Wanderer

A fundamental group, in my opinion, reviewed in a debatable yet nonetheless brave and personal way.

Definitely intriguing!

Focused on the solitary paths of Ludovico Einaudi, I missed this "Diario Mali": the stunning review by sfascia makes the oversight even more serious; I knew nothing about this Ballakè Sissokò either. I will remedy this as soon as possible. In the meantime, many congratulations (antziquenon) for the quality of the proposal and for its presentation.

I only have "Slowhand" by Clapton, bought some time ago to "get to know" the good Eric: it doesn’t drive me crazy, but the sound of his Strat is absolutely enjoyable. Great review, anyway.

Great review for a very unique album.

This does not mean "selling out" the cultural mission of the theater organization with the provocations of hyper-modernist and intellectualistic directing and staging, which I too abhor if not supported by an effective background of meanings; it simply means updating the way of presenting things, giving the idea of a reality in turmoil and not stagnant. Why do you think this issue does not arise with prose theater, which has a large following of audience, especially young people? Simple, because prose is perceived as a sector where there is no fear of taking risks and trying new things. Quite the opposite of the world of classical music. I conclude by saying that these judgments of mine, which may seem a bit blunt, refer to certain Italian theater realities; obviously not all of them, and in this sense, I fully acknowledge Hal's point, who rightly warns against easy generalizations.

I would like to add that this enforced atmosphere prevalent in theaters, which drives away so much potential audience, is a completely artificial and fabricated behavioral code that many believe reflects the customs of the 18th and 19th centuries. Nothing could be further from the truth. In the 1700s and 1800s, when theaters, at their peak glory, were truly the absolute center of community life, the standing areas were filled with a vibrant, noisy "plebeian" crowd, while the boxes occupied by aristocratic families housed an audience that, during the long performances, would eat, sleep, play cards, and engage in sexual activities. The main source of income for theater managers at that time was not the ticket sales, but the chemin de fer and the prostitution happening in the boxes. Now, while eliminating certain excesses, I think it is possible to bring the theater back to the people simply by making it perceived as a familiar place, like a cinema, where one can enter without feeling inferior due to knowledge or social status.

Then, when the seasons are increasingly disappointing and theater budgets start to leak from all sides, we will always have the lightning rod on which to unload our invectives: any government, even the most enlightened, will be accused of disinterest in culture and a poor or nonexistent inclination to finance lyrical entities et similia. Which is also true, to be fair, but it has become a too comfortable smokescreen. The life of the theater should not depend (only) on the amount of money that can be squeezed from public pockets, but it should be built (mainly) on the relationship with the audience. This relationship does not exist today because theaters are simply echoing themselves, deploying the usual, worn-out recipes, and "producing" only for a moribund and scant elite. The world evolves, the audience evolves, but theaters remain stagnant, locked in their small universe of conventions, affectations, and clichés that aspire to be arrogantly aristocratic, but that ultimately come across as clumsily petty-bourgeois. This is coming from someone who goes to the theater at least three evenings a month, always in a jacket and tie. I also enjoy the elegant atmosphere as a symbol of respect and decorum towards the institution of the theater, but then I realize that if the very existence of these places is at stake, then you can forget about the jacket and tie.

@ odradek: thank you for the kind words and for the ideal sharing of thought. @ GeorgeWBush: let me clarify. I do not intend to engage in youthful rhetoric or to fill my mouth with generic and empty appeals for the "bringing of young people closer to classical/opera." Far from it, I have nothing against the elderly audience, often true enthusiasts and "historical memories" of various theaters. The problem is more complex, and I invite you to approach it with a broader perspective. The current audience of classical/opera, loyal but aging, is "physiologically" destined for "exhaustion": I wonder what the generational turnover will be (if there will be one!). In short, the risk is finding ourselves, in a few years, facing the sad and ghostly scene of empty theaters.

Thank you very much to Symbad for the comment and to Grass and JoP for the CD suggestions, noted in the shopping cart.