Benjamin Britten

[DavidW]

Wow!  That made the Elgar one seem tame.  You couldn't even possibly call that a bio, or an article, or even criticism, it's simply libel.

[bhodges]

http://www.wrightmusic.org.uk/britten.html

Astonishing piece of writing. The guy is clearly absolutely mental - has anyone heard of him/met him?

There's stuff on Elgar too, which I'll post on the Elgar thread.

Couldn't the author just say, "I can't stand Britten" and leave it at that?  The whole tone of the piece is a bit over-the-top, too much so for my taste.  (Of course, I never met Britten so I would have to take "loathsome" on faith.)

--Bruce

[knight66]

About a year or so ago, a book was published that explored in detail the issue of Britten's relations with adolescent boys. It certainly seemed that he had odd relationships, but although many of his favourites were interviewed, most in middle age or late middle age now, none agreed that there had been overt sexual behaviour.

The most bleak that came to light involved the actor David Hemmings. Britten had certainly fawned over him for an extended period; but from the day Hemming's voice broke, Britten completely ignored him. He went from court favourite to an unperson in one day.

So, although Britten's behaviour was reprehensible, I don't see that there is any evidence in the public domain that supports the extraordinary criminal activity claimed by the writer we were linked to.

Mike

[The new erato]

The writer of that article seems curiously interested in genitalia. In general, I find that what one person finds reprehensible in another person, curiously often tells a lot about the first person's obsessions. No doubt that Britten was an odd fellow in some ways, but that seems to be representative for a lot of artists. 

[bhodges]

So, although Britten's behaviour was reprehensible, I don't see that there is any evidence in the public domain that supports the extraordinary criminal activity claimed by the writer we were linked to.

Mike

This is my feeling, too.

In general, I find that what one person finds reprehensible in another person, curiously often tells a lot about the first person's obsessions.

And this is *quite* true.

--Bruce

[Guido]

The writer of that article seems curiously interested in genitalia. In general, I find that what one person finds reprehensible in another person, curiously often tells a lot about the first person's obsessions. No doubt that Britten was an odd fellow in some ways, but that seems to be representative for a lot of artists. 

Absolutely.

[knight66]

Well, I don't in the least approve of Hitler's way with the Jews, but I have never had any secret desire to gas anyone....though, now I think if it, at work..............

Mike

[zamyrabyrd]

Britten's was a formidable talent...

So was Tschaikovsky's.

[zamyrabyrd]

A son of a Christian friend of ours after an audition for the local opera company actually got the part of the boy in the Turn of the Screw but pulled him out after getting familiar with the score, rightly so I may add. I took one of my children to Maurice Bejart's "ballet" evening and walked out in the middle of the Miraculous Mandarin -- too disgusting.

In short, I would prefer NOT to have constant in-your-face sexuality done by ANY orientation either on TV, cinema, opera house, on the streets, etc. The obsessional quality of saturating practically everything with one's sexual proclivities (can be said of popular culture in general but also in particular, those like Bejart, etc.), just about everywhere you turn, is perverse. 

ZB

[karlhenning]

So was Tschaikovsky's.

Aye, indeed.

[karlhenning]

A son of a Christian friend of ours after an audition for the local opera company actually got the part of the boy in the Turn of the Screw but pulled him out after getting familiar with the score, rightly so I may add. I took one of my children to Maurice Bejart's "ballet" evening and walked out in the middle of the Miraculous Mandarin -- too disgusting.

In short, I would prefer NOT to have constant in-your-face sexuality done by ANY orientation either on TV, cinema, opera house, on the streets, etc. The obsessional quality of saturating practically everything with one's sexual proclivities (can be said of popular culture in general but also in particular, those like Bejart, etc.), just about everywhere you turn, is perverse. 

I'm alive to your concern, zb.  In many cases (IMO) the fault resides with the stage director rather than with the work itself.  The nature of Mandarin does put at at risk to be Bazzed-up (and worse).

[zamyrabyrd]

Indeed. You don't have to look hard for examples: Swaggart, Haggard, Billy James Hargis. Happens so often that, when people rail fervently (obsessively) against what they've decided are the obsessions of others (a'la Queen Gertrude's line in Hamlet), you have to consider whether it's just them externalizing their own battle.

You can also add Richard Wagner to the list, but who really cares when listening to the music?
This Wright character proved himself to be over the top with his allegations about Schubert being a plagiarist. There are some themes in his 6th Symphony that he traced back to Rossini. However, like Shakespeare, it's not the story but what he DID with the material. And back then, people were not as possessive about "original" ideas.
Also, he tries to make a negative case about Elgar's Cello Concerto. Without prejudice about the composer, it's a pretty good piece.

ZB

[Guido]

A son of a Christian friend of ours after an audition for the local opera company actually got the part of the boy in the Turn of the Screw but pulled him out after getting familiar with the score, rightly so I may add.

What aspects are so controversial?

[zamyrabyrd]

What aspects are so controversial?

It seems that the opera Turn of the Screw generally follows the original story by Henry James. Essentially it is about two adult ghosts, one of whom is rumored to be a pederast, stalking two children. Leaving this in print form as a kind of curiosity of human nature, like Jekyll and Hyde, permits some distance and objectification.

To have two kids on stage who don't necessarily tell the difference between fact and fiction, interact with such creepy personages is wrong. This is already a built-in difficulty of the opera.

The boy seems to have wanted out but upon revealing the name of the ghost, he fell dead.

A disclaimer should be for those who actually DO believe in evil spirits, that there is the remedy of exorcism. The catch here for those who don't believe in ghosts, that such a scenario would not be possible.

My policy is NOT to play around with such things AT ALL, just in case they turn out to be true.

ZB

[Guido]

I don't really understand any of your criticisms...

To have two kids on stage who don't necessarily tell the difference between fact and fiction, interact with such creepy personages is wrong.

Wrong in what sense?

My policy is NOT to play around with such things AT ALL, just in case they turn out to be true.

This amazes me. Do you similarly not mess around with the myths of every other culture on earth in case they are all true as well?

[zamyrabyrd]

I don't really understand any of your criticisms...
This amazes me. Do you similarly not mess around with the myths of every other culture on earth in case they are all true as well?

You don't have to understand my criticisms, although I was only reporting that a friend of mine didn't allow his son to be in the Turn of the Screw. As for what I believe in, you don't have to be amazed either since it is my business and I can be as stupid or naive as I want. But if you would really like to know, good and evil spirits are not myths in the culture that I was brought up in, but a reality.

The difference between TofS and Hansel and Gretel is in the latter, evil does not win out in the end.  And the kids are not possessed by spirits. TofS as an opera is definitely a step up (or down) in perversion.

The ambiguity in Peter Grimes is getting the audience to feel pity for a child abuser.

ZB

[The new erato]

The ambiguity in Peter Grimes is getting the audience to feel pity for a child abuser.

ZB

The ambiguity in Peter Grimes is that we don't really know that.

[zamyrabyrd]

The ambiguity in Peter Grimes is that we don't really know that.

Circumstantial evidence, the last boy had a bruise on his shoulder. The first one died of thirst?
The librarian thought he was guilty but Ellen stood up for him.
Wonder how all this would stand up in a real court and not a slap together jury.

[Egebedieff]

Circumstantial evidence, the last boy had a bruise on his shoulder. The first one died of thirst?
The librarian thought he was guilty but Ellen stood up for him.
Wonder how all this would stand up in a real court and not a slap together jury.

A real trial wouldn't be held for Peter Grimes.
'

[zamyrabyrd]

A real trial wouldn't be held for Peter Grimes.
'

We can have one here.