"Last night was The Pearl Fishers by Bizet, which turned out to be an exceedingly silly opera. I've never been a huge fan of Carmen, alas, so I was happy to hear something else from Bizet. It's pretty much a paint-by-numbers grand opera: love triangle; decent, loyal baritone in a bad position; virgin soprano priestess who turns out to be remarkably easy; bass oppressor; and an ardent tenor with the foresight and self-control of an ungulate during the rut."
But at the end he embeds what must be the most hilariously idiotic video of an opera production (or anything else musical) I have ever seen, for your comment. Those... pipes!
Am I the only one old enough to be instantly reminded of this early eighties, early video pop hit? (Though the girls do a MUCH better job!) Peculiar was only an infant but I have sent it to him for thoughts.
Ceci n'est pas une pipe?
ReplyDeleteActually, according to the libretto (I have a complete recording of Les Indes Galantes, believe it or not) we're looking at the "Danse du Grand Calumet de la Paix, exécutée par les Sauvages." However I prefer the finale of Act II (Les Incas de Perou), which has the ultimate hoisting on one's own petard: perish in your own volcano, Huascar!
M. says, "It's meant to be campy . . . isn't it?"
ReplyDeleteI am not so sure. The "drummer" sure is.
We thought he must have gone to drum majorette school. But I suspect more milieu than intent-- ie not with any satirical motive...
ReplyDeleteDo remember the German intellectuals who met John Davila in a bar-- Berlin?-- and denied that twanging ex- bronc- riding rancher could be a cowboy because (A) he had a Hispanic surname (B) he called mustangs "dogmeat" and (3) he referred to his former wife as "half Navajo and half Mormon". According to John, they were full of a weird mix of Karl May notions and post- Marxism-- you can't IMAGINE European intellectuals' fantasies of The West.
And don't ignore a conscious assimilation of the Bangles' first video-- I defy you to look at them in succession and deny it (;-))
No, you're not the only one who got a big Walk Like an Egyptian vibe off of that decidedly...odd opera number. It would be interesting to see the whole thing in a long shot, without the closeups.
ReplyDeleteI was totally distracted by the three guys in the back, who seemed to be discussing the quality of the high from whatever was in those pipes.
2:20 - the chicken dance
ReplyDeleteI'm looking at this and thinking this is *somebody's* grand artistic vision... and everyone else is facepalming.
Then again, I just saw Les Mis in San Francisco yesterday -- fantastic stage sets and good use of video. Javert's suicide is a trip to watch.