3D glasses? For an opera?
Opera may now be a frequent sight in cinemas across the
country, but self-confessed art “omnivore” and composer Michel van der Aa is
bringing cinema into musical theatre. The
use of 3D in his latest work in conjunction with ENO, Sunken Garden, certainly makes for a unique experience, with live
performers in front of cinematic backdrops.
This is an immersive experience, the titular world coming to life with
gently rustling plants and shimmering pools, whilst the 3D effect creates a
sense of depth far beyond (and into) the theatrical space. The onstage action appears static by comparison,
though interactions between the live performers and the video utilise some
clever effects to bring theatre and cinema together. The success of the 3D, however, is largely
dependent on the viewing angle – pick a bad seat and the effect is somewhat
diminished and blurred.
Sunken Garden is a
unique experience beyond the 3D. Never
has the Wagnerian term ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’ been more appropriate to a modern
opera. This is a multimedia piece that
moves fluidly between theatrical and musical genres, fusing cinema with
theatre, documentary filmmaking with opera.
It’s an ultra-modern piece of technological theatre that could only be
possible in this day and age.
There is narrative purpose behind the use of cinema
too. The protagonist is Toby Kramer, a
video-artist researching the disappearance of one Simon Vines. His documentary is the video we watch on
screen. Soon, however, Toby (and the
audience) is sucked into the sunken garden – a 3D realm and limbo between life
and death for people who have been implicated in the death of a loved one. Wracked by guilt they must ultimately choose whether
to die peacefully in the garden, or live with their decisions. The libretto, from Cloud Atlas author David Mitchell, is the weakest element of the
piece. Like his novel, the plot works on
a number of different levels – whodunit, documentary and perplexing existential
philosophy – but is intriguing predominantly on a technical narrative level
rather than an emotional one. Sunken Garden lacks lucidity in its
ideas, with absurd twists more akin to an episode of Doctor Who meets Skins, not
helped by some occasionally questionable acting.
Moreover, Mitchell’s stilted libretto does not lend itself
to word-setting. Some of the aria-like
cinematic episodes incorporate yearning melodic leaps, but for the most part
the live recitative singing is jagged and lacks lyricism. Throughout, the singers cope well with some
difficult material. As a student of
musical engineering, it’s clear that Van der Aa excels at instrumentation and
texture rather than writing for voice. In
parallel to the visuals, the score fuses genres: opera, modern classical music,
experimental electronics and dance music.
As such, it predominantly comprises strings accompanying the highly
chromatic vocal lines, with a soundtrack of found sounds and clipped samples. The heavy use of apparent atonality adds to
the unsettling, mysterious mood of the piece, whilst technology reflects the almost
futuristic feel of the opera at large. One
particular moment sets the clipped samples into a dance beat that suitably
reflects the on-screen club scene.
Musical elements such as this are clearly aimed at enticing
a younger, technologically aware audience – an audience typically put off by the
old-fashioned stereotype of opera. On
the other hand, a traditional audience may be unwilling to accept this as opera
owing to the heavy influence of cinema.
Certainly, there is much merit in the fusing of genres that adds an
extra dimension to the visuals. Whether
this is the future of opera, though, is another question. As with cinema, can 3D really be anything more
than just a fad or gimmick? For some,
myself included, it’s a welcome addition and a worthwhile experience – but its
application must never overshadow the narrative, which is sadly largely the
case here.
3/5
Watch: Sunken Garden is performed at the Barbican from 12th-20th April.
Watch: Sunken Garden is performed at the Barbican from 12th-20th April.
