Form Takes Center Stage in Visual FIDELIO: A Note From Director Robert B. Driver 09-24-2008 As Beethoven’s only opera, one would think that Fidelio would appear amid the most frequently performed works in opera, alongside creations of other classical giants such as Mozart, Verdi or Puccini. However, Fidelio—with its many versions as a result of the composer himself constantly working to enhance his original work—presents both daunting vocal requirements and dramatic challenges which make it one of the more formidable works in the entire operatic repertoire. Fidelio represents an incarnation of the German singspiel tradition, a comic opera style which featured dialogue interspersed with the music and became popular during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Some opera composers of the era brought dramatic “rescue” operas to the stage in which the hero has to overcome great odds—and often great melodrama—to triumph. Classic examples include Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio (1782) and The Magic Flute (1791). Fidelio is a complex piece in that it blends the classic singspiel style with more dramatic and heroic elements. The opera begins in the light, comic style, with the audience joining the story already in progress as we see Marzelline and Jaquino bickering over when Marzelline will agree to marry. This lightness of form is juxtaposed with Leonore’s entrance and the revelation that we are watching an opera with intensely dramatic themes—unlawful imprisonment and immense sacrifice in the name of love. The singspiel style is visible throughout this portion of the opera, however, with Don Pizarro’s aria “Ha, welch ein Augenblick!” (“Hah! What a moment!”), serving as a classic “revenge” aria in the style of Mozart’s Queen of the Night. Later in Act One, it is Leonore—–after whom the opera was originally titled—who ushers in a more dramatic direction with her “Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?” (“Monster, where are you going?”). We see this deeply romantic tone continue through the start of the second act as we are at last introduced to the imprisoned Florestan with “Gott! Welch Dunkel hier” (“What darkness is here”). In this heroic tenor aria, we see foreshadowing of what is to come in German opera, as the aria starts with darkness and despair, then moves to resignation and acceptance of his fate, before becoming visionary and nearly ecstatic in its culmination. And still again, Fidelio evolves into a finale which is, really, oratorio at its finest, written by the same pen that composed the Ninth Symphony’s “Ode to Joy” and absolutely rapturous in its choral splendor. With its multiple musical personalities, the through-line in Fidelio has primarily been thematic, rooted in its core issue of political oppression, and brilliantly shepherded through to completion by Beethoven’s powerful score. Many productions of Fidelio have been updated over the years, but I often felt that the complexity of the story and its characters were overshadowed; I wanted to be true to the piece, while making it relevant to today. I was drawn to the tableau style of Beethoven’s era—that is, creating an image through stage design and placement which gives deeper insight into the work. This visual aspect brings a new dimension to the opera while focusing on the basic emotions so inherent to the work. With this in mind, I first saw Jun Kaneko’s design work in Madama Butterfly, and quickly came to know his grandscale ceramics and canvas paintings. Jun bases his work on the Japanese Hindu concept of ma, which he defines as “the idea of space in between things or space itself—physical or mental space, or time. In art, all spatial relationships within a canvas change each time you add more paint strokes to it. These relationships are based on form, color, and texture.” Realizing Fidelio in an abstract, contemporary way which transcends any specific historical period or setting allows the work to focus on visual tableaus. In the Act One quartet, for example, “Mir ist so wunderbar” (“A wondrous sensation fills me”), Beethoven uses a single musical line for Marzelline, Jaquino, Rocco and Fidelio—all of whom are singing about vastly different emotions, from grave danger to hopeful love. The design we have conceived uses color and shape to follow these characters, visually painting their thoughts and intersections and—importantly—continuing the forward, dynamic motion of the work even during musical pieces that don’t lend themselves to character action. I also find that the artistic ideals embodied in Jun Kaneko’s work represent a fascinating parallel with the artistry of Beethoven. From Jun’s glazed walls of geometric shapes to his enormous sculptural heads, his creations evoke the same sense of power and serenity that are central to Beethoven’s work. Their attention to form, innovation, and striking boldness of style are indisputable. This production aims to encompass the entire gamut of emotions in Fidelio, from the depths of despair conveyed in a somber black and white grid, to the grand celebration of loyalty and freedom of spirit represented through dramatic use of color. It has been a great privilege to work with Jun Kaneko as an artist and a colleague to bring this new production of Fidelio to Philadelphia’s audiences.
As Beethoven’s only opera, one would think that Fidelio would appear amid the most frequently performed works in opera, alongside creations of other classical giants such as Mozart, Verdi or Puccini. However, Fidelio—with its many versions as a result of the composer himself constantly working to enhance his original work—presents both daunting vocal requirements and dramatic challenges which make it one of the more formidable works in the entire operatic repertoire.
Fidelio represents an incarnation of the German singspiel tradition, a comic opera style which featured dialogue interspersed with the music and became popular during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Some opera composers of the era brought dramatic “rescue” operas to the stage in which the hero has to overcome great odds—and often great melodrama—to triumph. Classic examples include Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio (1782) and The Magic Flute (1791).
Fidelio is a complex piece in that it blends the classic singspiel style with more dramatic and heroic elements. The opera begins in the light, comic style, with the audience joining the story already in progress as we see Marzelline and Jaquino bickering over when Marzelline will agree to marry. This lightness of form is juxtaposed with Leonore’s entrance and the revelation that we are watching an opera with intensely dramatic themes—unlawful imprisonment and immense sacrifice in the name of love. The singspiel style is visible throughout this portion of the opera, however, with Don Pizarro’s aria “Ha, welch ein Augenblick!” (“Hah! What a moment!”), serving as a classic “revenge” aria in the style of Mozart’s Queen of the Night.
Later in Act One, it is Leonore—–after whom the opera was originally titled—who ushers in a more dramatic direction with her “Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?” (“Monster, where are you going?”). We see this deeply romantic tone continue through the start of the second act as we are at last introduced to the imprisoned Florestan with “Gott! Welch Dunkel hier” (“What darkness is here”). In this heroic tenor aria, we see foreshadowing of what is to come in German opera, as the aria starts with darkness and despair, then moves to resignation and acceptance of his fate, before becoming visionary and nearly ecstatic in its culmination.
And still again, Fidelio evolves into a finale which is, really, oratorio at its finest, written by the same pen that composed the Ninth Symphony’s “Ode to Joy” and absolutely rapturous in its choral splendor.
With its multiple musical personalities, the through-line in Fidelio has primarily been thematic, rooted in its core issue of political oppression, and brilliantly shepherded through to completion by Beethoven’s powerful score. Many productions of Fidelio have been updated over the years, but I often felt that the complexity of the story and its characters were overshadowed; I wanted to be true to the piece, while making it relevant to today. I was drawn to the tableau style of Beethoven’s era—that is, creating an image through stage design and placement which gives deeper insight into the work.
This visual aspect brings a new dimension to the opera while focusing on the basic emotions so inherent to the work. With this in mind, I first saw Jun Kaneko’s design work in Madama Butterfly, and quickly came to know his grandscale ceramics and canvas paintings. Jun bases his work on the Japanese Hindu concept of ma, which he defines as “the idea of space in between things or space itself—physical or mental space, or time. In art, all spatial relationships within a canvas change each time you add more paint strokes to it. These relationships are based on form, color, and texture.”
Realizing Fidelio in an abstract, contemporary way which transcends any specific historical period or setting allows the work to focus on visual tableaus. In the Act One quartet, for example, “Mir ist so wunderbar” (“A wondrous sensation fills me”), Beethoven uses a single musical line for Marzelline, Jaquino, Rocco and Fidelio—all of whom are singing about vastly different emotions, from grave danger to hopeful love. The design we have conceived uses color and shape to follow these characters, visually painting their thoughts and intersections and—importantly—continuing the forward, dynamic motion of the work even during musical pieces that don’t lend themselves to character action.
I also find that the artistic ideals embodied in Jun Kaneko’s work represent a fascinating parallel with the artistry of Beethoven. From Jun’s glazed walls of geometric shapes to his enormous sculptural heads, his creations evoke the same sense of power and serenity that are central to Beethoven’s work. Their attention to form, innovation, and striking boldness of style are indisputable.
This production aims to encompass the entire gamut of emotions in Fidelio, from the depths of despair conveyed in a somber black and white grid, to the grand celebration of loyalty and freedom of spirit represented through dramatic use of color. It has been a great privilege to work with Jun Kaneko as an artist and a colleague to bring this new production of Fidelio to Philadelphia’s audiences.
