OPERA IN CONTEXT |
COLLEEN MAYBIN
OPERA AS A CATHARTIC EXPERIENCE When we have a strong emotional response to an opera, we often leave the theatre feeling rejuvenated and emotionally refreshed because the emotions portrayed on stage resonate truthfully. When Francis Poulenc was working with soprano Denise Duval on the score and libretto for La Voix humaine, they were both in the grips of an emotional crisis. They drew on their personal experiences to create what Poulenc described as a "musical confession." The results deeply moved the playwright Jean Cocteau. After sitting in on a rehearsal, he wrote the composer stating, "You have worked out, once and for all, how to speak what I have written." This artistic authenticity positions Francois Poulenc's La Voix humaine as perhaps the perfect opera for audiences in 2020. The operatic monologue takes place in a series of final phone calls between Elle and her ex-lover. The audience only hears her side of the conversation as she tries to reconnect with him. The opera, and Cocteau's play, were written at a time when telephones had become more common. It was now possible to speak directly to someone on the phone. However, the shared intimacy of communicating directly with another person had become mediated through technology that was fraught with complications. Elle finds herself trapped in her apartment. She must stay close to the telephone, so she doesn't miss his call. Wrong numbers, crossed party lines, and his failure to answer the phone add to her mental decline. She finds herself increasingly cut off from him, both literally and figuratively. Like Elle, we have spent much of 2020 isolated in our homes, reliant on technology to communicate with those we love. The worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 has required society to shut down many of the avenues for in-person communication that are vitally important to our health and well-being. Government agencies and mental health organizations have reported a stark increase in the number of Canadians who report feeling anxious, fearful, and isolated. In La Voix humaine, Poulenc poured his emotional life into music that describes the nature of depression. Director Rachel Peake has used the digital platform to create a uniquely intimate version of the work. For audiences, this production is an opportunity to deeply feel the pandemic's impact and find solace in letting those emotions go.
Colleen Maybin is the Director of Learning and Engagement at Vancouver Opera.
| LA VOIX HUMAINE
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