(Steller)
missing the high notes
Published – 25.04.2019
I’m writing from my office/bedroom/general activity space in Melbourne, surrounded by library books (overdue) and paperwork (incomplete) and one six-pack of beer (undrunk, mostly) listening to the Dame Joan Sutherland/Luciano Pavarotti/Richard Bonynge/London Symphony Orchestra recording of Rigoletto turned up slightly too loud. I live on a busy road, so the music is punctuated by sounds of traffic and pedestrians. Is the extraneous noise adding to the drama? Possibly, yes. Or maybe it just means I’m hearing the music all wrong - losing the French horns to the car horns, etc.
I’ve been thinking about listening recently; how we do it, why we do it, whether there’s a right way and a wrong way, or just ways. None of my research is particularly scientific: I just ask people their thoughts and take notes in the little notepad I carry around in my purse. Notes like “LOUD” and “headphones?” and “[unidentifiable words]”. I guess those notes are why I’m writing to you in the first place; to learn how to articulate my thoughts on music in a way that makes sense to me, but more importantly, to you. Thank you, you, for even being here to muddle with me.
Anyway, this newsletter! It’s called notes on notes because, for the most part, it should be about the music I’m working on or listening to. It might shambolically digress into general life chats, but I’ll try and keep myself on track. It’ll be just about monthly, I imagine. Maybe more? Perhaps less, if everyone unsubscribes after this tumultuous first attempt. We’ll certainly see!
So to the recommendations, and the thoughts on those recommendations:
- Before I get stuck into the things I’ve seen and will see, I’d like to mention the truly crucial conversation around women in opera that appeared earlier this month, initially as a response to the Opera NOW conference led by Opera Queensland and Griffith University. I attended the conference as part of my job as an opera agent, work which I am passionate about and keeps me employed full-time, and came away frustrated and angered. Alison Croggon’s excellent article on Witness Performance summed up my feelings well, and should be considered, along with the follow-up piece in Arts Hub by Sally Blackwood, Liza Lim, Peggy Polias and Bree van Reyk, essential reading for all people working in the arts. If you can read or listen to only one thing I write about in this newsletter, please make it this one.
- Back to Rigoletto now; I truly enjoyed Opera Australia’s production, currently playing at Arts Centre Melbourne as part of the Autumn season. There are problems with the work, of course, not least in the writing of Verdi’s powerless central female, Gilda, but the music is still incredible in so many ways. Before attending, I listened to the fantastic podcast Aria Code's Caro nome episode, which, alongside listening to the entire recording, worked a treat in preparing me for watching the entire work on stage.
- Before I go to any classical work, opera or symphony, I try and listen to a recording of it in full once or twice. Not carefully or anything, just as I go about my day. I listened to the London Symphony Orchestra recording of Rigoletto, as I mentioned, but I also repeat listened to Nadine Serra sing Caro nome, because she’s bloody excellent.
- Non-opera stuff now! Cloudstreet at Malthouse Theatre was brilliant, as was Musica Viva’s ZOFO and Muriel’s Wedding. I think you can see all of these still, but don’t hold me to that. This month I read Sally Rooney’s Normal People, Ottessa Moshfegh’s My Year of Rest and Relaxation and Helen Garner’s Monkey Grip. Loved them all.
- For the rest of May, I’ll be seeing Enyato Duo at The Mission to Seafarers, Clare Bowditch at the Corner Hotel, Il Viaggio a Reims at Arts Centre Melbourne and the Patricia Cornelius double-bill Love and Shit at fortyfivedownstairs.
Is that enough for now? I hope so! If you liked it, tell your friends, if you hated it, tell your enemies. Email me at megan.steller@gmail.com to share your thoughts/recommendations.
More soon,
Mx
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