Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1019057
5 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 AUGUST 2018 THIS WEEK ART The first operas which ap- peared in 1608 were done with the intention of creat- ing a form that would have collated and made accessible both the text and the music of the piece. In effect, it was an attempt to create an art form that would be understood and embraced by all – not only the rich. Its ultimate pur- pose was, in fact, to widen the spread of its audience, which is precisely the opposite of an elitist approach towards art and culture. However, given how it in- volves a wide array of artistic elements and logistical con- cerns, opera remains by ne- cessity quite expensive to put up. As a consequence, ticket prices end up reflecting this as well, the upshot being that a lot of people end up eco- nomically excluded from the experience. Which is a real pity, because at its core the art form did not change all that much over the centuries – at least, its prevailing ethos to encompass various strata of society certainly remains a key principle for many operas worldwide. This is also why conductors and directors should do their utmost to honestly reflect the work of the composer and li- brettist, and their score. Almost every opera tells the story of recognisable char- acters... of people; in other words – of us. The characters are very often a mirror of the audience. This is what makes opera interesting: that we are able to take in the beauty of the music, to consider the story and become a part of it in some way. This is why I think it's sad that concerns about luxury and elitism still exist, since they create a dis- tance between the art form and the audience... and also, in some way, between the art form and the performers themselves. Verdi's Aida, which you will be conducting at Pjazza Teatru Rjal in a few weeks, is one of the most frequently performed operas worldwide. Does your production strive to infuse it with something new, and perhaps even politically relevant? There are several layers in there which Verdi painstak- ingly put together and which showcase his mastery – both on the technical level as a composer, but also as a per- ceptive observer of the hu- man mind. Our intention is not to add something new, as such, but we certainly want to go as deep as possible into the score. Verdi had a very precise idea of what he wanted to say, and it's our aim to make sure that this comes across, in its total- ity, to the audience – through sound and performance. Verdi was very much con- cerned with the political de- velopments which character- ised the French-German war of the 1870s. Nowadays, sad- ly, we find more than enough geo-political situations which demonstrate that in war, there can only ever be losers. The last word of the opera is "pace", which reveals Verdi's most deep-seated wish. What does performing in Malta mean to you, and what kind of atmosphere are you hoping to experience at Pjazza Teatru Rjal? I'm very much looking for- ward to working with the Malta Philharmonic Orches- tra, which I know to be a great orchestra with an excellent track record when it comes to the staging of opera perfor- mances. It is very exciting for us to be able to perform the Aida, which we've also staged in Spanga (the Netherlands), in an entirely new location, which will have its own par- ticular atmosphere. I've also learned that Pjazza Teatru Rjal was bombed in WWII... precisely during a staging of the Aida. So per- forming Verdi's masterpiece at this venue once again is a special privilege. "Pjazza Teatru Rjal was bombed in WWII... precisely during a staging of the Aida" Tjalling Wijnstra