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IS THE OPERA IN DECLINE?
This question was extensively discussed at a seminar sponsored by the UNESCO International Institute of Theatre and attended by prominent composers, choreographers, stage directors, conductors and opera theatre managers from many countries.
Many of them spoke about the crisis which the opera in the West was experiencing. Audiences have lost interest, and theatres are unwilling to produce new operas. To see his opera staged is but a dream for a great many modern composers.
Boris Pokrovsky, chief stage director of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, maintains that mankind has so far utilized only a fraction of the great possibilities offered by operatic art. "I am firmly convinced," he said, "of its great future."
Pokrovsky and his numerous pupils prove this on the stage of the Moscow Chamber Musical Theatre, which has become a sort of experimental laboratory of opera. The nucleus of the theatre company is formed by young graduates of the State Institute of Theatrical Art in Moscow. Pokrovsky himself has become the artistic director of the new theatre (parallel with his main post at the Bolshoi).
The young company has set itself the task of developing the genre of "smaller opera", practically unknown in Russia, using new stagecraft devices capable of enriching "big opera", as well.
Everything is unusual in this theatre: a small hall seating only 220, no orchestra pit, no customary division of the company into soloists and chorus. Those taking leading roles today can be found in mass scenes tomorrow. Quite often, the orchestra is involved in the action. The theatre is based on the "singing actor" principle: in other words, an opera singer should also be a good actor.
The Chamber Musical Theatre has revived many works long since forgotten. It has staged unfamiliar operas by Mozart, Haydn, Schubert and Rossini. Several 18th century Russian operas were revived, too. But the outstanding event in the short history of the theatre was its contact with the famous composer of our time, Dmitri Shostakovich, who took an active part in the production of his opera "The Nose", which he had written in his youth after the novel of the same title by Gogol. The production was extremely original in design and execution, "prickly sarcastic", with unexpected turns and ingenious devices. For example, each performer played several roles, which was also part of Gogol's conventionality. "The Nose" was a great success at the International "Warsaw Spring" Festival in 1976. Recently the Charles Cros Academy in France awarded its Grand Prix to the recording of this opera by the Moscow company.
All of this shows that the opera in Russia is far from being in decline but looks for new original forms and ingenious devices.
Exercise 2.Answer the following questions.
1. Which question was discussed at a UNESCO International Institute of Theatre seminar?
2. Which crises is the opera in the west experiencing?
3. What is Boris Pokrovsky?
4. Who is the nucleus of the Moscow Chamber Musical Theatre formed of?
5. What is so unusual about this theatre?
6. Name the composers whose operas were staged by Chamber Musical Theatre.
7. Who did Boris Pokrovsky have contact with?
8. Did you read the novel “The Nose” by Gogol?
9. So, do you agree that the opera in Russia is in decline?
10. What does it look for?
Text 3
Exercise 1. Read and translate the dialogues
Names:Mozart ['mo:tsa:t] Моцарт
Haydn[ haidn] Гайдн
Rossini [ra'sini ] Россини
Houston ['hju:stn] г. Хьюстон
Texas ['teksәs] штат Техас
Alfred Leathers Альфред Летерс
Martin Cheveril Мартин Чиврил
Seward Сьюард
Notes: 1. the Moscow Chamber ['t∫eimbә] Musical Theatre Московский камерный музыкальный театр
2. smaller opera малая (камерная) опера
3. "Play-house Director" «Директор театра»
4. "Apothecary" «Аптекарь»
5. "Marriage Bill" «Брачный вексель»
6. the French Charles Cros Academy — академия названа
по имени известного французского поэта Шарля Кроса (1842—1888)
7. Grand Prix «Гран при» (Большая премия, Главная премия), высшая награда на фестивале, конкурсе и т. п.
8. "The Echelon" «Эшелон»
9. I've had it. С меня достаточно, (театра)
10. We might as well admit it и мы могли бы также признать это
11. Sir Henry Irving (1838—1905) сэр Генри Ирвинг, английский актер
12. Ellen Terry (1847—1928) Эллен Терри, английская актриса
13. Sir Herbert Tree (1853—1917) сэр Герберт Три, английский актер