Klarinet Archive - Posting 000239.txt from 1995/12

From: Bob Yoon <st942100@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: "New York" exit
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 1995 17:27:38 -0500

>I must respond to this. David's description of the Met orchestra members
>disappearing from the stage following a performance - as if somebody had
>yelled "fire!" before the final chord had even died away - is,
>disconcertingly (subtle pun intended), an accurate one. Apparently things
>haven't changed much since Boehm's days, according to my own experience.
>
>I had the pleasure a couple of years ago of attending two Met Opera
>performances in a single week's time. First was Jessye Norman in
>Strauss' "Ariadne auf Naxos" (Zerbinetta played by Canadian soprano Tracy
>Dahl, whom I'd never heard of, but who nearly upstaged Norman, she was so
>remarkably good - Dahl's coloratura was unBELIEVABLE). A few days later
>was performed Die Zauberfloete (sorry, no umlauts on my email) - the
>tenor for Papageno was a masterful comedic actor, as well as a terrific
>singer. At the conclusion of both operas, I was delighted to stand in
>ovation of their world-class artistry, only to be completely dumb-struck
>by the sight of an empty orchestra pit.
>
>It was very sad, actually. Donald Runnicles conducted the Strauss and was
>called onto the stage to take a bow. From the stage, he affected a wide
>gesture with his arms in acknowledgement of the orchestra in the pit - and
>there was nobody down there! I couldn't believe it. I just keeping thinking,
>"Damn, these guys have no class. For all the money they get paid, you
>would think they could sit down for 60 seconds more to receive the
>accolades and adoration of their audience." It almost seemed like, as an
>audience (and being completely in awe of the Met and its superhuman artistic
>excellence), we the audience had been denied the consummate experience of
>an opera performance - which includes having the opportunity to show our
>genuine appreciation, as much as enjoying the performance itself. It's kind
>of like telling somebody, "Wow! You played wonderfully! God, your music
>means so much to me," only to have them turn away as if they hadn't heard
>you -- except, in the Met orchestra's case, I was never given the chance to
>express myself at all. Can you imagine this happening at symphony
>concerts? (don't tell me - somebody has seen a concert where the
>orchestra just walked off stage without even acknowledging the applause).
>
>Neil.

Yeah, but I have a little problem with your statement also. How
many times have one seen a recording, advertisement, or program guide that
shows the stars'(singer, I mean) name larger than both the conductor's or
the name of the orchestra/ensemble that's performing. Almost all the people
in the audience want to hear the divas than the orchestra or the conductor
and subsequently, that's who they clapp for at the end. Take "Carmen" for
example. One always here much more clapping for Don Jose's flower song,
which was deliberately written poorly in order to express his
indecisiveness, than for the absolutely wonderful prelude to the first act.
The same is true for football. Usually, the quarterback gets much
more attention than the linemen, the head coach, and the rest of the
coaching staff. Only the ones who know and understand the game to a certain
level fully realize the crucial role of the coach, the defensive and
offensive coordinators, and the rest of the team. The orchestra and the
special teams, for example, are only missed when they do not fulfill their
roles.
Therefore, even though I believe that what the orchestra did was
extremely rude and unprofessional, I can understand(but not accept) their
actions. Again, in music just as in football, only the few who understand
music to a certain profound level can really appreciate the opera as a
whole. Why do you think that even though people like James Levine and
Riccardo Muti are a thousand times the musician Pavoratti will ever be, but
Muti or Levine will never be the household name that Pavoratti is. I can
only imagine how frustrating a orchestra would feel if they played their
hearts out and all that the audience cares about was how wonderful the who
played Salome sounded(just keeping with the Strauss references that have
been consistent in this thread).

Bob Yoon