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This clip from a mid-1990s British documentary about the Royal Opera House exemplifies the conflict between traditional, reverential opera productions, and the modernist approach.
It begins with a group of opera traditionalists protesting the house's staging of a modern opera, ''Gawain,'' that is marked by its dissonant style. Next we get a glimpse of a postmodern production of ''The Magic Flute'' (which proves to be an artistic and commercial failure).
Then, in the highlight of the clip, we see a glorious, traditional production of ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg,'' conducted by Bernard Haitink, which is a bona fide triumph, and wildly popular.
The video concludes with a look at the opera house's plans to stage a ridiculous, revisionist version, bordering on self-parody, of Wagner's ''Ring.''
It begins with a group of opera traditionalists protesting the house's staging of a modern opera, ''Gawain,'' that is marked by its dissonant style. Next we get a glimpse of a postmodern production of ''The Magic Flute'' (which proves to be an artistic and commercial failure).
Then, in the highlight of the clip, we see a glorious, traditional production of ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg,'' conducted by Bernard Haitink, which is a bona fide triumph, and wildly popular.
The video concludes with a look at the opera house's plans to stage a ridiculous, revisionist version, bordering on self-parody, of Wagner's ''Ring.''
In the end, such extremes often take something that's potentially beautiful and turn it into something rather ugly. (In my eyes . . .)