I was raised by a woman who loves the theater. Performing arts have always been a part of my life. So you can imagine my shock upon catching word of Timothée Chalamet’s comments about the more classical arts.
Growing up, music was always playing in my house. I was always singing and my sister was always dancing. I was never one who loved to perform, but I absolutely adored going to the theater to watch those braver than I sing, dance and act on stage. There is no denying that the theater is captivating.
While this was something I knew and was familiar with, I was rather in the dark when it came to opera and ballet. I have had many friends who have danced competitively, so I know the intense trials and tribulations dancers go through to perform shows. My knowledge of opera extended only as far as seeing characters attend opera shows on screen.
I took it upon myself to attend the University of Missouri’s very own Show Me Opera performance of “Hansel and Gretel” this weekend, to truly formulate my opinions on Chalamet’s remarks and my own thoughts on what the opera has to offer.
Upon entering the Missouri Theater, the grandeur of the building is enough to make one stop and gawk. The intricate designs on the ceilings, the chandelier hanging gracefully above the main floor seating and the old-fashioned boxes on the side, where one can’t help but imagine important people from long ago seated, are astounding.
Once the lights dimmed and the darkness cloaked me in my plush seat, I was unsure of what I was getting myself into. The music was played by a live orchestra and while the story of “Hansel and Gretel” is not very deep nor heady, the music ebbed and flowed in ways that made it seem so. Heavy dips and light chords supported the movement of the storyline, guiding me to envision everything from the eeriness of the woods to the bounce of Gretel’s braids as she bobbed along the path.
As I mentioned before, I have seen many plays and musicals, so I am used to actors delivering lines to an audience that I am a part of. What was new to me this go-around was the constant singing of lines. The voices of the actors and actresses on stage carried with strength all the way to my seat in the nosebleeds. The grace that these singers had was beyond almost anything I’d heard before. Their vibrato resonated in my rib cage, and the melody lulled me deeper and deeper into the story.
The stage presence of every member of the cast was not only effective but also elegant. Solely based on the dancing, I could feel the drowsiness of Hansel and Gretel when they fell asleep in the woods, I could feel the joy when they defeated the witch and I could feel the relief when they were finally reunited with their parents. Not only was it an auditory joy, but it was truly a sight to behold as well.
Another point to note on the visual representation of the production was the stage set and backdrop. With a well-constructed woods set, complete with projected elements of autumn leaves blowing in the wind and witches on brooms soaring through the dark sky, the picture of the scene was well-painted for all ages who watched the show.
The last thing I would like to note is that, while I attended the performance on my own, I was certainly not alone in the theater. From where I was seated in the balcony, the audience appeared to be packed for a 2 p.m. showing on a Sunday afternoon. And they weren’t just university students. There were children in almost every aisle, with eyes aglow, hanging on every melodic word sung by the performers. Their parents were sitting next to them, clearly entertained by the show as well. There were college students, some on dates, some with friends and some (much like myself) by themselves. And there were elderly folks there as well, like the three older women who sat two rows down and to the right of me.
Some might say that in today’s age, due to the ever-growing technology that surrounds us in everyday life, people don’t have the attention spans for shows as long or as tricky to comprehend as operas and ballets. I would beg to differ. I turned my own cellphone on Do Not Disturb and comfortably sat through the entire show, feeling entertained and amused by the production in front of me.
Clearly, this show was really an immersive and delightful experience, and one that was enjoyed by not only me but many people of all ages. When it comes to opera, I think I would have to disagree with dear Mr. Chalamet and argue that there really are quite a few people who do care about opera, despite what mainstream media might have to say about it.