Cultured Miss

Stacy Schiff interview on her new book Cleopatra: A Life. Tuesday 16 November, Los Angeles Central Library

2010-11-20T23:09:00.000-08:00

First off, this was an amazing ALOUD lecture! Definitely my favorite so far. Stacy Schiff, a petite, stylish woman, stood at the podium and read the introduction, whetting our appetites(it worked!) and then sat down to answer some questions and talk about her new book, Cleopatra: A Life

What I thought I knew about Cleopatra I gleamed from Shakespeare or from the Epic Elizabeth Taylor movie, but Tuesday night I was educated.

Some thoughts and facts gathered entirely from the lecture:

She was made queen at 18 and died at the age of 39, a generation before the birth of Christ. She was of the Ptolemy family -- Macedonian Greek royalty descending from Alexander the Great --who took great steps to consolidate power and maintain their ethnicity. From ATG to Cleopatra there were about 13 or 14 marriages, 10 of those were full brother/sister marriages, and the others were close cousins. In fact, Cleopatra herself was married twice to a younger brother! She was 18 when she married her 10-year-old brother.

It’s interesting that the story of Cleopatra is still so popular today, considering essentially it is the story of a loser. She loses, regains and ultimately loses again.

Cleopatra was once the richest ruler in the Mediterranean world, not surprising in an economy that Schiff says was like Soviet Russia, with a sort of bureaucratic specificity. Almost everything was taxed, and those taxes were all going to these royals. In a sense, Cleopatra was a CEO of a thriving company.

What also blew me away was imagining Rome as an emerging city. When Cleopatra’s father was little, Rome was a small town with “hill people”. Alexandria was the big city. But Rome grew fast. In almost one generation, shortly after Cleopatra’s death, Rome became the great city we read about in textbooks.

Cleopatra was quite intelligent and managed to align herself with the right men, having as Schiff says, "An amazing knack to have children at precisely the right time, with the right people." She was constantly negotiating, and thinking of new ways to escape when she was boxed in. According to the author, she had plenty of negative propaganda while she lived, as did Mark Antony. In trying to make her all about sex, they undermined her and drew away from the fact that she was all about brains.

What did she look like? On this subject the author said she did wear pearls and a headdress, silks, and gold threaded fabrics. Coins show her with an angled face, and Schiff remarked “no one would have raved about her beauty,” further supporting her cunning intelligence. However, my favorite quote of the night, which is also in the introduction of the book was "The Ptolemies were in fact Macedonian Greek, which makes Cleopatra approximately as Egyptian as Elizabeth Taylor."

Concerning Cleopatra’s death, Stacy Schiff said she didn’t buy the story about the queen testing poisons on prisoners to find one that didn’t cause too much pain. She remarked, “Any self respecting Monarch knew his or her poisons.” And she thinks the idea of an asp killing her by biting her breast and also killing two other people was “a lot to ask of any one snake.”

I bought this book and can hardly put it down. I’m fascinated to learn about the epic battles we read about in Shakespeare and Plutarch that weren’t epic at all, and find out the truth about Cleopatra. Elizabeth Taylor’s version is visually stunning, but most of the stories are grossly inaccurate or just plain made up! The bonus - I love Schiff’s writing style!! If this kind of stuff excites you as much as it does me, pick up her book and check out her website - http://www.stacyschiff.com/

Achim Freyer

2010-06-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

I thoroughly enjoyed the ring cycle! I would go back to see Cycle 3, but sadly, it's just not in the budget. One of the most fascinating things about this cycle is how imaginative the production is. I love LA Opera's take on the Ring - and that has a lot to do with director Achim Freyer. The production is abstract, avante garde and sometimes just plain weird, but it's also fascinating, awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping. After each performance, I couldn't wait to see what else Freyer had up his sleeve. Check out this review from the Orange County Register .

Very excited to get a quick picture with Director, Achim Freyer after Götterdämmerung!

Maestro James Conlon!!

2010-06-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

I still can't believe I got to meet Maestro James Conlon! It's still makes me giddy just thinking about the weekend! Read more about him at http://www.jamesconlon.com.

Wagner's Leitmotifs

2010-06-05T22:54:00.000-07:00

So...I left something out. Something BIG! Wagner's Leitmotifs - or leading/guiding motives. Basically Wagner wrote little themes or motives into the orchestra to signify a character, a place or an idea. (He wasn't the first to do this, but certainly the most prominent.)

These motifs are usually played in the orchestra the first time we see a character, place or idea and then in a slightly altered form later in the opera or later in the cycle of operas. Wagner uses the motifs to clue the audience in on what is really going on. For example in Das Rhinegold, we are introduced to Wotan's motif. In the second opera, Die Walkure, Seigmund is talking about his father whom he calls Wolfe. But then the orchestra plays Wotan's motif, and we the audience know who his father really is, while the character is still clueless.

These various motifs tie all the operas together in such an amazing way. And often, when we hear the motif again, it's in a slightly altered form - not always overtly noticeable. This is part of the wonder of Wagner's music. Movies and musicals have taken their cue from this i.e. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings; Phantom of the Opera, Doctor Who - but Wagner had a finesse about him, that has not been paralleled.

By the way, I've read that Wagner didn't like the term Leitmotif but instead preferred Hauptmotiv...didn't stop everyone from using the former.

An Explanation of Wagner's Ring Cycle

2010-06-04T17:52:00.000-07:00

I've been attending the Ring Cycle at LA Opera for the past week and my friends keep asking me "What are you doing?!" "What is this cycle?" "Is it like Lord of the Rings?" "Why is it so exciting?" Sadly, my response is usually a blank (or slightly annoyed) stare, because there is so much running through my head about the joy of the Wagner's Ring that I can't just boil it down into a quick sentence. Thus, came the idea for this blog. After every cultural event I go to (and tweet about) I'm asked "what was it about?" "What makes it so exciting?" So, I will attempt to explain the cultural events I go to here!

What is The Ring Cycle?
Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung) is a cycle of 4 epic operas written by Richard Wagner. They were written from 1848 to 1874. The Nibelung is a race of dwarfs under the earth. The four operas are:

Das Rheingold(The Rhine Gold);

Die Walkure(The Valkyrie);

Siegfried (That's that's the character's name);

and Gotterdammerung (Twilight of the Gods)

Have you ever seen the picture that's commonly used when referring to opera singers? A big woman with a horned helmet? That's from this cycle. The famous Valkyrie tune was used when Elmer Fudd sang "Kill the Wabbit."

What's the point?
Very, very simply - Love versus Power. You can't have both in Wagner's opinion.
And the concept that "[the] world will never find release from it's struggles, for endless, meaningless struggling is inherent in the very nature of that world"1 This based off principles in a book Wagner constantly read called "The World as Will and Representation" by Arthur Schopenahuer.

What's the Story
Okay, here we go - if you get confused, call, text or email me. I purchased a Ring Family Tree and I'd be happy to show you. And I will give my comments on the Ring's production some other day, today, I'm getting my friends up to speed. If you'd like to read some reviews, try Jon Caves blog, or these posts from KUSC. Also check out LA Opera for clips from the production!

Wotan is the head god because he made a pact with someone and gave up one of his eyes for knowledge. He also has a spear where contracts are made - if he goes against his own contract and promises (which he continually tries to do), he'll ruin everything...

For all you Ring Lovers out there, YES, I am leaving things out. This is designed for my (and your) non-opera going friends. Once they have an overview (aka once they're hooked), then we can personally add in little details later.

Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold)

Alberich is a Nibelung Dwarf and the opera begins with him trying to get one of the 3 Rheinmaidens to like him. They tease him and finally tell him he's too ugly. He agrees and denounces love. The Rheinmaidens are guarding a whole lotta gold in the Rhine River and if anyone were to get the gold and form a ring out of it they could rule the world. The only way to know how to form the ring is by denouncing love. Remember, you can't have love and power!

So Alberich denounces love, steals the gold and makes a ring out of it and a magic hat that lets him change shapes. He also enslaves his brother, Mime, and the rest of the dwarfs.

Meanwhile, Wotan, the head of the Gods, is trying to calm his wife Fricka and get out of a jam. Fricka got her husband to have 2 Giants, Fasolt and Fafner, build a giant castle(later known as Valhalla..kind of a heaven). Basically Fricka was tired of him running around on her and thought if he had a really cool house he'd stay put. (yeah right, EPIC FAIL #1) Wotan promised the Giants Fricka's sister, Freia, for payment. We enter the scene in the middle of an argument. Fricka is mad Wotan promised her sister away and reminds him that they need Freia because only she can tend to the apples the gods eat everyday to stay young.

Loge, demi-god of fire and trickery, tells Wotan that Alberich stole the gold and made a ring. Wotan decides to rob Peter to pay Paul - steal the gold from Alberich to pay the Giants. The Giants reluctantly agree. Wotan and Loge trick Alberich - the scene goes something like this: Loge says "bet your fancy hat can't turn you into a toad" "Oh yes it can!" "Gotcha!" The giants get the gold but demand the ring as well. Wotan wants to keep the ring, and finally gives it up. Alberich curses the ring and whoever wears it. Fafner kills Fasolt over the ring and then Fafner becomes a dragon. (Don't ask, don't tell) Wotan decides he's going to go after the ring, but mother earth, Erde, pops up to tell Wotan to stay away. He's intrigued by her and between the end of this opera and the next, he's fathered 12 kids with her - 9 Walkure or Valkyries and 3 Norns. Donner, Fricka's brother produces a rainbow bridge and the gods, including Froh, another brother, go across into Valhalla.

Die Walkure(The Valkyrie)

FYI, The Valkyries defend heroes in battle and also bring slain heroes up to Valhalla. Brunnhilde seems to be his favorite - she's the woman with the horned helmet. Okay, so... this is many, many years later. Wotan has also had a set of twins, Siegmund and Sieglinde, from a mortal woman on earth. Seigmund has lost his weapon is running from attackers and asks to stay the night at Sieglinde's house. Her husband, Hunding, is not too cool with the situation - Seigmund is the enemy of his family, but according to custom, he will let him spend the night and then fight him in the morning. During the night Seigmund and Sieglinde talk and discover they are brother and sister, and discover they are in love and consummate that love. (Yes, I know, yuck) Sieglinde was forced into the marriage with Hunding and on their sordid wedding day a powerful god stuck a sword in the ash tree to be used by some noble man in time of need. (Sounds like the Sword in the Stone huh?) Siegmund goes to the tree and magically the sword comes out for him. He names the sword 'Notung', which means need.

Meanwhile Fricka is just not having it. Fricka is the goddess of home and hearth and tells Wotan to let Seigmund die in battle because Sieglinde is married and marriage is sacred, plus he'd be going against the contract of home and hearth that's written on his spear. I also don't think she cared for the half-human kids he fathered either. Wotan agrees and calls Brunnhilde to tell her to let Seigmund die. Brunnhilde knows her father loves Seigmund and doesn't want that to happen, but she goes to warn Seigmund anyway. She tells him he will die in battle and will go to the beautiful Valhalla. He asks if Sieglinde will be there. Brunnhilde says no and so Siegmund refuses to go. Brunnhilde is moved by his love and decides to disobey and defend him in battle. She does, but Wotan comes down and smashes Notung, the sword into pieces. Seigmund is killed and Brunnhilde and Sieglinde flee.

Now comes the famous ride of the Valkyries. Wotan calls his daughters. They all come and sing a very famous piece of music as they travel on their horses. Imagine 8 very intense soprano voices over a huge orchestra. It's pretty powerful! 8 arrive first and then Brunnhilde comes racing in with the newly pregnant Sieglinde. She tells her sisters she disobeyed Daddy and they all start asking her why she would be so dumb. Daddy comes, says he's going to punish her and any of her sisters that try to protect her. They get lost, but they sneak Sieglinde with them. Wotan punishes Brunnhilde to be mortal and puts her in a deep sleep. She will belong to the first man who awakes her with a kiss. (Sleeping Beauty anyone?) Because she was doing what he really wanted in his heart(but not what he told her to do) he surrounds her with flames so only a man who knows no fear (one that is worthy of her) will wake her.

Siegfried (That's that's the character's name)

Guess who Siegfried is? That's right, he's the son of Seigmund and Sieglinde. Sieglinde died in childbirth so Mime, Alberich's brother raises Siegfried. (I know, everyone's related in this story!) Siegfried hates Mime (even though he raised him) and wants to leave home as soon as he has a sword he can't break. Mime keeps making swords and Siegfried keeps breaking them. Mime wants to rebuild the sword, Notung to go steal the gold from Fafner, but can't. A wanderer comes(Wotan) and he and Mime exchange riddles - the loser will lose his head. Mime loses (This was Wagner's way of explaining the story so far) Mime learns only a man who knows no fear can reforge the sword. Siegfried finds out and realizing he knows no fear reforges it. Mime encourages him to go to the dragon to "learn fear." Siegfried encounters the dragon and kills him with Notung. A tree bird comes along and tells him to be careful of the person who sent him here and to get the ring from the dragon. Mime comes along with a poisoned drink to give Siegfried so he can steal the ring for himself. Because of the power of the ring, Siegfried sees right through Mime and it's off with his head! Siegfried tells the tree bird he wants a wife and she tells him there's a woman named Brunnhilde surrounded by fire. He goes to find her and runs into the Wanderer (Wotan) who for some reason can't just keep out of it! The Wanderer says he has to pass him to get to Brunnhilde so Siegfried breaks Wotan's spear. This stops Wotan's power. Then he gets through the fire and after discovering fear (Brunnhilde scares him) he kisses her to wake her up. (Yes, she is his Aunt) They sing a love duet - the end.

Gotterdammerung (Twilight of the Gods.)

We open with the three Norns telling the story of how Wotan got his power and about his spear and all that. Because the spear has been broken Wotan is going to thrust his spear into Loge and the fire will consume the world. Siegfried and Brunnhilde exchange gifts - she gets the ring, he gets her horse and Siegfried goes off on an adventure. Then Hagen, Alberich's son, tells Gunther (they are related somehow...) he should marry Brunnhilde and Gutrune, Gunther's sister, should marry Siegfried. They poison Siegfried when he arrives at their castle, which makes him forget about Brunnhilde. Siegfried is persuaded to go win Brunnhilde's love, disguised as Gunther. Hagen's aim is to get the ring. (the one ring..of wait, that LOTR)

Meanwhile one of Brunnhilde's sisters asks her to give the ring back to the Rhinemaidens, otherwise the world will come to an end. She refuses because it was Siegfried's token of love. Sissy leaves, Siegfried dressed as Gunther arrives and takes the ring. Siegfried sleeps next to Brunnhilde, but puts Notung in the middle of them. He wakes and arrives back at the castle before Gunther and Brunnhilde. When Brunnhilde sees Siegfried there and wearing the ring, she tells everyone they know each other - in the Biblical sense. Siegfried can't remember squat and leaves to go marry Gutrune. Gunther thinks Siegfried slept with Brunnhilde, and she tells Gunthur about Siegfried's weak spot - his back.

In the next act 3 water nymphs try to get Siegfried to "come play" with them, but he stays faithful to Gutrune, who is now his wife. They warn him about the ring, but he keeps it. Hagen gives him an cure to the poison and Siegfried starts to remember...when he finally remembers Brunnhilde he is stabbed in the back. Craziness ensues, Hagen kills Guther to get the ring and then Siegfried's dead arm threatens him. Brunnhilde has somehow found out about the poison and is mad, she takes the ring. She tells Wotan the apocalypse is upon them. She torches Sigfried's body honorable and then goes into the flames to die with him. The Rhinemaidens take the ring from Brunnhilde, and the world is flooded with water and then set on fire. Valhalla is set on fire too. Everyone dies, but perhaps a new world will begin.

THE END

1. Taken from an intriguing booked called "Wagner's Ring: Turning the Sky Round" by M. Owen Lee