THE RAKE’S PROGRESS
The Rake’s Progress, Igor Stravinsky’s only full-length opera, is one of those pieces that virtually everybody knows about, but that very few actually know. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is that it is the product of the so-called neoclassical Stravinsky, a later style that has never been as popular as the early Stravinsky. In fact, nearly 20 years after his death Stravinsky is still known primarily for three works, all ballets from his early years: The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring. Some of the neglect of his work is justified, for his enormous output is one of the most uneven in all of music. But much of the neglect is not warranted, particularly in the case of The Rake’s Progress.
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Yet even when it is clearly understood, the opera is often rather cerebral in content, and the 18th-century operatic conventions Stravinsky satirizes are held so near and dear by opera lovers everywhere that his humor is largely lost on them. Many critics have completely missed the point of the work and have labeled it a pastiche imitation of 18th-century opera, which speaks as much to Stravinsky’s subtlety as to their stupidity.
It was immediately obvious that conductor Elaine Scott Banks had done every bit of the tremendous amount of homework necessary to effectively bring off such an unusual score, a real credit to how far she has come as a major conductor in a short time. Her interpretation was so imaginative, her command so absolute, I suspect there isn’t a major opera house in the world that wouldn’t have been proud to have her in the pit conducting this work. (In fact, Lyric should think very seriously about engaging Banks for their own announced production, for the chances of their being able to find someone to do nearly as stylish a job are quite slim.) Banks’s experience with 18th-century music turned out to be an asset; her approach was never heavy-handed, which ensured that the work had a nice, light bounce to it. At the same time, she displayed an enormous array of contrasts of color and dynamics, and her point of view was decidedly modern. It was really the best of both worlds. The ensemble, augmented to nearly twice its regular size, responded impressively as a single instrument. Most enjoyable was its lilting approach to Stravinsky’s unusual rhythms, which are so often done in a stodgy manner; Stravinsky should always be done with a real sense of swing.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo/Gordon Meyer.
