# "Yes, The Joke Is On Us"



## Xavier (Jun 7, 2012)

In the March issue of Opera Now magazine on page 52 Francis Carlin writes:

"The global tour of Philip Glass's "Einstein On The Beach" revival ended in Paris where it was filmed at the Theater du Chatelet. *'It hasn't aged one bit,'* chirped some enthusiastic French critics clearly in need of an eye test. Back in 1976, Bob Wilson's project must have seemed terribly original and daring. After all, it took guts to ask audiences to sit for just under 5 hours without an interval and suffer Glass's repetitive score and largely incomprehensible libretto. But those were 'anything goes' 1970's when New Age hippies were still getting away with murder.

Einstein now looks like one of the biggest con jobs ever perpetrated in the theatre, a fatuous museum piece that kicks off with the chorus beatifically smiling at the audience like members of a sect. Yes, the joke is on us. If it were a real work, it would stand the test of a new production rather than being rolled out in its now very wrinkled format. Its supporters claim it must have some merit as it is very difficult to perform; but chanting a telephone directory on one note is equally taxing and just as pointless"


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## Revenant (Aug 27, 2013)

You mean it took 37 years for people to realize that an unconscionable piece of crap is a piece of crap? That they could never ever get back the miserable five hours they invested in it instead of watching two real operas in that time? All because they hoped that their vaunted love of the convoluted and gratuitously offbeat would peg them as Joe Cool, the deep sophisticate, as they walked down Piccadilly with a poppy or a lily up their nose? Alas for those who need to eat an egg to find out if it's rotten or not, and 37 years later. So sad. Darwin was right.


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

> No one in this world, so far as I know - and I have searched the record for years, and employed agents to help me - has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people.


H L Mencken 'Notes on Journalism' in the Chicago Sunday Tribune (19 September 1926).


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I've never managed to get through Einstein on the beach, but I really love Akhnaten. Go figure.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

In college, I had a friend who claimed Einstein on the Beach was the greatest work of art of the 20th century. I bought the LP box set and listened to it all the way through. Then I listened to it all the way through again to make sure I wasn't missing anything. The only thing Glass ever did that was justifiable was Glassworks and that sucked a lot too.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Well, I attended a performance of "Einstein on the Beach", with a staging by Robert Wilson, quite a few years ago. Noboby 'ask audiences to sit for just under 5 hours without an interval', on the contrary, the audience was free to leave and enter again when they pleased, and encouraged to have a beer while watching the opera.


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## Guest (Mar 4, 2014)

Xavier said:


> In the March issue of Opera Now


...there's an article about opera _then_, deriding the past.

'Twas ever thus!


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

schigolch said:


> the audience was free to leave and enter again when they pleased, and encouraged to have a beer while watching the opera.


they should just stage it on the beach.


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## Oreb (Aug 8, 2013)

deggial said:


> they should just stage it on the beach.


Well it seems to have worked with _Peter Grimes_ 

_EotB _is the only thing by Glass I like - and I like it a fair bit - but I can't take it seriously as 'opera'.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Wonder what other modern "masterpieces" will fall next?


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

The joke is still on us as per Wagner's ring cycle as well. Just sayin'

But Xavier, you really needn't hold back like you did in the OP. You should tell us what you really think.


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## quack (Oct 13, 2011)

Itullian said:


> Wonder what other modern "masterpieces" will fall next?


I don't see how any can fall. They can be used as a punching bag by an opera mob in order to decry the state of opera today but that will only make them survive for longer.

People seem to derive great comfort from Glass, he unites opera fans in an enjoyable hatred. I don't care much for _Einstein_, I prefer his other works, but I think I would rather listen to back to back performances then suffer the empty criticisms it receives which pander to an audience which already knows what it hates, criticisms that are as repetitive as Glass is usually found to be.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

quack said:


> I don't see how any can fall. They can be used as a punching bag by an opera mob in order to decry the state of opera today but that will only make them survive for longer.
> 
> People seem to derive great comfort from Glass, he unites opera fans in an enjoyable hatred. I don't care much for _Einstein_, I prefer his other works, but I think I would rather listen to back to back performances then suffer the empty criticisms it receives which pander to an audience which already knows what it hates, criticisms that are as repetitive as Glass is usually found to be.


_*Bravississimo!*_ ............................


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## Revenant (Aug 27, 2013)

schigolch said:


> Well, I attended a performance of "Einstein on the Beach", with a staging by Robert Wilson, quite a few years ago. Noboby 'ask audiences to sit for just under 5 hours without an interval', on the contrary, the audience was free to leave and enter again when they pleased, and encouraged to have a beer while watching the opera.


And lots of whisky and gin. Lots of. Or failing that, a hammer to knock themselves unconscious.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

I heard they play Glass day and night at Guantanamo.


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## Whistler Fred (Feb 6, 2014)

I'm not a big Glass fan and I've never made it through EotB or any of his other operas. Some of his shorter works (Glassworks, the concertos) have a certain amount of surface appeal but I find interest waning upon repeated listening. I prefer the more rhythmic interweaving of Steve Reich or the playful chaos of Terry Riley’s “In C” when I’m in the mood for minimalism.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

Revenant said:


> a hammer to knock themselves unconscious.


that's already 21st century aesthetics, you're ahead of Glass.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

PetrB said:


> *The joke is still on us as per Wagner's ring cycle as well. Just sayin'*
> But Xavier, you really needn't hold back like you did in the OP. You should tell us what you really think.


Comparing the RING cycle to Glass?
I've heard it all now.


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## katdad (Jan 1, 2009)

It's ridiculous to criticize EOB. It's a very unique piece, absolutely not for the faint of heart -- ha ha -- and is definitely also not for everyone.

I'm a big Glass fan and I liked the opera and listen to my CD set often. But you either like Glass or you don't. It's a work of artistry and is serious. To ridicule the opera now is silly. If the critic thought it was poorly performed, okay, talk about it. But if the opera itself isn't worth performing, much the same can be said (by me) about the monotonous and egregious operas of Benjamin Britten (ha ha -- I really don't like Britten).

Anyway, go ahead and write a bad review about the performance. But the opera itself should remain as it is, an iconic work and one that isn't on the "big list of most enjoyed operas".

In other words, whether Glass' opera is a good opera, let posterity decide. But as a critic, concern yourself with the production only. Does that make sense?


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## Revenant (Aug 27, 2013)

bigshot said:


> I heard they play Glass day and night at Guantanamo.


Lol! Glass-boarding! I bet they spilled all the beans with that method; heck, I would've made up secrets!


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Itullian said:


> Comparing the RING cycle to Glass?
> I've heard it all now.


As far as sustained perpetuated jokes, ala the OP, it's just another totally valid opinion.

Besides, you ain't heard it all -- we all know it ain't over till the fat lady sings


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

bigshot said:


> I heard they play Glass day and night at Guantanamo.


Reports have it they were using Vic Damone recordings -- just one of many notions of hell, I suppose


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