EUREKA !
Stand by folks, I’ve identified the opera problem. What opera problem? The one where audiences are declining and the audiences which do attend often can’t say if what they heard from the singers was good or bad.
Opera began to decline once super-titles were introduced about 30 years ago. Yes? Yes.
On the one hand, a general audience could follow the story as it unfolded and even laugh at the jokes. On the other hand, the dramatic quality of the operas began to rise in importance causing audiences and opera companies to get the artform twisted.
Here is the hierarchy of opera:
the voice
the music (conductor)
the production (director).
This is the current hierarchy of opera:
the production (director)
the music (conductor)
and then some random singers, most of whom nobody knows that well.
De huidige nummer 1 ken ik niet, is dit niet een circus directeur!🎼🌷🌷🌷🌷🎼
What you describe here is a symptom of what I believe is the true problem. The true problem with opera is that financial gain lies no longer in the hands of the audience. Make an audience happy = make money no longer applies. Opera has become a medium – a washingmachine – for money as well as an outlet for political favours. And the last thing the powers that be need is a famous singer and the temperament that comes with it to ruin the recipe. Production can run huge costs with artistic excuses when the materials and real expenses… Read more »
Opera als witwasproject voor criminelen?! Als dit waar is, had Kersten van den Berg nog gelijk ook toen hij het over een samenzwering had.
I love this essay and agree with it whole-heartedly. But I must raise one concern. The statement: “The inclusion of super-titles has hastened the demise of the opera singer”.
Is not followed by any support. How, exactly, have titles hastened the demise of the opera singer?