Satyagraha (Opera)
| Work data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Satyagraha |
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Stefan Cifolelli as Gandhi |
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| Original language: | Sanskrit |
| Music: | Philip Glass |
| Libretto : |
Bhagavad Gita , Philip Glass and Constance DeJong |
| Premiere: | 5th September 1980 |
| Place of premiere: | Rotterdam |
| Playing time: | approx. 3 ½ hours (including a break) |
| Place and time of the action: | South Africa , India , Russia , 1893-1914 |
| people | |
Mute roles:
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Satyagraha ([ sʌtˈjɑːɡrəhə ]; Sanskrit सत्याग्रह, satyāgraha "persistent adherence to the truth") is a three-act opera by Philip Glass, premiered in 1980 . The title comes from Gandhi, the text from the Bhagavad Gita , one of the central scriptures of Hinduism . The libretto was created by the composer and the American writer Constance DeJong . The subtitle of the work is: MK Gandhi in South Africa .
The opera is based on the life and work of Mahatma Gandhi and tells about the early years of the peace fighter in South Africa . The work forms the second part of the “Portrait Trilogy” by Philip Glass, operas about people who changed the course of the world. The other parts of the trilogy are Einstein on the Beach (1976 developed together with the director Robert Wilson ) and Akhnaten (1984, about the Egyptian King Akhenaten ).
The work is considered an exemplary example of minimal music and is often referred to as a "peace opera".
Historical background
Gandhi , called Mahatma (महात्मा mahātmā, "great soul"), developed the term Satyagraha as a global concept of his political strategy of non-violence ( Ahimsa ) and the willingness to take pain and suffering on himself ( soul force ). He did not see Satyagraha as a weapon of the weak, but of the strongest in spirit.
Before Gandhi entered the world political stage and led the Indian independence movement , he spent formative years in South Africa (1893–1914). There he was confronted with racially based discrimination and injustice and developed the concept of nonviolent resistance. However, since he wanted to see the concept with positive connotations, he coined the term Satyagraha , which is once transmitted as "the power of truth", and elsewhere as "persistent adherence to the truth". These early years in Gandhi's life inspired Glass for opera, which is set predominantly in South Africa, at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The three acts are each under a spiritual lead figure: the first act is dedicated to Leo Tolstoy , whom Gandhi named as one of his most important role models and with whom he conducted an intensive correspondence. The second act is dedicated to Rabindranath Tagore ( Bengali রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর Rabīndranāth Ṭhākur , [ ɾobin̪d̪ɾonat̪ʰ ʈʰakuɾ ]), the Bengali poet and philosopher who received the 1913 Nobel Prize for Literature . It was Tagore who greeted Gandhi as Mahatma on his return to India in 1915 (which, by the way, Gandhi did not enjoy). The third act is dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr. , the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize laureate whose concept of civil disobedience was based on Gandhi's ideas.
Gandhi had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize twelve times in five years . After his murder, the Nobel Committee decided, since the prize could not be awarded posthumously, not to be awarded in 1948.
Emergence
Philip Glass conceived and composed the opera in the late 1970s - commissioned by the city of Rotterdam . It begins with a scene from the Bhagavad Gita , in which Gandhi, Krishna , Arjuna and the choir speak on a mythical battlefield. The three aspects of Satyagraha are presented point by point:
- the connection between politics and spirituality,
- the moral responsibility of the individual as well
- the practice of nonviolence.
According to Philip Glass, Tolstoy, Tagore and King represent "the past, present and future of Satyagraha ". The work differs from other operas in key aspects, as it - according to the CD booklet - "is entirely on a moral, even religious level - more ritual than entertainment, more mystery play than opera".
Glass, who is considered an important representative of minimalist music , uses the hypnotic effect of the repetitive music passages and created a ritual "redemption game" about the potential of humanity to change the course of things through its own actions - regardless of time and space. Even decades after its celebrated world premiere in Rotterdam, Satyagraha is seen as an urgent appeal to pacifism and moral courage .
Glass used the theme from the 2002 protest , the second act, scene 3, for the title I'm going to make a cake , which in the feature film The Hours - from eternity to eternity by Stephen Daldry was used.
action
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The opera consists of three acts, each dedicated to an important personality from culture and peace politics. On a pyramid in the background sit Leo Tolstoy in Act 1 , Rabindranath Tagore in Act 2 and Martin Luther King in Act 3 .
First act: Tolstoy
1st picture: Kuru , the field of justice (mythical battlefield). “In the search for identity, the young Gandhi finds the strength to take up the fight against injustice.” Kuru, a mythical battlefield and a field in South Africa at the same time. Two armies are about to go into battle. Much like the mythical hero Arjuna, Mohandas Gandhi wonders if he has the right to fight. Lord Krishna tells him that the first thing man must do is determine the reason for his actions. If these are pure then it is good to fight - for that way there will be neither victory nor defeat, nor friends or enemies, only the truth.
2nd picture: Tolstoy Farm (open field in South Africa, 1910). "He develops and practices Satyagraha with like-minded and affected people, that is: active nonviolent resistance." Following the example of the Russian writer, Gandhi founded a pacifist community in South Africa in which Satyyagraha is practiced, a life with lofty goals.
3rd image: The Oath (in the open air, 1906). "Friends of Gandhi commit themselves to non-violence in thought and joint action for the necessary resistance." The South African government has tightened its policy of racial discrimination with the Black Act . The Hindus commit themselves to common resistance according to the spirit of Satyagraha.
Second act: Tagore
1st picture: Confrontation and salvation (European settlement in South Africa, 1896). “The public sees their privileges threatened by Satyagraha and reacts to this with increasing violence.” Europeans fear for their privileges and their control. Gandhi is stoned. A trial by fire for peaceful resistance according to the spirit of Satyagraha. A European saves Gandhi from death.
2nd image: Indian Opinion (communal residential area with a printing press, 1906). “The community formulates and disseminates their ideas.” Gandhi uses the Indian Opinion newspaper to disseminate his ideas.
3rd image: Protest (empty field in the open, 1908). "In a commitment to self-determination, the Satyagrahis protest against regulation and imposed identity." Gandhi and his followers swear to continue their struggle without falling into the trap of hatred. They burn their residence certificates to equate themselves with expatriates and prisoners.
Third act: King
1st image: The march from Newcastle (mythical battlefield, also South Africa 1913). “Truth is not an eternal possession. It must be fought over and over again. ”The march on Newcastle, a mythical battlefield, in 1913 also a prairie in South Africa. Gandhi's ideas spread. The Newcastle march was a success. Both the government and the police are powerless. You are unable to resist, let alone launch an attack. You cannot lock up all of the protesters as there are thousands. Gandhi speaks his sentence: To achieve Satyagraha means to work day after day. But man can be sure that the enlightened give help.
Instrumentation, singer
Glass does without brass instruments and drums . The score calls for string instruments , woodwind instruments , a large mixed choir and nine vocal soloists , taking into account all classical voices, soprano and mezzo-soprano / alto , tenor , baritone and bass .
- Three flutes (3rd also piccolo )
- Three oboes (3 also English Horn )
- Three clarinets
- Bass clarinet
- Two bassoons
- Electronic organ
- Strings
Occupations
Performance history
The world premiere of Satyagraha took place on September 5, 1980 in the Rotterdamse Schouwburg , in a production of the Nederlandse Opera , conducted by Bruce Ferden . This production was later shown at the Lyric Opera of Chicago . The US premiere took place on July 29, 1981 in the Artpark of Lewiston in the northwest of the state (New York).
The German premiere followed on October 3, 1981 in the establishment, staging and equipment of Achim Freyer at the Staatstheater Stuttgart , under the musical direction of Dennis Russell Davies . There is a video recording from 1983 that was released on CD. This production was later taken over by the Wuppertaler Bühnen . The Stuttgart Opera showed the opera again in 1990, together with the other two parts of the Portrait Trilogy . The British premiere in 1997 was a co-production of Bath Spa University and Frome Community College in the theater of Bath's Kingswood School .
The Austrian premiere took place on October 14, 2001 in the Festspielhaus St. Pölten . It was conducted by Peter Keuschnig , the equipment was provided by Hermann Nitsch . In 2004 Silviu Purcărete staged the opera at the Bonn Theater , with a revival in 2013, conducted by Ulrich Windfuhr .
On April 5, 2007, the English National Opera and the Improbable theater presented the work in London's Coliseum . It staged Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch , it conducted Johannes Debus . This production was presented on April 11, 2008 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, now with Dante Anzolini on the podium, then again in February 2010 in London and in November 2011 again in New York. A performance of this last series was also broadcast live around the world in HD. In September 2014 there was a new production in Yekaterinburg , staged by Thaddeus Strassberger , conducted by Oliver von Dohnányi . In September 2016, the Folkoperan from Stockholm presented a new production together with the Cirkus Cirkör , in April 2017 a production by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui premiered in Basel as a Swiss premiere. It was a co-production of the Theater Basel , the Komische Oper Berlin and the Vlaamse Opera in Antwerp.
reception
“If an opera from 1980 causes five almost sold out performances and leads to standing ovations at the final applause, then something seems to move people.” This is how Anna Vogt commented on the Berlin premiere of the opera at the Komische Oper Berlin in autumn 2017. She replicates the common prejudice that since Richard Strauss no more operas have been written that are suitable for the repertoire. Especially since critics often equate the stylistic feature of minimal music, the repetition , with " monotony (and possibly resulting boredom)".
The opera serves the needs of the urban intelligentsia of the late 20th century with several facets : It includes rebellion and resistance , it deals with Gandhi's unrecognized period, the title character and the dedicators of the three acts are cult figures of the peace movement , the texts are in an incomprehensible language, the setting is multicultural , the work is formally innovative and somewhat brittle, it allows for a large scope for interpretation and opens up violent forms of discourse and debates . The work has considerable polarizing potential. On the one hand, Satyagraha is referred to several times as a peace opera and "especially by supporters of the peace movement, opponents of nuclear power and religiously motivated ' dropouts ' as an alternative opera and celebrated frenetically", but on the other hand "by many and also politically committed viewers as too smooth and especially musical Respect primitive and whitewashed "criticized.
Recordings
- World premiere, 1980
- State Theater Stuttgart , 1983
- New York City Opera , 1984 (Sony)
libretto
- Constance DeJong; Philip Glass: Satyagraha: MK Gandhi in South Africa, 1893-1914; the historical material and libretto comprising the opera's book . New York: Tanam Pr., 1983 ISBN 0-934378-43-6 [80 pages]
literature
- Ulrich Linke: Satyagraha. MK Gandhi in South Africa . In: Elisabeth Schmierer (Ed.): Lexicon of the Opera. Composers - works - performers - technical terms . Volume 2. Laaber 2002, pp. 540-542
Web links
- Satyagraha in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Satyagraha on the composer's website
- "The Truth Force at the Met" , Daniel Mendelsohn's review of Satyagraha from The New York Review of Books
- Libretto provided by the Metropolitan Opera
Individual evidence
- ↑ Mahatma Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in the Nomination Database, accessed on November 11, 2017.
- ↑ Theater Baseö : SATYAGRAHA , at the Swiss premiere, accessed on November 11, 2017
- ↑ a b c d e f g Achim Freyer: Satyagraha . Table of contents in the program booklet, Württembergisches Staatstheater, season 1981/82, pp. 2–16
- ↑ a b c Rainer Franke: Satyagraha. In: Piper's Encyclopedia of Musical Theater . Volume 2: Works. Donizetti - Henze. Piper, Munich / Zurich 1987, ISBN 3-492-02412-2 , pp. 405-409.
- ↑ From October 27 to November 10, 2017, this production will be presented - as a Berlin premiere - at the Komische Oper Berlin , with the same leading team and the following vocal soloists: Stefan Cifolelli (Gandhi), Cathrin Lange (Miss Schlesen), Mirka Wagner (Mrs . Naidoo), Karolina Gumos (Kasturbai), Tom Erik Lie (Mr. Kallenbach), Tomasz Wija (Parsi Rustomji), Katarzyna Wlodarczyk (Mrs. Alexander), Samuli Taskinen (Lord Krishna), Timothy Oliver (Prince Arjuna).
- ↑ Gandhi and Mr. Kallenbach were not triple or double occupations. All three or two singers were involved in the same performance, the roles were divided.
- ↑ Several sources wrongly name Christopher Keene as the conductor of the premiere, but he later conducted the work in America.
- ^ Movies: About Philip Glass: Satyagraha. In: The New York Times . Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ↑ Satyagraha , philipglass.com
- ^ Phil Johnson, Review: Opera Satyagraha Kingswood School, Bath , The Independent (London), February 20, 1997, accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ a b APA-OTS : As part of the “Dialogue between Civilizations”: Glass Peace Opera “Satyagraha” in the Festspielhaus St.Pölten , October 11, 2001
- ↑ "Philip Glass' Gandhi opera Satyagraha again on the program by Gunild Lohmann, General-Anzeiger , Bonn, June 10, 2013
- ↑ Hilary Finch:Satyagraha. In: The Times , April 7, 2007. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ↑ Satyagraha at the Metropolitan Opera ( Memento of October 16, 2007 in the Internet Archive ).
- ↑ Satyagraha at the English National Opera ( Memento April 7, 2010 in the Internet Archive ).
- ↑ OperaNews: Metropolitan Opera Live in HDBroadcast: Satyagraha , November 2011, V. 76, N. 5, accessed on October 26, 2017
- ↑ "В Екатеринбурге поставили" Сатьяграху "" (Ekaterinburg presents Satyagraha ) by Gyulyara Sadiq-zade, Vedomosti , September 18, 2014 (Russian)
- ^ Music Sales Classical: News - Satyagraha by Philip Glass in two new productions , September 5, 2016
- ↑ Eastman: PROJECT / SATYAGRAHA retrieved on October 24, 2017
- ↑ a b Close-up: Back To The Basics , November 2, 2017
- ↑ MUS4.NET Love goes through the ears: Minimal music , accessed on November 5, 2017
- ↑ 10 years of dismantling cultural boundaries in: Spielorte , The magazine of the St. Pöltner Bühnen, February / March 2011, online: Archived copy ( Memento from November 7, 2017 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Kultur extra, Andre Sokolowski: Die Sekt tanzt , October 28, 2017