Scenes of Gypsy Life

Conductor's Notes

When I spoke with members of The Morgan Library & Museum’s music committee about presenting an opera in their as-yet-unfinished Gilder Lehrman Hall, my interest was tempered by a healthy dose of skepticism. Here was a beautiful performance space without any of the standard features of an opera house: orchestra pit, wings for entrances and exits, flies for scenery, etc. I would have to choose repertoire and an artistic team that could make a virtue out of necessity, and it was in this spirit that Scenes of Gypsy Life was born. In Janáček’s Diary of One Who Disappeared, a theatrically conceived song cycle for tenor, four female singers, and piano, I found an operatic composition naturally scaled to complement the space. And Dvořák’s Gypsy Songs was a natural choice to provide dramatic context, sharing as it does a common nationality, setting, and language with Janáček’s gripping tale.

For Scenes of Gypsy Life, Eric Einhorn and I are delighted to be working with a team of designers whose youth and ingenuity allowed them to create a timeless and flexible visual environment for our drama. It is, after all, an aspect of Gotham Chamber Opera’s mission to promote the next generation of directors and designers whenever possible, in addition to exposing our audiences to the brightest young vocal talents. With particular thanks to Mr. and Mrs. George Lindemann and Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Crawford for underwriting Gotham’s most intimate production to date, I hope you will find the gypsy life as alluring as did our young protagonist— at least for the coming hour. - Neal Goren

Producer’s Notes

Ozef Kalda’s text for The Diary of One Who Disappeared tells the rather simple story of a young peasant, Janíčku, seduced by a dark-haired Gypsy girl. As in much of Western lore, the Gypsy girl, Zefka, is painted as the aggressor, preying on the helpless farm boy. Janáček’s music, though, points to a darker layer within the story. Is it possible that Zefka is actually innocent, and that Janíčku disastrously misinterprets her simple attempts at friendship?

From first hearing, this piece struck me as a confession: the poetry and music portraying the guilt of our “victim,” Janíčku. Rather than being helpless against the advances of Zefka, the opera suggests that he becomes a willing partner in his own seduction, which ultimately leads him to destroy the object of his desire. With the addition of Dvořák’s Gypsy Songs to the evening, we create a framework that furthers Janíčku’s guilt. The simple gypsy world Dvořák paints so vividly is also shattered by the “helpless” farm boy’s lust and rage. - Eric Einhorn

This production of Scenes of Gypsy Life is made possible by generous gifts from Mr. and Mrs. George Lindemann and Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Crawford.