances of the score familiar strains of this global favorite, with characters in admirable fashion. However, the most memorable costumed as the blind man, Pharisees, and Jesus, musical experience for this scene, and the one that the message of faith and redemption exceeded the gives the best example of contextualization, was the boundaries of the multi-lingual congregation. drumming ensemble that accompanied the scene. The building cacophony as Abraham binds his son, lays I look back with a bit of embarrassment on the him on the altar and reaches for the knife rose in full cultural insensitivities that I took to my first visit. As I crescendo with the combination of rhythms from the continue with annual short-term teaching assignments split drum, gong, shakere, talking drum and others, at the Nigerian Seminary, as well as teaching/travel- producing a more effective dramatic context than per- ing in Ghana and Senegal with American students, I haps what Barker and Melrose could have imagined. find my cultural gaffs to be fewer. But, perhaps, as in the case of missionaries centuries ago, God was able We rehearsed Thompson’s Nativity scene for to take my flawed efforts and bring lasting good. Last weeks, with Zechariah processing from the back of year, an NBTS student composed an opera in Yoruba the chapel carrying a bundle of cloth that represent- on the story of Nahum, and it was performed at the ed his son (John the Baptist.) Since I was conducting seminary. Also, the young man who performed the from the first pew, facing the stage area of the chapel, role of Pilgrim in that first presentation in 2005, is I could not understand the audience’s unrest during completing his Ph.D. in music composition at the Uni- Zechariah’s entrance. The talented singer/actor play- versity of Minnesota, for which he is composing an op- ing Zechariah had managed to swap out the swaddled era based on the 7 churches of Revelation. I hope to bundle of cloth for a friend’s 3 month-old baby girl, present that opera with my American students in the complete with colorful hair ties. That was a definitive, Fall of 2013. The renowned Nigerian composer Akin living and breathing example of contextualization. Euba, in writing about his opera Chaka, referred to the give and take of African and Western sensibilities in Since Ogbomoso, Nigeria, the city in which is his music as interculturalism. In that spirit, my expe- the Baptist Seminary, was to be the location for the riences, in studying the music of Nigeria and Ghana, annual convention for the Nigerian Baptist Convention, lead me to be less of a teacher to West Africans and Rev. Dele Ogunlade, a young music faculty member more of a student. who was responsible for training the convention choir, 3 The National Opera Association The Sacred in Opera Sacred in Opera -Why?- john pfautz In true academic tradition, it is time to reflect back over the 8 years since NOA adopted the Sacred in Opera as a major project and assess the activities and directions the project has taken. In both celebration of the successes of a near decade of effort along with a push towards the future, this article kicks off a series of short articles in an effort to affirm the effort, attract new John Pfautz (or renewed) interest, and to point to new horizons. Dr. John Pfautz began Opera @ Augustana shortly after coming to Augustana in 1987. In 2004, I was invited to give a 5-day workshop Performances have included Amahl and the on Sacred Music Drama at the Southern Baptist Theo- Night Visitors, Die Fledermaus, The Elixir of Love, logical Seminary in Louisville, KY. Though not a Baptist, The Tender Land, Gianni Schicchi, Sister Angelica, I was welcomed into an environment where sacred mu- H.M.S. Pinafore, The Mikado, The Pirates of sic drama was enjoying a long-standing tradition started Penzance and others. Additionally, Pfautz has by Dr. Carl Gerbrandt and continued by his successor, worked together with the theatre department Dr. Mozelle Sherman-Clark. True to the mission of the at Augustana in joint productions of musicals Southern Baptist Convention the primary emphasis for such as The Secret Garden, Working, The Mystery sacred music drama (and for all efforts at that semi- of Edwin Drood, and the Spring 2012 production nary) was to provide another method for ministry within of Batboy. the church and as an outreach tool. Though this genre works well in the evangelical realm, fine music and dra- In addition to directing the opera program at ma with a strong message based on religious theme(s) or a significant religious figure is appropriate in all situ- Augustana College (Rock Island, IL) John Pfautz ations where music drama is welcomed.