greg334
Veteran Expediter
For most, they may not get this, the Austrians brought back German romantic classic, Der Freischütz or The Marksman has been revived at one of the festivals but with a twist.
The story line is a simple a tale pitting good against evil in the dark woods somewhere in Germany. The hero is in love and has to prove himself and all that. There are a few versions of this story floating around, one being set to music of Wagner, like this performance does.
Many have concluded that the performance set to Wagner’s music is too nationalistic and this is one reason that it hasn’t been performed much lately.
Normally a revival would be something to really see, especially in cases where the classics are absent from the stage for a long time. But in this case it is rather odd to read that they took the story and twisted to be a more avant-garde and euro trashed than something that was more about love, good, evil and the triumph of the hero. Here the director of the modernized piece has taken to attacking the US by including sections of the performance to be spoken in English by the lead, "Destruction, death, corruption, rape, war, invasion, burnt children, low taxes and religion, that is what we would kill for, that is what our hearts yearn for."
I can get the destruction, death, corruption, rape, war, and invasion, but burnt children, low taxes?
And religion? Oh come on.
What the h*ll does low taxes have to do with anything?
Now for those who get what I am getting at, it gets better.
On a wall on the set during the performance, there is “in God we trust†in blood.
And
As I read the article from Der Spiegel, where comment popped up talking about the political motivations behind the director version of this and here is what was said, Seiffert (one of the performers) said he did not think the Freischuetz "was meant to deliver political messages, unlike Wagner."
Ok, I almost p*ssed my pants laughing, Wagner delivering political statements in his works compared to having the lead speak in English a statement that was trashing the US.
But again I look at the source and realize that this is the country that gave us Hitler.
The story line is a simple a tale pitting good against evil in the dark woods somewhere in Germany. The hero is in love and has to prove himself and all that. There are a few versions of this story floating around, one being set to music of Wagner, like this performance does.
Many have concluded that the performance set to Wagner’s music is too nationalistic and this is one reason that it hasn’t been performed much lately.
Normally a revival would be something to really see, especially in cases where the classics are absent from the stage for a long time. But in this case it is rather odd to read that they took the story and twisted to be a more avant-garde and euro trashed than something that was more about love, good, evil and the triumph of the hero. Here the director of the modernized piece has taken to attacking the US by including sections of the performance to be spoken in English by the lead, "Destruction, death, corruption, rape, war, invasion, burnt children, low taxes and religion, that is what we would kill for, that is what our hearts yearn for."
I can get the destruction, death, corruption, rape, war, and invasion, but burnt children, low taxes?
And religion? Oh come on.
What the h*ll does low taxes have to do with anything?
Now for those who get what I am getting at, it gets better.
On a wall on the set during the performance, there is “in God we trust†in blood.
And
As I read the article from Der Spiegel, where comment popped up talking about the political motivations behind the director version of this and here is what was said, Seiffert (one of the performers) said he did not think the Freischuetz "was meant to deliver political messages, unlike Wagner."
Ok, I almost p*ssed my pants laughing, Wagner delivering political statements in his works compared to having the lead speak in English a statement that was trashing the US.
But again I look at the source and realize that this is the country that gave us Hitler.