2023-09-14 22:49:50
There is a lot of hectic activity in the Unter den Linden State Opera. The new season begins on October 3rd, but this Friday there is the first highlight: Anna Netrebko sings in the revival of Verdi’s “Macbeth”. Protests against the Russian singer have been announced. For director Matthias Schulz, the last year in Berlin begins as turbulently as his entire term in office. In conversation, he appears unimpressed by all the crises he has experienced and says: Opera can be an anchor of stability for a society in troubled times.
Mr. Schulz, you are now entering your final season at the State Opera – what is your assessment of your years in Berlin?
We’ve never been able to just walk in a straight line all these years; there were a lot of imponderables. But we have achieved a lot. We use the newly renovated house with the entire range of repertoire from baroque to contemporary, and with new formats: In addition to classical opera, there are premieres, experimental musical theater, increased educational work and activities to reach new audiences. In 2019, we initiated a process in which the corporate culture was redefined, with a clear awareness of how we should behave when dealing with one another. Then Corona came and we had to go through a difficult time again. But – and this cannot be taken for granted: we managed to get our audience back after the pandemic. This was only possible with our great employees, who made this possible with a lot of passion and emotion. I will always remember that fondly.
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How do you see the opera as an institution?
As director, I always have to keep an eye on the development of the overall situation. The opera is a powerhouse, but it is also a challenge on all levels. For example, we have raised extensive additional financial resources ourselves in order to be able to finance special accessibility projects. The opera is much more than just a venue: we have the Staatskapelle, which is increasingly going on long tours, we have broad youth work and lots of new programs. You have to keep an eye on all of this. Above all, the corporate culture has to be right. We had a moderated orchestral dialogue a few years ago and that helped us a lot – but something like this remains a process that needs to be continually worked on.
Does the example of opera generally show that institutions are having a hard time today? There are no certainties and everyone always has to reinvent themselves…
We are definitely seeing a weakening of institutions today. Everything is questioned much more. Large institutions such as the EU and the churches are also conducting debates about necessary reforms. The opera can be a social anchor that brings people together. In surveys, over 90 percent of those surveyed say that they think opera and concert halls are important. Even if not all of them take advantage of our offers, there is widespread acceptance. In addition, the operas also show that the breadth needs the top. We need institutions that deliver top performance. You can see how much this can have an impact across the board these days in basketball. The whole country is happy when a team achieves a top performance.
So the opera as an anchor of stability in a restless world?
Top artistic achievements need the right environment. Opera has luminosity in education. We cannot be a closed system, an ivory tower. We are not an ivory tower. In this respect, we are now a social giant in the city: we work with the twelve district music schools in the area of the children’s opera orchestra, and we are represented in ten districts with the children’s opera house. We have other low-threshold programs, such as “State Opera for All”, “Out of Opera” – where members of the Staatskapelle play in bars – or the “Linden21” series, where a musical theater homage to Klaus Nomi will soon be shown .
Music is one of those areas where, in addition to fun, performance is also required. You can’t become a musician without performance. Can you also use this to stimulate the education system?
We must always be aware of this perspective. There are deadlines in the opera house. Everything has to be prepared so that it works perfectly. The principle here is not that “being there is everything”. What we can also show young people: practice is useful. With effort you can achieve something. Everyone can contribute something to success. Rehearsals are important, without discipline it doesn’t work. With us, children and young people can also learn to work together in a team and act independently.
Can you rely on sufficiently well-educated children?
The music schools in Berlin do an excellent job. But we still have to get better. It shouldn’t fail because a child who wants to learn an instrument doesn’t get a place. We need more permanent music teachers in music schools. The children need sustainable teaching. Everyone needs to feel like we have equal opportunities to achieve something. This is the only way we can get the children to ultimately act on their own responsibility.
How does the children’s orchestra work?
The orchestra has been around since 2019. We managed to continue even during the pandemic, despite all the restrictions. Each vocal group is taught by tandems, each consisting of a member of the Staatskapelle and a teacher from a music school. This is a team of 18. The children between the ages of seven and 13 make music together on the large stage of the State Opera. The result is like jogging: When you run together, you run faster and further. The level of the orchestra is developing rapidly. To achieve this, the focus is not just on quality. We also want to involve as many children as possible and are happy that the music schools support us so wonderfully.
An interesting phenomenon can be observed in the opera: the top performers – such as the musicians in the Staatskapelle – are very young, and the audience is rather gray. How can this gap be closed?
Every student should have had contact with the opera at some point. Without contact there is no enthusiasm. Good music lessons are key and cannot be replaced. In music lessons there should be a “school of listening” with the 20 most important works from opera and concerts. And this requires enthusiastic teachers; they must take their students by the hand. You have to talk to them, interpret the works. In German lessons it is still common practice for teachers to read the most important plays with their class. The interest is there. We see this on our Instagram account, where we already have over 80,000 followers, and they are mostly young people. I am confident that we can achieve a lot through social media.
But social media is also a problem: people only hear snippets, want to react to them straight away, look for links…
It’s true, people have much shorter attention spans because of social media. But I believe that the anachronistic character of opera has a future. Because in the opera everything is real: the vibrations of the instruments, the feeling of space, the stage, where something can always go wrong, the density in the air. There is a great longing for screen-free experiences. In the opera, the music takes us to another world. But social media can arouse curiosity and be a door opener. In addition, new digital forms can enrich opera artistically and reach young people where much of their lives take place.
It can do this especially when the musicians are world class, like the Staatskapelle.
In the orchestra we have an extremely high degree of personal responsibility that each individual feels. In the coming season there will again be encounters with many new, young and exciting conductors: Rafael Payare, Elim Chan, Johanna Mallwitz, Lorenzo Viotti, Giedrė Šlekytė – this is the generation that is coming up, and they will continue to do so in the future house be important. The Staatskapelle plays at an outstanding level and we see confirmation from the audience. Nevertheless, she will need a reliable sound developer again in the future. Advance sales for our subscription concerts and also for the operas went better than ever before. This is not the case everywhere; many houses are finding it difficult to get back on track after the pandemic. The Staatskapelle is outstanding.
Which brings us to the general music director. Has there already been a decision about Barenboim’s successor?
With the quality of the orchestra, we have laid fertile ground for an excellent solution. However, the decision is not made by me, but by the Board of Trustees with the Senator for Culture as chairman, in dialogue with my successor and the current management.
Now Anna Netrebko is coming, there are discussions about the casting.
Netrebko has clearly taken a stand and acted accordingly: she is no longer performing in Russia. She will be part of an artistically outstanding performance of Verdi’s “Macbeth”. We should listen carefully to each other in this discussion in order to understand each other’s point of view. In any case, the artist deserves fair treatment.
There will also be a demonstration. What do you think?
Freedom of expression applies, and of course we respect that. We are in contact with the police about this, because for us the safety of our visitors and the safety of the house is our top priority. I hope everything stays peaceful and constructive.
Which premieres are you particularly looking forward to in the last season?
The opening premiere of “Aida”, the Baroque Days with Charpentier’s “Medée”, conducted by Simon Rattle, “Rusalka”, staged by Kornél Mundruczó, who also staged the premiere of “Sleepless”, the 5th and 6th cycle of ours new complete ring by Richard Wagner, this time conducted by Philippe Jordan, on “Khowanschtschina”, the world premiere of “Melancholy of Resistance” by Marc-André Dalbavie. Last weekend we again presented “State Opera for All” with Christian Thielemann as conductor.
So is the ring now part of the repertoire?
Yes I hope so.
What is the financial situation?
We finished every year on a positive note. Finances are in excellent condition. Despite the extraordinary program, I am handing over to my successor a house that is in excellent financial condition.
You are now going to Zurich. Are there any plans yet?
My full focus is still on Berlin. But of course one thing or another is being prepared. Above all, there is a renovation planned there and, unlike at the State Opera, I will be involved in shaping the project from the start. It’s great fun to think about what a cultural building of the future should look like.
You also worked as a pianist during your time in Berlin and accompanied recitals by Michael Volle and Elīna Garanča. Will you continue to do this?
For me it’s a balance. Although I studied piano performance, I never wanted to pursue it as my main profession. Of course it’s pure luck that I get to play music with such great artists every now and then.
Do you envy the artists in moments like this or do you think, how lucky am I that I don’t have to do this all the time?
I am full of admiration. It is a tremendous achievement. The artists have to withstand enormous pressure. The job requires full concentration. On stage, the slightest insecurity becomes immediately apparent.
Will you return to Berlin as a pianist?
Gladly as a song accompaniment.
Interview: Michael Maier
#hope #stays #peaceful