On Tuesday I went to see “Idomeneo” at the Stadtische Buehne (City Theater), which is fabulous. First there’s a pre-show introduction by the Director, which even in German is helpful. This is Mozart’s first mature opera and was written when he was 25 and living in (close by) Mannheim attempting to obtain a position with the court. Mannheim at that time was one of the major music centers of Europe. The first performance was in 1781 in Munich.
The story is very complicated involving Idomeneo, King of Crete returning after 10 years at the Trojan War with captives including Ilia, a Trojan princess that he is in love with. Now, he also has a wife (Electra, daughter of Agamemnon, the Greek king) and a son, Idamente and the son is also in love with the Trojan princess. A mixed Romeo and Juliet story with Oedipus thrown in! In a huge storm on his way home from Troy, Idomeneo is saved by Neptune and Idomeneo makes a vow to sacrifice to Neptune the first human he sees, when he gets to dry land; it’s of course, his son Idamante, who he does not recognize because its been 10 years! The production is in totally modern dress. The Trojan princess wears a simple evening gown, Idomeneo, a beat-up old army coat and Idamante, the son is played by a woman! Of course the German super-titles do not help much; however the story is not as important as the music and the music is lovely. The singers are fabulous; Idamante, the son is sung by Jana Kurucova, a 25 year old Czech mezzo-soprano with a beautiful, very strong voice. Idomeneo is Winfred Mikus, a German tenor, who has sung in Berlin and the USA. There seems to be an abundance of young, good-looking opera singers in Germany; some German, some foreign-born and mostly trained in Germany. The scenery is very modern, the first and last acts take place in a bombed-out cellar or construction site with lots or ropes; there’s a chorus of 20 and the harpsichordist is on stage. The theater is a small jewel-box with completely up-to-date equipment; the entire pit is on a lift and for the first and last acts the orchestra is level with the audience and the singers appear from among the orchestra!
Saturday evening I go to the Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut on Adenaurplatz in Heidelberg for a reading by Annie Proulx. The reading is very interesting; evidently part of a seminar on American literature being held in Heidelberg, cosponsored by the American Embassy in Berlin in part to celebrate the opening of the new embassy building. She’s introduced by the American Culture attaché, himself an interesting man being, as he tells us, German born and a US citizen. Annie Proulx is terrific; she reads most of one of her fabulous short stories that was in the New Yorker a couple of weeks ago. Her touch for the American west and the voices of the cowboys is amazing. Afterwards she answers many questions about where she lives; in Wyoming and it was snowing just a few days ago. She also talks about her writing style and methods and how she had to convince Ang Lee, director of “Brokeback Mountain” to retain the cowboy dialog; Lee wanted to use “New York TV announcer” speech! The reading is in a very large room, filled to capacity with students, expats and other English speakers. There is a real ‘Ugly American’ sitting behind me with a loud, ugly American voice; a professor of English at the University of Heidelberg teaching English and English literature. She spends the half-hour while we’re waiting regaling her friends and neighbors about how poorly she is integrated into the German community, that she has no German friends, all her friends are Americans, Brits and other native English speakers and she, her husband and three children have been in Heidelberg for more than 10 years! By-the-way on Wednesday the Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut has an English lesson for children aged between 3 and 5. I believe this is for the kids of over-achievers only!
Annie Proulx, pronounced PRU; born 1935, wrote “Shipping News” (Pulitzer Prize) and “Brokeback Mountain” as a short story. (Wikipedia)
Photos:
Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut, Heidelberg 3#070
Adenaurplatz, Heidelberg 3#072
With Karl-Heinz Rippel, Director of ‘F & U Academy’ 3#061
The story is very complicated involving Idomeneo, King of Crete returning after 10 years at the Trojan War with captives including Ilia, a Trojan princess that he is in love with. Now, he also has a wife (Electra, daughter of Agamemnon, the Greek king) and a son, Idamente and the son is also in love with the Trojan princess. A mixed Romeo and Juliet story with Oedipus thrown in! In a huge storm on his way home from Troy, Idomeneo is saved by Neptune and Idomeneo makes a vow to sacrifice to Neptune the first human he sees, when he gets to dry land; it’s of course, his son Idamante, who he does not recognize because its been 10 years! The production is in totally modern dress. The Trojan princess wears a simple evening gown, Idomeneo, a beat-up old army coat and Idamante, the son is played by a woman! Of course the German super-titles do not help much; however the story is not as important as the music and the music is lovely. The singers are fabulous; Idamante, the son is sung by Jana Kurucova, a 25 year old Czech mezzo-soprano with a beautiful, very strong voice. Idomeneo is Winfred Mikus, a German tenor, who has sung in Berlin and the USA. There seems to be an abundance of young, good-looking opera singers in Germany; some German, some foreign-born and mostly trained in Germany. The scenery is very modern, the first and last acts take place in a bombed-out cellar or construction site with lots or ropes; there’s a chorus of 20 and the harpsichordist is on stage. The theater is a small jewel-box with completely up-to-date equipment; the entire pit is on a lift and for the first and last acts the orchestra is level with the audience and the singers appear from among the orchestra!
Saturday evening I go to the Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut on Adenaurplatz in Heidelberg for a reading by Annie Proulx. The reading is very interesting; evidently part of a seminar on American literature being held in Heidelberg, cosponsored by the American Embassy in Berlin in part to celebrate the opening of the new embassy building. She’s introduced by the American Culture attaché, himself an interesting man being, as he tells us, German born and a US citizen. Annie Proulx is terrific; she reads most of one of her fabulous short stories that was in the New Yorker a couple of weeks ago. Her touch for the American west and the voices of the cowboys is amazing. Afterwards she answers many questions about where she lives; in Wyoming and it was snowing just a few days ago. She also talks about her writing style and methods and how she had to convince Ang Lee, director of “Brokeback Mountain” to retain the cowboy dialog; Lee wanted to use “New York TV announcer” speech! The reading is in a very large room, filled to capacity with students, expats and other English speakers. There is a real ‘Ugly American’ sitting behind me with a loud, ugly American voice; a professor of English at the University of Heidelberg teaching English and English literature. She spends the half-hour while we’re waiting regaling her friends and neighbors about how poorly she is integrated into the German community, that she has no German friends, all her friends are Americans, Brits and other native English speakers and she, her husband and three children have been in Heidelberg for more than 10 years! By-the-way on Wednesday the Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut has an English lesson for children aged between 3 and 5. I believe this is for the kids of over-achievers only!
Annie Proulx, pronounced PRU; born 1935, wrote “Shipping News” (Pulitzer Prize) and “Brokeback Mountain” as a short story. (Wikipedia)
Photos:
Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut, Heidelberg 3#070
Adenaurplatz, Heidelberg 3#072
With Karl-Heinz Rippel, Director of ‘F & U Academy’ 3#061
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