| This article is for you if you're a | | | | curtain calls, but we only hear them, |
| behind-the-scenes kind of person - the | | | | seated down below in the orchestra pit |
| admin assistant who gets the | | | | as they are.Many elements go together to |
| presentation ready for the guys in | | | | produce the opera we see that bears the |
| marketing but doesn't get to go to the | | | | name of one man only. Take "Turandot" |
| meeting; the PR pro who writes all their | | | | for instance. It was librettist Semoni |
| speeches and answers all the complaint | | | | who gave Puccini the suggestion for the |
| letters for the president or CEO; the | | | | opera in the first place, telling about |
| at-home mother who makes sure the | | | | "Turandotte," a play written by Gozzi, |
| concert pianist practices; the deputy | | | | based on a fable from the Arabian |
| chief whose job description is doing all | | | | Nights.Puccini had been searching for |
| the things the chief doesn't like to do | | | | two years for a suitable plot for an |
| or can't do; or the paralegal who | | | | opera, and at the age of 61 began |
| prepares all the pleadings, knows all | | | | "Turandot," instructing his librettists, |
| the codes, and does all the licking and | | | | Adami and Semoni to "pour great pathos |
| stamping.Temistocle Solear, Antonio | | | | into the drama." Puccini was known, |
| Ghislanzoni, Henri Meilhac, Jules | | | | incidentally for being extremely |
| Barbier, Michael Carre, Guiseppe | | | | demanding, requiring endless rewrites |
| Giacosa, Luigi Illica, Renato Semoni, | | | | from his librettists.From his point of |
| and Nicola Haym all know what this is | | | | view however, the librettists were |
| like.Who on earth are these people??Well | | | | difficult. We can read his letters |
| even if you're not an opera fan, I bet | | | | begging them to do their work. He wrote |
| you've heard of the composers Verdi, | | | | frantically to Simoni, in charge of Act |
| Bizet, Mozart, Strauss, Gounod, Handel, | | | | III, "The third! The third! The |
| Donizetti and Puccini. And I'm sure | | | | third!"At one point, he confessed to a |
| you've heard of some of their operas - | | | | friend "Music disgusts me...", as he |
| Aida, Carmen, Cosi fan Tutte, Madame | | | | evidently had periods of self-doubt and |
| Butterfly, Faust, and Don Giovanni, for | | | | composer's block. Toscanini paid him a |
| instance.Did you know that these | | | | visit and gave him the encouragement to |
| composers wrote the music for their | | | | keep going. Every team has their |
| operas but not the lyrics? Solear, | | | | Toscanini; or needs one.Puccini was |
| Ghislanzoni and the other individuals | | | | justified in urging completion of the |
| in the list are what's called | | | | opera as he died before the team had |
| "librettists." It is they who wrote the | | | | completed the third act. The |
| words to the music that tell the story, | | | | collaboration continued on, as Toscanini |
| without which you would be listening to | | | | found a composer named Franco Alfano, |
| a symphony, not an opera. And we never | | | | whose name is rarely mentioned, to |
| hear their names!They're called | | | | complete it. The world premier took |
| "librettists" because the words to the | | | | place on April 25th, 1926, the work of |
| songs, which basically comprise the | | | | one guiding genius and many hands, |
| script of the opera, is called a | | | | hearts and minds.It isn't that teamwork |
| "libretto." It's Italian for little | | | | and collaboration is new, it's that it's |
| book.Like Gilbert and Sullivan, the | | | | newly being recognized. Most of us |
| pairs worked together. The inimitable | | | | realize we couldn't accomplish anything |
| Richard Wagner was the only one to | | | | alone, while those behind the scenes who |
| compose all his operas entirely by | | | | work long and willing hours, long for |
| himself, creating both music and lyrics, | | | | some recognition. Appreciation, after |
| which may account for why they are so | | | | all, is what tops the surveys when |
| powerful, so "Wagnerian."This is quite a | | | | employees talk about what they want at |
| feat because composing music and writing | | | | their job, and it's so consistently |
| words require different parts of the | | | | there, it's a wonder it isn't heeded |
| brain.Sometimes the composer and | | | | more.Richard Montuori, town manager of |
| librettist met in person, while other | | | | Bellica, Massachusetts, knows and |
| times the work was done by | | | | appreciates his team. "I love [my] |
| correspondence. Strauss worked | | | | job," he said a newspaper interview. |
| exclusively with one librettist, after | | | | "Every day is different and presents new |
| writing his own lyrics for his first | | | | challenges. Finances are a daily and |
| opera and finding out he wasn't good at | | | | yearly challenge, but no one person ever |
| it, but most other composers switched | | | | accomplishes anything alone. We have |
| around, finding the right librettist for | | | | excellent department heads and town |
| the job, or one who was available. It's | | | | boards that help keep the town moving in |
| not unlike the way a lot of us work | | | | the right direction."Isn't it nice to |
| these days - long distance and by | | | | hear someone publicly acclaim the team |
| contract.Again, grasp the significance | | | | that makes him shine? I hope your boss |
| of the work these unsung heroes did. | | | | or manager does this for you, and that |
| The words are so integral to the opera | | | | if you're the boss or manager, you |
| they are never translated. Subtitles | | | | appreciate and acknowledge - and sing - |
| run across the big screen on stage, or | | | | the unsung heroes in your midst.But how |
| the little screen on the chair in front | | | | do you praise everyone? There are |
| of yours at the opera. We read them in | | | | always so many.Here's a leadership trick |
| our native tongue while they are sung on | | | | I learned from a pro. At the |
| stage in the original German, Italian, | | | | culmination of an anniversary banquet, |
| or French. (For aficionados, anyway. | | | | engineered by many, and funded by many |
| Beginners may enjoy translations, such | | | | more, the director of the |
| as The Chandos Opera In English series, | | | | benefited-agency rose and thanked |
| which translates the lyrics into | | | | "everyone who helped make it possible to |
| English.)What an incredible | | | | raise the $50,000." Then he added, |
| collaboration an opera is. It takes | | | | looking around the room, "And I'd |
| costume designers as well, because an | | | | especially like to thank someone whose |
| opera is as much visual as it is | | | | name I won't mention, but they will know |
| auditory. The Grand Opera is known for | | | | who I mean."I thought it was me! So did |
| its elaborate sets and costumes. In | | | | a dozen other people, I'm sure, and that |
| "Turandot," when the mob turns surly and | | | | was what the director had in mind, he |
| the moon appears, she is personified and | | | | told me later when I asked him whom he |
| costumed in a magnificence dominated the | | | | had in mind, because his glance around |
| stage for what seems like half an hour, | | | | the room was professionally |
| that will keep you transfigured.One | | | | ambivalent.It works, and it's always, |
| opera I hope to see one day is Verdi's | | | | always true.©Susan Dunn, MA, THE EQ |
| "Aida," excuse me, Verdi and | | | | COACH. Offering coaching, Internet |
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| that's entertainment!What we don't see | | | | Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for |
| at an opera is the orchestra, perhaps | | | | information about this fast, affordable, |
| the most important element of all. | | | | comprehensive, no-residency program. |
| They're listed in the program, of | | | | Email for free ezine. |
| course, and given their bows at the | | | | |