{"id":609,"date":"2007-12-26T17:42:38","date_gmt":"2007-12-27T01:42:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2007\/12\/26\/oso-speaks-mandarin\/"},"modified":"2013-02-07T18:26:54","modified_gmt":"2013-02-08T02:26:54","slug":"oso-speaks-mandarin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2007\/12\/26\/oso-speaks-mandarin\/","title":{"rendered":"oso speaks mandarin"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nBart\u00c3\u00b3k in 1929 [courtesy of wikipedia]<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the great works of the 20th century, Bart\u00c3\u00b3k’s Miraculous Mandarin<\/em>, gets its first performance in Portland in over 30 years this January 12 – 14, 2008 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. The concert will feature supertitles projected over the orchestra to illustrate the precise stage directions indicated by Bart\u00c3\u00b3k. <\/p>\n

Though often referred to as a ballet, it was in fact written as a pantomime ballet (or ballet d’action), where the plot and theme are more important than any of the other production elements. What this means in practical terms is that actions are not necessarily all danced, but where appropriate the actions might be performed in a more realistic fashion, and emotions are to be primarily expressed via the face and body movements. Props and scenery are used to a minimal degree.<\/p>\n

Because of the lack of scenery and props, the music becomes an even more important part of the production. This is an amazing score, one of the most colorful and virtuosic works for orchestra by Bart\u00c3\u00b3k or any other composer.<\/p>\n

Here’s a brief synopsis of the action from wikipedia:<\/p>\n

After an orchestral introduction depicting the chaos of the big city, the action begins in a room belonging to three tramps. They search their pockets and drawers for money, but find none. They then force a girl to stand by the window and attract passing men into the room. The girl begins a lockspiel<\/em> \u00e2\u20ac\u201d a “decoy game,” or saucy dance. She first attracts a shabby old rake, who makes comical romantic gestures. The girl asks, “Got any money?” He replies, “Who needs money? All that matters is love.” He begins to pursue the girl, growing more and more insistent until the tramps seize him and throw him out.<\/p>\n

The girl goes back to the window and performs a second lockspiel<\/em>. This time she attracts a shy young man, who also has no money. He begins to dance with the girl. The dance grows more passionate, then the tramps jump him and throw him out too.<\/p>\n

The girl goes to the window again and begins her dance. The tramps and girl see a bizarre figure in the street, soon heard coming up the stairs. The tramps hide, and the figure, a Mandarin, stands immobile in the doorway. The tramps urge the girl to lure him closer. She begins another saucy dance, the Mandarin’s passions slowly rising. Suddenly, he leaps up and embraces the girl. They struggle and she escapes; he begins to chase her. The tramps leap on him, strip him of his valuables, and attempt to suffocate him under pillows and blankets. However, he continues to stare at the girl. They stab him three times with a rusty sword; he almost falls, but throws himself again at the girl. The tramps grab him again and hang him from a lamp hook. The lamp falls, plunging the room into darkness, and the Mandarin’s body begins to glow with an eerie blue-green light. The tramps and girl are terrified. Suddenly, the girl knows what they must do. She tells the tramps to release the Mandarin; they do. He leaps at the girl again, and this time she does not resist and they embrace. With the Mandarin’s longing fulfilled, his wounds begin to bleed and he dies.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Recently, the Chicago Symphony<\/a> did a remarkable multi-media production based upon the complete ballet (the version which the OSO will also perform) for its Beyond the Score series. Luckily for us it’s available on-line via YouTube – I’d highly recommend watching it before you go to the concerts, it will heighten your enjoyment of this great work immensely.<\/p>\n