Dear Vocalisters:
The many e-mails about how opera should be sung or whether opera is a
sung play or a new and different form of art is important. But most
of the ideas expressed seem to more reflect the viewers prejudices
than address the actual elements of the art form.
I am aware that I am repeating myself when I say that in opera the
music is the dramatic element but, regardless of our personal
preferences, this is true. It is important for all of the elements
of opera to be observed and performed well. That includes words,
scenery, lighting, special effects, acoustics, orchestra, stage
direction, conducting, etc. but if the elements that create the music
are not well executed, there is no primary dramatic element and the
opera is a failure.
Any singer who is easily understood and acts well but does not sing
the continuous vowel line that is required by the music is not
performing opera sufficiently to convey the concepts of the form.
However, if that same singer acts well and sings the vowel line
required by the music written for her but is not easily understood,
the art form still stands and stands well regardless of a loss of
word content. Callas, a Greek doing Italian badly, was often guilty
of the fault of singing Italian such that it was difficult to
understand. The Italians did not seem to mind. And she was one of
the greatest opera singer/actors of our past century.
When we are used to singers who do what actors call "vocal
indicating" it is easy for us to assume that such pops, sobs,
guttural noises, etc. are necessary for the "selling" of a song. But
they are not. It was a real surprise to me to discover how wonderful
a pops song could be when sung without all of these "effects" when
Kire Te Kanawa sang an Andrew Lloyd Webber song on his birthday bash.
She simply sang the song with her usual excellent vowel line and the
song spoke for itself as music rather than as a dramatic vehicle for
the singer. That is opera and that is what song is supposed to be.
A musical expression devoid of the accouterments of dramatic speech
per se but rather a transformation of those "effects" into a music
that exists without such affections.
Emotion is conveyed by the music not by the sound effects nor the
personalities of the performers. Meaning is conveyed by the same
forces but a meaning that is beyond what poor and paltry words can
express.
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
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