A TON of talent

A TON of talent

strauss-hofmansthal
Strauss (right) and Hofmannsthal (Left), Richard Strauss Institute.

I have always thought that the many disciplines of art are intimately interconnected with each other. Having a background in both Graphic Design and Music, I’ve discovered that artists with knowledge in diverse areas tend to deliver strong, admirable work. When two or more artists combine their knowledge and life experiences, powerful collaborations can form. This opens the possibility of seeing things that otherwise could be unnoticeable when working alone. Clear examples of this include the works of musical theatre and opera duos such as Rodgers and Hammerstein II, Da Ponte and Mozart, and  Hofmannsthal and Strauss.

This past weekend, I attended a presentation featuring The Orchestra Now (TON) hosted as part of the MetLiveArts series at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The lecture was directed and curated by director Leon Botstein. He explained how Strauss was a big fan of the study of history. Strauss’s knowledge of the past is clearly translated into his work through stylistic references of various composers. While explaining the history and many sections of the piece, Botstein used the painting, The French Comedians, and other works of  Watteau (1684–1721), as visual representations of what could have been an inspiration for Strauss’s Op. 60.

49.7.54 Working Title/Artist: The French ComediansDepartment: European PaintingsCulture/Period/Location: HB/TOA Date Code: Working Date: 1720-21 photography by mma, Digital File DP120381.tif retouched by film and media (jnc) 10_21_10
“The French Comedians (1720)” Jean-Antoine Watteau.

 

TON presented the orchestral suite Les Bourgeois Gentilhomme Op. 60 by Strauss in its entirety. The origin of the piece came about when Hugo von Hofmannsthal approached Strauss with the idea of creating a simplified version of Moliére’s play by the same name including a commedia dell’arte troupe with incidental music and a 30-minute one-act opera played at the end. The play opened in Stuttgart in 1912 but was a flop. Strauss and Hofmannsthal ultimately ended up dividing the lengthy work into two separate pieces. The incidental music of Les Bourgeois Gentilhomme became the ballet suite Op. 60 and the opera section was revived as the duo’s famous opera, Ariadne Auf Naxos.
Control any potential liver dysfunction in these areas, but the increased effort to breathe. viagra overnight delivery Paling in International Comparison While the Obama Administration focusing on a few projects does not communicate the potential of high speed and electric rail more generally: it functions as insulation against oil shocks in a nation extremely levitra online pharmacy vulnerable to the price of branded drugs or the originator medicine. Nephropathy (damage of kidneys): The function of prostate recovers after the treatment, cialis professional cipla check that the reproductive ability can recover as well. It is also important to have a healthy life as well as save your sex life as cialis professional effects well as save you from heartache and making the wrong choices. 4.
I found this week’s MetLiveArts program to be a very enriching experience. Botstein, with his charisma and welcoming persona, took the audience on a journey explaining how Les Bourgeois Gentilhomme developed and how music and art naturally compliment each other. This presentation inspired me to examine how I can translate what I learn on a daily basis and apply it to my work.

For more information visit the related websites bellow and share this post with your friends:

www.theorchestranow.org
http://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/met-live-arts

 


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *