24 SEPTEMBER 2009 :: GOLDBERG VARIATIONS
For several years I’ve been on The Royal Opera mailing list here in
London. I usually manage to see at least one opera and one ballet a
year. I’ve always found The Royal Opera’s performances to be
impressive, only once have I left feeling under whelmed. It’s a cost
issue that keeps me from going more often, seats range from £50 - £600
ouch!
I think they understand this drawback and in recent years they’ve been
putting on several smaller productions inside the second studio they
have. Tickets are much more ‘disposable’ at £10 - £30. Fiona and I have
been to a wide range of these nights, from “the modified toy orchestra”
(Look it up! They were brilliant!) to modern dance pieces. Earlier this
week we went to something I’d have to describe as interpretive dance.
People, wait!!!! Don’t just read “interpretive dance” and close the web
browser! Hear me out, at least for a few paragraphs.
I honestly have doubts about my writing ability being up to this task,
I hope I do it justice.
Bach’s Goldberg Variations was the underlying soundtrack. Played in
it’s entirety by a pianist in one corner of the stage. If you are
unfamiliar with it as a piece of music I urge you to find it. (It holds
a special significance to me that I will not elaborate on here) The
stage was minimal, a very large wall at the back with a door and a
window, a television in one corner and a couple of chairs. 7 dancers
performed the ballet, although they were not always on stage together.
Those are the tangible elements of the performance. They are also the
least significant.
Goldberg Variations is a thought provoking piece of music, it’s
impossible to listen to without being moved. Your mind fades in and out
of personal memories and experiences, conscious and subconscious,
positive and negative. From the opening notes the performance
understood and exploited this. (I will not link to the Royal Opera
House page, frankly, because I do not want to know if my take on the
performance is correct) Each performer took the persona of an emotion
or feeling. The ballet was about the interplay of these feelings and
emotions. How they work together, fight each other, flirt with each
other and struggle to push one another from our minds.
At the end of it all Fiona said to me “That’s the best thing we’ve seen
together”. It took me a while to digest the statement, before agreeing
whole heartedly. The entire performance was nothing short of
transcendent. Enhanced by the performers themselves who were clearly
having the time of their lives, thrilled to be on stage at The Royal
Opera House. I’ve been sitting and trying to write this for a couple of
days, in between several work projects. I’ve been worried that the
memory of the performance is slowly fading, the way the dancers and the
pianist interacted while counting the musical score, the dramatic
lighting, the beautiful movement. I’ve resigned myself to the fact
these memories will fade. Comfortable in the knowledge that one day
I’ll be listening to Goldberg and they will come flooding back,
consciously, subconsciously…. Resoundingly positive.
Got any of that beer that has candy floating in it? You know, Skittlebrau?
Homer Simpson