That article from the New Yorker might have been the most convoluted article that I have read in a long while. If this is how Jia Tolentino wanted to portray the Gig Economy, then the way her article came across would really get the point across. In Tagalog slang, it’s what you may call “sabog” article.
In case you have not realized yet, I am a freelance writer. There may be times when I am “sabog” myself. But then again I make it a point to catch some sleep to avoid writing any article whatsoever while half-asleep. Because I just compromised my craft’s artistry. I consider myself lucky not (yet) pressured with all the stress that comes with wracking my brains out for the sake of spitting a minimum of 500 words per article from my fingertips. Then, after getting some sleep, I look at my draft again and check for any typos.
Ms. Tolentino, you just wrote a clickbait article. Albeit pissed, I understand. But you should at least come up with some argument about how the gig economy is indeed making people work to death. Then again, you mentioned Little Miss Lyft’s hardworking mom as an example.
I first heard (or watched) about that poor woman on YouTube. Everyone admires the pregnant driver for still taking some passengers even if she’s already on the verge of labor. Not clear if the amniotic fluid splashed under the wheel. But some loose change is not worth the risk of losing your baby simply because Lyft still keeps sending driving gigs along your way. That’s when the “working yourself to death” kicks in.
Before this article becomes about her, it then becomes an issue if some folks accepting gigs still have enough time to rest. I am aware of some newbies in the freelancing space that took months to finally get that “full-time home-based gig”. (I remember one of them - particularly one of them - keeps peppering me with questions about Upwork and anything about freelancing before checking out Google. That alone gives me an idea that if she can’t even do basic research alone, she’ll never be successful in her freelancing endeavor.)
It is hard to get a “full-time gig”. Personally I don’t always call it a gig since I still view it as a job - a series of tasks that I do complimentary to my passion in writing and helpful to the client’s need for website content. But the fact that some freelancers forget what freelancing is all about makes them susceptible to the trap of “working yourself to death”.
Because why will it even be called freelancing if you are not free as far as your schedule goes? Several employees take on the gig economy for the freedom it gives them. Their own terms. Their own schedule. Their own income without some middleman to deduct whatever from it. Then I end up reading about examples used by Ms. Tolentino to hardsell the concept stated in the clickbait title.
Maybe if she focused on the not-so-subtle references made at how some freelancers at their earliest stage are practically overworked and underpaid like in that notorious Fiverr poster, she could have gotten a better argument to use to sustain the idea mentioned in the title. Because not everyone taking in the gigs from Fiverr are sleepless caffeine junkies. (And most of the jobs I got are not from Fiverr.)
I hate to say that her article got the point across a lot more effectively because she herself is sleep-deprived like the model used for the “In Doers We Trust” campaign. I just can’t be harsh on her as I’ve had worse articles in the past. Main difference is that I never deprive myself of sleep. And it’s not about vanity. I need my sanity. Sleep is one way for me to recharge my brain.
Watching Madama Butterfly every time I feel down and out is occasionally therapeutic for me. Despite the story being a story of “isang paasa at isang tanga” (a man making people wait and an idiot duped into waiting), I occasionally watch unsubbed versions for the sake of the music. And for occasionally watching the facial expressions of the people in the performance if it matched the scene.
The 1989 version I found on YouTube was a telecast from Lyric Opera Chicago. Despite the slow pacing of the opera (as followed in most productions anyway), the build-up towards the climactic end was worth it and sustained by the music. All that is left for the cast is to sing it right, hoping there would be less screeches along the way. (Not that I am a good singer myself but I need not mention versions where either the tenor or the soprano ended up screeching their lines.)
For those who are unfamiliar with Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, the first 30 minutes might give you a little idea about the story yet to unfold before your eyes. There was the Consul General Sharpless horrified at the thought of the American navy lieutenant Pinkerton marrying a 15-year-old geisha he bought for only 100 Japanese yen. And there was the bride, Cio-Cio San, so enamored with the idea of marrying an American soldier thinking that he really loved her.
It’s like a mail-order bride thing. But at least the marriage was done in Japan. Since the wedding was done in secular rites, religion has nothing to do with it. It was enough to anger Cio-Cio San’s monk uncle apart from marrying a white guy. Japanese society is often viewed as homogeneous a.k.a. not much interracial marrying going on. So Pinkerton being white added insult to injury. The bride’s own relatives didn’t believe the marriage would last as well. But … oh well. Youthful idiocy mistaken as idealism.
The spinning stage helped in identifying what part are we in the scene from the time Cio-Cio San and her entourage prepared for the wedding to the uncle’s dramatic entrance to how the entire Shinto clan has disowned her by addressing her in her English geisha name, Butterfly.
Little did the poor geisha know how exposed is she now to the wiles and charms of Pinkerton. Her maid-in-waiting, Suzuki, saw through the bull crap that Pinkerton that he was. But instead of listening, Cio-Cio San even threatened the poor maid with death because she won’t shut up. Since she refused to shut up, Cio-Cio San just made her say that Pinkerton will return. It was painful for Suzuki. So painful that she ended up crying out of frustration with her lady’s behavior. (Pinkerton hasn’t returned 2 years after the wedding. Hasn’t Butterfly gotten the hint yet?)
Apparently, Cio-Cio San is really, really bad at hints. And she’s not good at reacting at the not-so-subtle clues either. Threatening Suzuki with death was slightly understandable as the latter was practically the Madam’s slave. But threatening the Consul General Sharpless out of the forsaken house where Pinkerton left her? She trusted Pinkerton so much that anyone who dared tell her the truth is at risk of facing her wrath.
Cio-Cio San had the opportunity at a better life. A serial divorcee for a monarch has gotten rid of his wives just to marry her, someone who - by mail-order bride standards - is “second-hand”. Had she thought of the desolate state that her home had gotten, she might have married the guy just for the money. But all that is left making her function is her pride at being an American’s wife - a marriage that may have been a sham.
I think I may have given you enough hints at how this will end. I will not go into specifics anymore at how. Because sometimes, the best lessons in love are learned when losses are shown unfolding right before your eyes.
This version reminded me of the performances where it’s more about the vocal beauty and less about the visuals. Not that the visuals should be neglected in an opera production. But I do understand how some fans have bewailed the stage productions made extravagant for the sake of making up for lost singing talent that even some lead performers have. The performers have channeled themselves into their roles best are the ones that portrayed Pinkerton and the title character, Madama Butterfly, in the 1989 version. Highly recommended for everyone to view over and over again.
Writing my Bar Boys Review while I’m still feeling euphoric over this experience. Maybe because no other had ever been this specific about the experience of surviving law school. No budding romance. No overly melodramatic approach to otherwise depressing situations. Just some young men trying to survive law school (including the grammatically challenged professor).
It doesn’t romanticize the life of a law student. It tries to lighten up the situations by focusing on its main characters, Tarron (Rocco Nacino), Chris (Enzo Pineda) and Eric (Carlo Aquino). They are supposed to be 4 friends enrolling at an unnamed law school. But the fourth friend, Josh (Kian Cipriano) flunked the entrance exams and left it at that. No drive to try it again in another law school. No other “direction in life” as some folks would rather put it. He went back to what he’s been doing before finding out the results.
I try not to put spoilers here since I just checked the social media feed and there have been block screenings for law students. The block screening that I got into was the one at SM City Tarlac organized by the Tarlac State University Student Council. It includes students from the TSU College of Law plus Bar Refreshers.
Humanizing the characters
Bar Boys was pretty honest about some things. Not all men enter law school for a noble purpose. Some of them are after power. Some treat that quest for power and influence as a joke based on the characterization of Tarron with the way he says “I’m a Lion!” Others take it so seriously that it taught them to make excuses for their attitude as “frat boys”.
To rephrase what one “lord master” said: What about us students from the province? How can we compete against the money and influence that people like you (referring to Tarron) have if we don’t belong to a fraternity? (The scene involving the use of brute force on a “konyo” student was understated. But the subtext is clear.) The way fraternities were presented in Bar Boys was not sympathetic. But they are self-aware of the excesses that some members have. They believed that it can be addressed within the fraternity without having anyone from the outside interfering.
And for every excellent yet intimidating law professor that law students, there is that one professor with pronunciation issues. Worse, she somewhat rubbed it in to one of her students by calling him “former classmate”. (The side effects of power earned.) So, yeah, grammar is not that much of an issue anymore if one passes the Bar Exams and ends up earning a professorial post in a law school. I prefer to think that this angle served as motivational tool for other students to pass the Bar Exams.
Of course, it addressed the issue of how there are no dumb students. Just people with confidence issues. Eric keeps using his ailing father as an excuse to keep pushing for that LLB degree. But he ends up using that excuse to quit in the middle of his studies and pursue any job like waiting tables or working at a call center. He’s not dumb. He just isn’t confident enough of his skills.
Going the motivational route
For a realistic movie, it works as a motivational tool for law students anywhere in the country. Everyone wants to survive law school. If ever it really wanted to motivate students, it is pretty honest about the sacrifices that come with earning that LLB title at the end of your name. Tough part to address when it comes to studying anything. But there’s no way around it.
Bar Boys works best as a motivational tool through Eric. Because in law school, there are no losers. Only quitters. Each character has its own way of coping with law school. Even the supporting characters are fleshed out as human beings with their own ways of keeping their sanity. Like that girl that Tarron met at an acquaintance party who didn’t want a relationship but needed sex to put her back in good mood. (I think that scene got too real.)
“I think ….”
It doesn’t matter what you think, or so that law professor in the movie said. Opinions are not welcome in the classroom not because your right to express yourself is suppressed but because everyone is expected to speak based on legal provisions by the time they reach senior year in law school. I don’t know how long will I get over the “I think …” clause. But for sure, it would affect the way I write some of the articles. The next articles that I might be writing should include footnotes or urls then.
I almost expected any of the law professors to ask their students “What is the legal provision for your answer to my question?” (I know a Bar Lecturer who often said that.) Instead, the law professors are presented as humane characters in Bar Boys. Some can’t help but be the tyrants that the late senator Miriam Defensor Santiago wrote in her book “Stupid is Forever”. (“Law school is like a walk in the park. Jurassic Park.”) I suppressed my laughter at the sight of that pretty student reduced to tears simply because she can’t answer the question her Taxation Law professor threw her way. It is not funny when it happens to you.
Recommendation
Of course I recommend Bar Boys to any lawyer or law student that I know. It is less about the jargon and more about the experience. Remember my quip about Bar Boys being an effective motivational tool for aspiring lawyers? That one plus a bevy of other reasons that will make lawyers relive life as students. It really helped a lot that the director Kip Oebanda did his research well. And it shows. Highly recommended viewing for law students on the verge of quitting their dreams.
I admit having a problem watching Otello by Giuseppe Verdi. Any version. The opening scenes are so dramatic, you’d understand why they skipped the overture. I just need to look for 2 things in that tempestuous opening to keep on watching. First is the sound of the trumpets while the ship of the Winged Lion ravaged in the eye of the storm. Most of the time I keep on watching even if the trumpet’s sound is underwhelming. Second is “Esultate!” I’ve seen some versions online where this aria is sung not with a heroic strength but a wobbly voice. No names. I’d just leave you to guess which tenors often crack and wobble while singing “Esultate!”
I then chanced upon the 2016 version of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi staged at Teatro Real in Madrid, Spain. Not too modern. Not too “period”. It’s almost minimalist with one set and very little costume changes. And a torn Turkish flag for the crowd to take part in the spoils of victory. The tenor Gregory Kunde play Otello without the blackface. But the rest of the characters mention him as a Moor. Iago (played by George Petean) claim credit for the wars that Otello won that he got promoted for. Of course, that claim conflicted with how he wished Otello dead as the latter waged war against the Turks while Iago just watched on the seashore. In less than 15 minutes into the story, you immediately recognize who is the villain in the story.
Iago found it easy to get some people to trust him. He has a way of sympathizing with the other characters that makes his agenda not obvious. Like when he saw Roderigo seething in anger on the side. He was quick to console the disgruntled man. But instead of pacifying his anger, he utilized Roderigo’s rage for his own ends. He then helped Roderigo push Cassio to his demotion. An incident that Cassio deeply regretted. Iago then found an opportunity to frame Cassio again by pushing him to talk to Desdemona. It became an opportunity to push 2 more souls into his draconian plan of putting everyone into the hell that he wallows into.
The people surrounding the couple at Otello by Giuseppe Verdi knew how much influence Desdemona had over Otello. Tributes are offered at her feet as if she’s some goddess that descended upon Cyprus. It was this same perceived influence shown at Otello by Giuseppe Verdi that also served as the key to her downfall. Desdemona might have been the only pure character here at this opera. All she ever did was love Otello and be a sweetheart to everyone else she meets. It was this niceness that ended up looking malicious to Otello as egged on by the words of Iago. The fact that Desdemona herself interceded in behalf of Cassio was enough to push Otello to further suspicion.
This needs to be said. Otello is a dick. Iago knew him way more than Desdemona herself. Iago knew how to manipulate Otello. Desdemona on the other hand had to apologize to Otello even if he was the one who snapped angrily at her efforts to comfort him. Then again, Desdemona talked to Otello after Iago has already to the general. Emilia herself has realized it after Iago stole Desdemona’s handkerchief from her. Iago saw the fire in Otello’s anger. And instead of throwing water, he poured gasoline into the situation. It is what made Iago one of the most dangerous villains in opera. He has a way of making you believe that he is helping you when in reality he is orchestrating for your personal and professional damnation.
The minimized lighting on the set in some scenes helped in presenting the dark personality that Iago possessed. Iago narrating Cassio’s “sleep-talking” was done where most of the light was directed at the unoccupied chair. Not much light is left for the characters Otello and Iago. With the light emanating from behind Iago, he reminded you of the shadow that engulfed Otello’s rationality and common sense. Proof that even high ranking officials in Otello by Giuseppe Verdi are devoid of critical thinking due to intense emotions.
These intense emotions fueled the dramatic music resonating in Otello by Giuseppe Verdi. If ever there is one opera that served as a response to criticism about opera’s lack of character build-up in the name of “bel canto” (beautiful singing), that would be Otello by Giuseppe Verdi. Too bad Desdemona’s father had to go through the chopping block once it is Verdi’s turn to present his version. He thought that having only one villain in the story would give focus to the story. It helped since it obviously presented Verdi’s opinion of Iago as a character.
The production’s decision to go with the kinda sorta modern version of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi meant a focus on the psychological aspect of trust and insecurity. Otello never lost his insecurity because people around him like Roderigo has this way of making him feel like an outsider. But he lacked trust in people that care for him too. He can’t tell the difference between Iago and Desdemona in terms of concern for his welfare. When a person lets his emotion go afoul, he ends up trusting the wrong people. Making decisions while angry results in the biggest mistakes ever done. As big as the stage that Otello and Desdemona tread around while fighting.
The position of the cameras made sure to show the events that transpired in this 2016 version of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi. Some cameras at the ceiling showed the changes on the floor implying a change of setting. Some cameras showed the characters up close as if daring us viewers to read their facial expressions. Lighting also helped. I have discussed how putting Iago that makes him look like his back is turned against the light as a technique to present his villainy. Otello on the other hand is shown facing the light with the light diminishing depending on the scene. In effect, this makes it look like Otello failing to “see the light”.
This 2016 version of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi is not yet available on DVD. Not sure if Teatro Real plans to release their David Alden production of this opera. For the meantime, I have to recommend another version of Otello featuring the same tenor, Gregory Kunde, now out on ArkivMusic. Click here to get your own copy while stocks last. To keep yourself updated with any DVD releases (if any) from Teatro Real in Madrid, follow them on Facebook. Tips in appreciation of this article are more than welcome. Just click the “Donate” button below. Thanks for reading.
Some productions of Die Zauberflöte are tolerable like the 2011 version from Teatro La Scala that I am about to discuss here. A setting that might be between the 1930’s and the 1940’s if the costumes of the characters are to be used as basis. Of course, we have a Tamino that wears shorts, or at least knee-length pants, to highlight the perception that he’s young and innocent enough to be lured into the Queen’s scheme. Then again, Papageno’s wearing shorts too. And he’s not exactly young. The three witches wore long-sleeved European dresses with ruffles around their bums with feathered hats to match. And Monostatos is not in blackface mode. He wore a Kufi hat and color-matching clothes though, giving subtle hints to what nationality he might possess. Just don’t look at his mustache.
This 2011 version of Die Zauberflöte may have retained the singspiel feature of this opera. But the piano is occasionally heard in the background as if matching some of the spoken lines. Like when Papageno was verifying the identity of Pamina based on the portrait that he carried. (I had to suppress my laughter upon mentioning “blonde hair” when the soprano playing Pamina clearly isn’t. No budget for wigs?) This was also the case while Monostatos contemplated aloud about kissing Pamina in her sleep. It’s like setting up the momentum before the performers can finally sing their arias.
The use of a layered widescreen background helped. What do I mean by “layered”? Based on what appeared on screen, there is a widescreen at the back of the stage with a frame wide enough to show the enlarged portions of the borders of the image projected. It ends up looking like your screen on Google Hangouts if you are trying to screencast the part that is supposed to show your face but end up showing a series of screens descending inward. Here at Die Zauberflöte, you could see at least 2 or 3 layers so as not to get the images diluted. It would also avoid highlighting the characters onstage. The images appear bigger on the TV telecast version in a way that looks like 2 slides of a presentation overlapped onscreen.
The stage occasionally has props either close to the widescreen borders or on stage to emphasize the period that this 2011 version of Die Zauberflöte is situated. The camera that the 3 witches used implied that they are moneyed matrons capable of sending Papageno on errands in exchange of sugar. That camera also carried the titular instrument for Tamino to use. The music box was separately handed over to Papageno though. It looked more like a cash vault though. And the speaker appeared with chalk and a blackboard on a stand. It somewhat matched the theme that this version of Die Zauberflöte is trying to present = the age of enlightenment through academic freedom. This approach is very helpful in presenting the final trial that Tamino and Pamina will go through.
Actually, what excited me about the speaker was discovering who is the baritone that played him in this version of Die Zauberflöte. The cast and characters were shown on screen while the overture played. And it showed that the role of the speaker ended up with Detlef Roth. Readers may be familiar with him as I mentioned his participation in another version of Die Zauberflöte. Except that is role is that of Papageno in Opera Paris. So seeing him as the speaker in this version of Die Zauberflöte meant his appearance is limited. Quite sad for me for two reasons. One, he will not be in his funny self. Two, he might not be seen in the succeeding scenes. Might. The role of speaker suited him though.
This 2011 version of Die Zauberflöte also presented effectively how gullible Tamino could be. He managed to believe the Queen’s claim of Sarastro being a tyrant, despite lack of proof. And when voices around the 3 doors told him that Pamina is alive, he believed it too, despite lack of proof. This might be why Sarastro ended up luring him to the 3 trials. He saw how he can talk some sense over to this kid and teach him some critical thinking. And some effective meditation too. Because the toughest way to meditate is to be paired with a talkative ally like Papageno.
Pamina herself needs enlightenment too. It is a given that she loved her mother so much that she can’t imagine her doing anything wrong. But in the scene before Sarastro arrives, she contemplated about telling Sarastro the truth and thought that it would be a crime. This brings me to one of the issues here at Die Zauberflöte in general. The idea that a man must guide a woman to her happiness. I have yet to see a version of Die Zauberflöte that presented Sarastro as the chief of child services assigned in taking children away from their mothers. And Tamino is discouraged from listening to useless chatter especially if it comes from women like the 3 witches.
Pamina’s own father thought that a man like Sarastro can guide his daughter better than his own wife, the Queen of the Night. So it’s basically 2 images of a woman = weak and dependent like Pamina or strong and arrogant like that of the Queen of the Night. It does not help that Papageno wished that he’s a girl so that he has an excuse to be scared. So as much as I liked most versions of Die Zauberflöte, this is one opera I will not recommend to my “SJW” friends. I would recommend a few arias though since the music in Die Zauberflöte is really glorious.
The feud between Sarastro and the Queen of the Night still served as the main source of twists in Die Zauberflöte. They have their own versions of the truth. Main difference is that the Queen of the Night would impose it on the characters that she talks to while Sarastro would let the people around them prove for themselves similar to how the speaker let Tamino talk despite absence of proof. Quite relative in an age where almost everyone believes everything before any proof contrary to claims has surfaced.
Any allusions to the Freemasonry is quite in your face if you watch this version of Die Zauberflöte from the television (or tablet). Apart from the layered widescreen treatment, some of the images overlapped significantly enough to take over the screen as the characters sung in the background. But again, not too much for you not to see any of the people onstage. The eye blinks from a half-closed view to wide open as Sarastro tried to convince the rest of brotherhood to allow Tamino entry into the Temple of Trials. The visuals are just short of showing a compass, a pick ax and a sickle to go with the rulers drawn on widescreen alongside the wide-open eye.
As for the voices, the bass, Günther Groissböck, in this version of Die Zauberflöte might have been one of my new faves playing the role of Sarastro. Full round voice with a range that reaches really low when heard singing the aria “Isis und Osiris”. His parts in this opera are more memorable than the parts that featured the Queen of the Night, played by Albina Shagimuratova. Just to be clear. I don’t find her that bad. It’s just that if this is a production of Die Zauberflöte that showed how Sarastro and the Queen of the Night were trying to outdo each other, then Sarastro got the upper hand in terms of singing. Besides, at the heart of this story is a couple of wizards trying to outdo each other.
The love story between Tamino and Pamina may seem rushed as how it was originally written. But it managed to be a believable pairing. Thanks to heartfelt singing of Saimir Pirgu and Genia Kühmeier. Kühmeier’s singing fitted the parts where Pamina is at her most melancholic from the time when Tamino stopped talking to her to when she attempted to stab herself. Along with Pirgu, they make an almost pitch perfect couple. Pirgu, on the other hand, fitted the role with the help of his youthful looks and lyric voice. I look forward to seeing either of them in more lead roles after Die Zauberflöte.
This 2011 version of Die Zauberflöte is available in Blu-Ray version through Arkiv Music. With Roland Böer as musical director, it has only very few copies left in the website. Click here to get your own copy before you get placed on the queue and wait for new copies to be made. Tips in appreciation of this article are also more than welcome by clicking the “Donate” button below. We’d be expecting you. Thanks for reading.
I watched La Wally 1990 edition online after finding a clip that includes English subtitles. This was after a few queries I made online about verismo opera. Apparently, it was an approach towards realism. Or opera that is not about kings, fairies and other mythical creatures but regular people. But after watching La Wally, can I consider Wally and Hagenbach as regular people?
Wally is the daughter of a man, Stromminger, implied as rich and prominent in the community. Her father’s friend, Gellner, suspected Wally of being in love with Hagenbach, the son of Stromminger’s enemy. Apparently, he wanted Wally for himself. So he went and immediately asked for Wally’s hand in marriage before she could find an opportunity to be with Hagenbach. Wally is aghast with this under-handed tactic. She bluntly turned Gellner down.
The pacing in La Wally 1990 edition was fast enough to see where Wally’s state of heart and mind are. Sometimes it feels like there is too much going on that there wasn’t much time for character build-up. Notable exceptions are in that scene where Hagenbach bets on Wally’s feelings, where Hagenbach got pushed from an icy mountain and close to the end of Act 4 that I would discuss later. So in essence, it’s quick when it needs to be quick and slow when there is a need to build up that suspense. It’s the kind of suspense that makes you feel bad for Wally and disappointed with Hagenbach.
Sometimes, La Wally 1990 edition becomes an introspection into the life of Wally. She has only one friend, Walter, who may or may not be interested in Wally romantically. She doesn’t seem to be close with her father either. And she only got close to Gellner when she needed a favor from him. Not much is said about how close Gellner is to Wally prior to that crucial favor. But I ended up getting PO’d with the way he asked for Wally’s hand in marriage. Stromminger didn’t even give his daughter an opportunity to say no. Again, La Wally 1990 edition implied that Stromminger is not close to Wally.
On the other hand, what could Wally see in Hagenbach despite being a man that Stromminger hated? La Wally was an opera based on a play that was written at the time when hunters are the closest thing that a remote village could have to heroes. Hagenbach’s claim to fame is slaying a big bear for its fur. An accomplishment not many men in this Alpine village can prove. Wally found it impressive unlike Stromminger. La Wally 1990 edition managed to show how Wally gazed at Hagenbach differently from how she looked at Gellner.
The sad thing about some verismo operas like La Wally is how nobody’s perfect. Hagenbach is a topnotch hunter but a disappointing excuse for a human being. Wally herself admitted finding fun in emotionally tormenting Gellner especially in Act 2. Gellner loved Wally. But he failed to control himself in giving Wally a dose of her own medicine by telling her of Hagenbach’s engagement to Afra, the tavern owner. You then realize a painful chain of flawed love. Gellner loves Wally who loves Hagenbach who loves Afra. La Wally 1990 showed how people are capable of loving people despite being wronged. And no other plot in opera had ever been truer.
Depression eventually brought out the worst in Wally. The glaciers in La Wally 1990 edition gains a different perspective when shown with a catatonic Wally. As if that song she wrote served as a prelude to how she would meet her end. And Walter, the young boy that interpreted that song earlier in the opera, failed to see it when he left Wally beside the snowy mountain. Sometimes I wished that her vision of Hagenbach was just a fruit of her psychosis. But La Wally 1990 edition implied how the cold weather has affected Wally’s judgment. It could be simply a figment of her hallucination. The freezing temperature might have affected the way she sees things. And she may want to see things as opposed to what they really are.
La Wally 1990 edition featured Mara Zampieri and Michael Sylvester as Wally and Hagenbach respectively. No copy so far in DVD found online. Only one copy of the DVD was found on Arkiv Music released in 2014. Hopefully I get to watch and review the other versions of La Wally found online. Hopefully, you enjoyed reading this article. I would appreciate it more if you send over your tips by clicking the “Donate” button below. Thanks for reading.
Watching Otello by Giuseppe Verdi reminded me of my minor quips. I tend to stop watching at times whenever a certain version can’t get 2 things satisfactory. One is the trumpet part of the tempest prior to Otello’s arrival on shore. Two is the way “Esultate” is sung. Sometimes I’m forgiving if the trumpet sound is not right. Other times, I just keep on watching even if “Esultate” wasn’t sung in a standard that I expect. I’m nitpicking. I know. This must have been the worst side effect of being familiar with the versions that starred Mario del Monaco, Placido Domingo and Jon Vickers.
The version of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi that I recently watched starred Giancarlo Monsalve in the title role. Staged in Chile and uploaded on YouTube, while economical in production, the big widescreen at the background made up for the scarcely decorated stage. Even better, the voices that interpreted Verdi’s version of the Shakespearean play were enthralling. I like being surprised in a pleasant way when watching unfamiliar productions of a beloved opera like Otello.
While most versions have shied away from the blackface treatment, this Chilean production went through with presenting Otello in blackface. (I have yet to see a production of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi that featured dark-skinned, if not outright black, tenors.) They must have understood that at the bottom of Iago’s envy is racism. Why is this Moor promoted to a government position instead of a white man like him? Then again, the white supremacists can’t use Iago the character (played by Leonardo Estevez) to justify their agenda in case there is any of them reading this article now.
Otello by Giuseppe Verdi is a difficult opera to stage not only because of the PC crowd. It also analyzes how, despite a lofty position, Otello’s insecurities never left him. Having a beautiful wife in Desdemona (played by Paulina Gonzalez) might have aggravated those insecurities knowing everyone else still found her beautiful. But Verdi did not include Desdemona’s father anymore among his characters. Iago is enough to expose the weaknesses of the Lion of Venice.
Iago’s schemes are almost similar to gaslighting. Almost except that there was no serious questioning to his motives. He managed to isolate Otello into making him think that he has no one else to rely to but him.So effective that he convinced to get Roderigo to his side and convinced Otello that Desdemona’s a little too close for comfort with Cassio (played by Leonardo Navarro).
It is easy to blame PTSD when trying to analyze Otello’s mindset. He was a war veteran rewarded with the governorship of Cyprus. He was so preoccupied with his status that he forgot about the enemies that tried to crush him right under his nose. At least he did not use the race card or play the victim card in the story. But something worse happened. By the time he has realized how everything Iago told him was a lie, Desdemona is dead. Classic tragedy as it was popularized in the Shakespearean play. Otello by Giuseppe Verdi exerted the drama to a psychological conflict with the way he handled Iago’s advice.
When it comes to the production, the stage director was obviously familiar with the versions where Otello wore the red Venetian tights with the red top. It was closer to certain versions of the Shakespearean play where the costumes are more similar to how English noblemen dress than how Venetians are expected to look like. Again, a little nitpicking maybe. But the Shakespearean costumes fitted the backdrop shown on the wide screen. From the stormy shore to the painted glass often seen in Roman Catholic churches to that fateful moonlight. I liked it that the production did not go the minimalist/modernized route to present the story. It was already minimalist in itself. But not too minimal to forget dressing the characters in the same POV that Shakespeare would have dressed them. All that is left for them is to sing the parts believably.
Every time an opera is presented in dramatic fashion, the word “verismo” is thrown in for good measure. I can say that Otello by Giuseppe Verdi is one that can be classified under the “verismo” category simply because it’s not enough that the cast consisted of great singers. The libretto consisted of acting arias - arias that you sing to the point of breaking because they let the emotions take over in the song. I mean if you’re already consumed with so much emotions, can you still sing beautifully? Some can. But it will sound hollow since it does not unleash the emotions necessary for the piece. I am referring to that scene where Otello just goes batshit insane angry. So angry he collapsed. There were some parts where Monsalve was yelling like in this scene. But it did not sound bad.
The only character in this version of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi that did not have as much “breaking parts” was Iago. Then again, he as a character had to put up a facade of being cool, calm and collected even if deep inside, he is seething in rage over Otello’s good fortune. Even “Credo” was sung beautifully with a poker face. Other baritones are often seen performing “Credo” with an angry face granted that said angry face is seen only by the audience, not by Otello. But in this production, even the audience saw a somewhat poker-faced Iago justifying his evil deeds through the aria “Credo”.
I am one of those “casual” opera fans that don’t have a problem seeing Otello by Giuseppe Verdi with yelling parts. Perhaps because they are not that numerous. And the cast more than made up for those moments by singing the arias beautifully. Desdemona’s duet with Otello reminded me how this couple really loved each other. And how Otello let his inner demons be awakened by Iago to push away everyone from his intimate circle of confidantes, including his wife. At the end, the only person worth all of the sympathy and mercy was Desdemona. She died before Otello discovered her unwavering loyalty.
I have a feeling that this version of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi will be available on YouTube for a limited time only. (This is not a suggestion. Just a speculation.) Anyone interested to watch one of the few versions that dared take the blackface route may view said upload below on Monsalve’s (unofficial) YouTube channel no less. Don’t forget to drop your tips after reading this article by clicking the “Donate” button below. I’d be expecting you. Thanks for reading.
Watching operas like Jenufa by Leoš Janáček without reading the synopsis first is a deliberate move on my part to surprise myself. No spoilers. And an opportunity to really discover within myself if this opera is good or if I’m just taken away by the hype. It happens. I have never watched Czech opera until now. And frankly, it’s a piece of work that is still relevant until today. I don’t feel like recommending it yet to some feminists. But I’d recommend it to anyone who’d like to view “verismo” opera.
Jenufa by Leoš Janáček is classified by some fans as “verismo” because it stoked the emotions. It capitalized on the drama that unfolds and effectively seeped into the music. Because if there is one opera that rarely had a happy moment, it’s Jenufa by Leoš Janáček. The happiness that you see at Act 3 even looks forced. I am like “Can’t these people finally get the chance to be happy?” I don’t think everyone who had seen this opera would agree with me in saying that it’s a happy ending.
But what made Jenufa by Leoš Janáček depressing to an extent? You are aware of women that got pregnant who demanded marriage from the child’s father. And it’s Jenufa. Because she’s getting married. She’s supposed to be happy. But she’s not. Her fiance, Steva, might be enlisted to the army. And she’d be (in her definition) “dishonored”. I understood that line as “if he didn’t marry me, I’d have a child out of wedlock”. She can’t say the exact status. But you get that idea with the kind of panic attack she’s getting. Jenufa’s early arias were like operatic versions of a panic attack. You can’t look away because there is an artistic way of highlighting the anxiety in a woman’s situation.
Sometimes the lines at Jenufa by Leoš Janáček were confusing because Steva and Laca called the Kostelnicka “Aunt”. I thought Kostelnicka is a name. And if I didn’t peep at the synopsis after watching this opera, I wouldn’t know that it’s not a name. It’s an honorific title. And these men call her “Aunt” out of respect. It reminds me of how we call other people “Uncle” and “Aunt” in our local dialect not because they are our uncles and aunts but because it’s a respectable way to address them. Some Czech readers might know better about these honorific ways to address their elders. I just found it awkward for Steva and Laca to call Kostelnicka “Aunt” when both of them wanted to marry Jenufa.
Jenufa by Leoš Janáček works better as a character analysis though. Was it Jenufa’s honor that Kostlenicka wanted to preserve or her own honor? These women lived in a village where their beliefs on honor are still surrounded on keeping the vagina’s hymen intact. Or, to be blunt about it, not getting your cherry popped until marriage. It’s infuriating that Steva got away with his chauvinism for a time. And I found it baffling that Jenufa’s only choices for marriage are Steva and Laca.
I find it hard to feel bad for Laca. The grandmother favored Steva over Laca. Jenufa refused Laca to be engaged to Steva. Then Laca snaps and cuts the very thing that made Steva attacted to Jenufa. It turned out into a blessing in disguise. Steva only loved Jenufa because she had cheeks like rosy apples. He didn’t even want to see his child. He practically dumped Jenufa to marry the mayor’s pretty daughter. He even blamed Kostelnicka’s behavior and Jenufa’s change of behavior at Jenufa by Leoš Janáček for his fear of marrying the woman he got pregnant. So these men do wrong things and expect the women to bear them. (Don’t yell patriarchy yet. Jenufa by Leoš Janáček is not a feminist opera, in my opinion.)
The only person I really end up feeling bad for is Jenufa. She kept the baby. Kostelnicka didn’t. She’s practically pushed into a marriage with Laca because he’s the only one willing to accept her no matter what. Even if Jenufa tried to push him away out of embarrassment, Laca chose to stay and share the embarrassment. Every time she sang her arias, it looked like her tears are about to fall. She got so resigned to her fate. Even the music got dragged into her depression for the most part of Jenufa by Leoš Janáček.
You then realize why the original title for Jenufa by Leoš Janáček is “Její pastorkyňa” which means “Her Stepmother”. Nothing much in this opera implied that Kostelnicka is Jenufa’s stepmother. But we can never doubt Kostelnicka’s concern for Jenufa. The moment you realize how the rock in Act 1 is just a mound, grows big in Act 2 and gets shattered to pieces at Act 3 is that it will cause Jenufa’s damnation unless she does something about it. And yeah, the part where she is projecting her need to save her honor by making it look like she is saving Jenufa’s honor is eventually obvious. Soon, she realized that the only way to rectify the error that cannot be undone is by coming clean.
Sometimes, opera serves as a medium to expose the hypocrisies going on in society. Jenufa by Leoš Janáček becomes one of them because it does not condemn Jenufa for getting pregnant out of wedlock. It presented authentically how society, the rural community present at Jenufa by Leoš Janáček, has difficulty absorbing the idea that their bastion of morality becomes guilty herself of a mortal sin. But they don’t have a problem with stoning Jenufa to death either for being an unwed mother or for suspicion of infanticide. Between Jenufa and Kostelnicka, it was Kostelnicka who confessed to the crime. It’s the scene that makes you scream at the angry mob “What’s wrong with you? What has religion done to you?”
Jenufa by Leoš Janáček may not have implied that stoning to death as penalty for “dishonor” still exists in certain countries regardless of what religion is dominant in their area. But it keeps the awareness alive with its haunting melody. The 2004 version staged at Gran Teatre de Liceu Barcelona has a claustrophobic quality in Act 2 that makes you empathize with Jenufa’s loneliness plus symbolism exuded by the rocks onstage. Its DVD version is now available on Amazon for you to enjoy complete with subtitle language of your choice. Click here to get your own copy quick. Don’t forget to click the “Donate” button below to send over your tips. Thanks for reading.
Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville was one of the comedies in opera keeps getting performed (and perhaps one of the most challenging). I don’t sing opera. But this is one opera that I keep on remembering because 2 of its arias, “Largo al factotum” and “Una voce poco fa” are master class staples. These have become 2 of the highlights of the opera. In a way, they have become make-or-break moments for any performer taking on the role of Rosina or the titular character better known by his name Figaro.
If you have been familiar with the subtitled snippets of “Largo al factotum” from YouTube, well it has not covered much of the synopsis of The Barber of Seville. It managed to discuss who the Barber of Seville is all about though. A jack-of-all-trades assigned to solve problems in the community. Very much like the community barber in some street corners that I know of. Except that they won’t go as far as prescribing sneezing powder or some other medication. But the plot in The Barber of Seville is far from what some locals here would call “kwentong barbero” (barber tales).
Figaro’s disdain for one of his clients, Doctor Bartolo, is admitted in one of the scenes. And it’s mostly because he can’t fathom the idea of the doctor marrying his ward, Rosina, for the sake of attaining conjugal ownership. Rosina is implied as someone moneyed enough to be the subject of the doctor’s eagle-eyed watch. But the kind of constrictive guardianship he exuded over Rosina became the subject of some light-hearted moments. Light-hearted because Rosina as a young woman is a blast to watch at The Barber of Seville.
To paraphrase Rosina’s complain to Figaro in one scene, she is bored AF (or bored as F). The only occasional distraction she could get from this boredom is her suitor, Lindoro. It seems like only Lindoro is diligent enough to hire a band of musicians and sing by Rosina’s window. And the only one to pay an insider to gain access to Rosina. That guy is Figaro. Yes. His job as jack-of-all-trades in Doctor Bartolo’s household helped his friend get an idea and a motivation to have Rosina for himself.
So why have the title as The Barber of Seville? Because of the things that occurred in this opera are because of Figaro’s machinations. While most lovers in other operas (and most local soap operas) are dependent on fate or fortune, the fate of Lindoro and Rosina depended on the efficiency of Figaro as a matchmaker. There might be a little twist at the end how Figaro simply had to “throw the dice” and wait-and-see. Because at times, no matter smooth the plans go, some glitches will happen along the way.
Were there other glitches in this production? Please be informed that I don’t have a problem with the vocal performance found here. Happy to see a production that is based on the period that it is trying to portray. Remember that in The Barber of Seville, the lack of technology made the characters reliant on letters and hearsay. So it gets awhile before everyone discovers who is that Count Almaviva that Doctor Bartolo and Don Basilio are so concerned with. It doesn’t say nor imply whether Rosina is of noble birth too. But she’s eyed by the Count.
If not for Beverly Sills, I would not have realized how challenging the role of Rosina must have been. Yes, my knowledge of The Barber of Seville used to be limited to Googling versions of "Una voce poco fa" and "Largo al factotum" online without getting to see a complete production online. Of course, other characters were just as challenging. Henry Price as Lindoro and Alan Titus as Figaro were satisfactory in their respective roles. But Sills' singing served 2 purposes in portaying Rosina. One is to push the story forward as in most belcanto roles. Two is to distract Doctor Bartolo from noticing how Rosina is flirting with Don Alfonso. With all of the trills and the runs that she exuded, both purposes were achieved.
As for existing copies of this production, there was one found on Amazon in VHS form. Not much of an explanation as to why there is no DVD version. Hence, most fans of The Barber of Seville end up watching the YouTube clip complete with subtitles. Quite difficult to find one production uploaded online with English subtitles. Still, a memorable production that is not afraid to go over the top. Hope that you’d enjoy watching it the same way that I did. Tips are more than welcome by clicking the “Donate” button below. Thanks for reading.
It is my first time to watch Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version using a stage in the middle of a sea port. This means there will be lapel mics to be used. I don’t have a problem with it since better singing quality should be expected of a high-profile event as this. And it also meant using big headdresses that go consistent with the dragon theme. I just assumed that there is a dragon theme going on due to the consistency in over-all production design. I view it as a good thing.
Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version features a water dragon that one of the 3 witches threw on the water for scaring off the prince, the 3 witches rode on dragons while saving the prince and the main wizards in the story have dragon-based headdresses. And we have a Sarastro who’s actually intimidating. They even showed the punishment meted out on Monostatos. Add to that, the dome-shaped stage was surrounded by 3 big effigies of dragons. That dome-shaped stage revolved and depending which scene is about to be presented. The effects created either a shady forest for the characters to frolic into or a coarse terrain for Pamina to run into in escaping “child services” headed by Sarastro.
There were no breaks in between acts. They might have intended to show at Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version that Sarastro is a quick decision-maker and all he had to wait from his minions is to say yes. So he decided to throw Tamino into the trials designated for anyone interested in joining the Circle. This despite the stark differences between the men of the Circle and their captives, Tamino and Papageno. Pamina wasn’t “jailed”. But she’s just as scared of Sarastro as that of Papageno.
The way Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version was staged really exploited the space allotted to them. Apart from the dome-shaped stage, there are “mini-stages” around it plus hanging bridges where the 3 witches were occasionally seen. From afar, they look like optical illusions as Tamino and Papageno were trying to watch their steps in the dark forest. With the swift light effects, it makes the witches look like they’re flying on their dragons or on the hanging bridges chastising their messengers. The quicker the lights go, the creepier the witches looked like. It was a thrilling view. Tamino and Papageno understandably looked scared. More scared than their threat perhaps of the Queen’s anger.
Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version made an effort to cover all bases. Like why did Monostatos in his second effort to rape Pamina? Because he’s limping from the 77 lashes he received as punishment from Sarastro. And how did Sarastro learn of the second attempt to rape Pamina and the murder plot? He’s been hiding behind the woods all along. It even suggested that Pamina’s father already told entrusted his daughter to Sarastro before he died, foreseeing the Queen of the Night’s behavior. Looks like he’s the kind who doesn’t trust everyone around him well enough to stay in his chamber and let the events unfold.
Even the costumes at Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version presented how much were Pamina, Tamino and Papageno were outsiders. While everyone else wore dragon armor and dragon-esque face-and-body paint, Tamino wore a white polo and white pants. Pamina simply wore a white dress. And Papageno wore a white cotton shirt with a yellow hoodie jacket and yellow shorts. Looks like the kind of outfit you’d wear on strolling at the park. Except that instead of a camera, what hung on his neck was his bird whistle.
This production of Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version also made the code of silence substantial to the story. And not just because Tamino can’t speak to Pamina when he had the opportunity. It’s that Papageno was so talkative. He went to the point of deliberately angering Tamino. Tamino was angry too. But he was more devoted to the trial compared to Papageno. So he could only stomp his feet and walk away from Papageno’s antics. Then again of course, Papageno would get his comeuppance through Papagena. And the Papagena here must have been the grossest version of Papageno I have seen so far. Papageno had to kiss here before she transforms to her real self.
The only characters perhaps that don’t go with the dragon theme that are not captives are the 3 young boys. I’m not even sure if they are really boys. They have these big, mascot-like heads with blue wings while guiding Tamino and Papageno. When even Sarastro ends up looking like the eye in the sky tracking your every move, who else would serve as the voices of reason at Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version? It also helped that the young boys looked like cherubs. They have 2 suicide attempts to thwart. So it helped to have some rational characters at Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version.
How could I forget commenting about Der Holle Rache a.k.a. second aria of the Queen of the Night? It’s a version by Ana Durlovski that I can distinguish from other versions for the rich texture of the voice. So rich, it doesn’t even screech that much. She was elevated on stage as if trying to loom over her daughter while trying to talk her into killing Sarastro. She managed to own the stage for the time allotted for her at Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version.
Little did we know a showdown of wizards to come before the end of Act 3. The Queen of the Night, with all her 3 witches with dragons, only to be defeated at the big boss battle with Sarastro. (I’m not a gamer. I am just familiar with these “epic boss battle” finales.) Finally, a version of The Magic Flute that made an effort to present Sarastro as the boss. Alfred Reiter lived up to expectations of a dominant Sarastro.
Norman Reinhardt and Bernarda Bobro looked like a believable couple that you would root for as Tamino and Pamina. Reinhardt may be supported by a lapel mic while singing the arias. But he has a voice that slices through the screen, mesmerizing audiences with the sympathetic singing. The acting is quite physical too. He presented how the flute in Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version has a mind of its own. It is practically playing on its own, occasionally pulling Tamino to Pamina’s direction. Bobro’s voice was also captivating. I look forward to seeing more of either Reinhardt or Bobro in the coming months. Then again, YouTube had always been helpful in directing me to the right talent to watch out for.
Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version is now out on Blu-Ray from ArkivMusic. Click here to get your own copy the soonest time possible and to enjoy it subtitled in other languages too. Perfect entertainment for the whole family. Musical director is Patrick Summers with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Prague Philharmonic Chorus. Stage direction by David Poutney. Tips in appreciation of this article review would be much appreciated as well. Just click the “Donate” button below. Thanks for reading.
