Word: curlew
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...your idea of entertainment, but this year's Leverett House Opera Society offering is one of the best productions, musically and theatrically, in the last few years at Harvard. The two plays were written 800 years apart. The Play of Daniel in 12th century France, Benjamin Britten's Curlew River several years ago in England. They make a fascinating pair, for both are parables for church performance, and both employ stylized musical and theatrical means to illustrate the parable with force...
...presentation of the words at the expense of emotional projection. Certainly this is intentional, for every aspect of the work-from the choral chants to the subtle orchestral effects-contributes to the "objective" character of the opera. Whereas Daniel is warm and human within a framework of objectivity, Curlew River strives for a ritualized coldness-and attains it. A musician will find much to admire in Britten's craft and attention to detail. Curlew River is, however, not a work to love, as one can love The Play of Daniel. It has its audience, of course, but that audience...
With this minor exception, both operas received topnotch performances. The costumes were excellent, and so were the instrumentalists. (Hats off to Cyrus Stewart for his virtuoso performance of the horn part in Curlew River. ) The main credit, however, must go to Martin Kessler, musical director of both works, and to Wakeen Ray-Riv (choreographer in the Britten) and Charles Heckscher (director of Daniel ). Most of all, they deserve our gratitude for producing these seldom heard works and, even more, for giving them the performance they deserve...