Yesterday, I went and saw an African opera at Théâtre du Chatelet. This was my birthday present for two friends from hogh school, Marjo and Nathalie.
It was an amasing opera!
The first part may have sounded a bit too exaggerated sometimes. Dealing with themes such as rape, machism,and cliches around immigrations. Themes to which I am sort of familiar, unfortunately, after a few stays in Africa, both Western and Eastern.
The second part was by the best part. Much much better than the first part.
Interestingly, I guess I was intrigued by the term used to depict what I've seen. Opera. Well, it may be a premiere for Africans to perform opera. Very interesting appropriation of that form of art. Voices were not trained as in traditional opera. Something very natural and crystal clear in that. A couple of singers had impressing voices, that could have well been heard in traditional opera.
I was first feeling a bit lost because of the paucity of details in the setting; only that sand colour floor, and lights changing. However, actually, that was enough when you think of it. The opera in itself is rich enough: magnificent costumes, music and dances. Maybe the acoustique did not help a few singers, and the musicians, but the good singers were to be heard anyway.
That musical fable should/must be listened to in other places as well, because it tackled too important themes. You could accuse them of flirting sometimes with cliches, but in the end, the opera should help Africa to feel empowered in some ways. Africa has a future of its own, shouldered by artists such as those who performed in the Theatre du Chatelet.
And; probably, the best achieving of this opera would have consisted in making people that would not go to the Opera feel welcomed in the gilded setting. I will never forget all the bravos and the ten minute standing ovation at the end...
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