Klarinet Archive - Posting 000094.txt from 1998/10

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: RE: [kl] Wager (and the Ring)
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 04:13:58 -0400

I was grateful for Dan's information. However, I find it difficult to
accept it all as valid. For instance, granted that anti-Semitism was
common in nineteenth-century Europe - and the U.S., let us not forget -
it still seems doubtful that an opera audience would be *immediately*
conscious of Wagner's "smell" references. Most people who are prejudiced
in this way don't let it rule their lives.
I also think Wagner's dwarfs are a bit more complex than Dan seems to
imply; for instance, Alberich is not entirely unlikeable and one may even
have sympathy for him. Of course, this may not have been Wagner's
intention.
Roger Shilcock

On Thu, 1 Oct 1998, Kevin Fay (LCA) wrote:

> Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 09:31:35 -0700
> From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
> Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
> To: "'klarinet@-----.org>
> Subject: RE: [kl] Wager (and the Ring)
>
> Dan Leeson wrote:
>
> <<<I would not have brought up these specifics if Roger had not asked,
> because it is not entirely seemly to speak of their details, so
> disgusting do they become.>>>
>
> Disgusting, indeed. However, Dan, you have done a great service by
> reminding us of them. Until now, I was unaware of any of this--and I've
> attended the Ring here in Seattle twice.
>
> I always thought of Wagner as pretty good music until the singing started.
> Now I'm not so sure about even that. Let's just say that my 1-yr old son is
> now unlikely to hear any Wagner, at least until he can understand the full
> story.
>
> It's important to keep this information alive. I paraphrase--if you forget
> history, you're doomed to repeat it. Ideas like Wagner's are a lot like
> mold--often the best way to be rid of them is to expose them to the
> sunlight.
>
> kjf
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>

-------------------------------------------------------------------------