Preparing for Mahagonny

This morning I watched the video of the 1998 Salzburg Festival production of The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, one of three things I'm doing to prepare for the trip to L.A. to see it in two weeks. I have the W.H. Auden translation to read again, and the CD-set of the famous Lotte Lenya production of years ago. (Photo by Julie Madsen.)

I was introduced to Mahagonny in the 1960s and instantly it became my favorite work of dramatic art. This has not changed. In fact, I would say that it's place at the top of my list is more secure than ever. Watching it today was a very emotional experience, as the opera always is for me. Why does it move me so much? Because it strikes me as so true, and true with great dramatic beauty, about our essential condition and situation as humans in a political world. Indeed, watching it today, I was astounded how contemporary and relevant it felt -- the threat of Nature, the hurricane, is global warming today; "is here no telephone?", if in reference to cell phones, is right on the mark. The images, the metaphors, all contemporary, still. There is no greater human crime than to be without money: a major human theme, still. "Nothing you can do can help a dead man." In my view, a profound truth -- and the reason I call myself an existentialist, however out of fashion that's become.

I imagine I'll be weeping in the audience in L.A., but that's fine. But I don't find Mahagonny depressing. How can the truth be depressing? Yes, it has a lot to say about Greed, Gluttony, and the rest of our sins; it does not paint a very cheery picture of human activity. But the play is no worse than today's newscast, or yesterday's, or tomorrow's. What is uplifting in the play is we have a martyr who speaks truly, the lumberjack Jimmy, and we have a moment of human connection between Jimmy and the whore, Jenny.

The Salzburg production was very energetic, erotic and busy. Lots of street theater moments and crowd scenes. In fact, it was too busy for my tastes, but that's a minor dissatisfaction. There was lot of nudity -- I wonder if L.A. will do the same? I think it's distracting if made too blatant but can work if dramatically realistic. I think they showed off the nice female bodies too much in Salzburg. I thought the visit to Mahagonny by God was a little too campy and cute (he rode a bicycle). Salzburg was not an ideal production to my tastes -- but the singers were there, and it's still Mahagonny, after all. If you can sing it, you can't screw it up too badly.

But I'm naturally curious about the L.A. production. I was sorry to learn it will be sung in English, though if they use the Auden translation, that would be convenient for me since that's the one I'm studying.

I never believed I'd get to see this live, it's done so seldom in the U.S. About five or six years ago I announced to my wife that if Mahagonny ever plays in the continental U.S. while I'm alive and mobile, I will pay any price to see it. Hence our L.A. trip, more convenient and sooner than I imagined. And on Oscar night, no less! When we get out of the matinee, maybe the traffic jam will be beginning to watch the stars arrive. At any rate, we'll be spending Sunday eve with good L.A. friends, so I'll catch the Oscars the next day (taping it).

I'm still emotionally drained. What a work of art. Leaves me breathless and in awe. And it keeps me humble -- I'd be happy to write something that reached Mahagonny's knee caps.