The rot of social inclusion spreads to Glyndebourne, “home of genteel country house opera and black-tie picnics”, which is “to try to update its image by staging a rap version of one of Mozart’s best loved works [Cosi Fan Tutte]”. (Ben Dowell, “Glyndebourne invents da hip-hopera”, The Sunday Times, 14th August 2005.).
.....According to Mr Dowell of The Sunday Times, “The decision to stage the new Cosi . . . is part of an attempt by David Pickard, general director of Glyndebourne, to attract younger audiences to the medium.” The illogic of this ruling philistine goes something like this:
The youth of today is not attracted to x,
Therefore, in order that it is attracted to x, we must make x not-x.
Charlie Parker, a hip-hop producer and creative consultant to this travesty, is quoted as saying: “Traditional British people have to start re-examining themselves and their culture in terms of addressing the new age.” In other words, it is imperative that we destroy all vestiges of culture.
.....According to Mr Dowell of The Sunday Times, “The decision to stage the new Cosi . . . is part of an attempt by David Pickard, general director of Glyndebourne, to attract younger audiences to the medium.” The illogic of this ruling philistine goes something like this:
The youth of today is not attracted to x,
Therefore, in order that it is attracted to x, we must make x not-x.
Charlie Parker, a hip-hop producer and creative consultant to this travesty, is quoted as saying: “Traditional British people have to start re-examining themselves and their culture in terms of addressing the new age.” In other words, it is imperative that we destroy all vestiges of culture.
4 comments:
The most obvious way to spread the attractions of an opera is to rewrite the "book" and "lyrics" - which are often sub-panto level -and preserve the wonderful music. I write as someone who recently saw a Berlin production of the Force of Destiny. The low point was the armoured car crewed by fascist cardinals.
Sounds rather amusing.
I think Mr Parker is trying to garner some publicity rather than wanting to say something meaningful.
What a fan of Hip Hop would be doing within 100 miles of Glynbourne is another question entirely.
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