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LISTENER'S BOX "R-Rated Humperdinck," Indeed! November 26, 2002
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Dear Mr. Commanday and SFCV:
Kudos to Olivia Stapp for putting into words what I've been too
dumbfounded to express. I've just seen SF Opera's disgusting "Hansel" and can't find the words for my rage. The beauty of this score, especially in McGegan's
hands, was criminally defiled by this pornographic and obscenely misguided
mess. I'm just glad I didn't recommend this to any of my friends with
kids.
After putting up with the idiocy of the Kat'a Kabanova staging two weeks
ago, a production saved only by the brilliance of Karita Matilla, I was
really looking forward an evening with Humperdinck's lovely music. Each
time I saw it at the Met, I'd feel frightened by the spooky things in the
music, then moved to tears at the evening prayer and transfiguration of the
enchanted children. Instead, in San Francisco, we get a puerile,
grotesque re-envisioning of the Hansel tale as something more akin to
Wozzeck, with scrims evoking Gene Simmons of Kiss. Give me a break.
So that's it for me — no more subsidizing of self-satisfied opera directors
who mutilate the precious operatic repertory to impress each other, and
who have NO CLUE what music is about. From here on in, I'm staying home and
listening to my CD's, where I'll be free to envision the opera as I'd like
to see it. And I'll only venture to the opera house after reading your
newsletter's reviews.
Keep up the good work!!
Terry Desser
(SFCV welcomes reader commentary)
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