Robert Legage, a theatre artist from Canada who has won numerousprestigious awards including Companion of the Order of Canada, theEuropean Commission's Europe Theatre Prize and Canada's GovernorGeneral's Performing Arts Award, is known for his versatility in everyform of theatre craft – script-writing, acting and directing.
Recently he introduced in Hanoi a video of the opera "The Nightingaleand Other Short Fables'', which he directed in October 2009 for theCanadian Opera Company. Its setting was inspired from Vietnamese waterpuppetry.
The opera was presented at the FestivalLyrique d'Aix-en-Provence in July 2010, at the Lyon Opera during theautumn of 2010, and won the Claude Rostand Award in June 2011. Awardedby the Syndicat de la Critique in France, this prize crowns the bestlyrical production created outside Paris.
He spoke to Viet Nam News about the work and his passion:
* How did you choose a water setting for an opera, knowing it could be a medium that artists are uncomfortable with?
The tale takes place in and around a lake. In the main story [TheNightingale], set in China in 19th century, everything happens around asmall pond and the smaller fairy tales on animals are also connectedwith water.
The Nightingale was a short story, so I added some other fairy tales on foxes, roosters and other animals.
I got the idea of using Vietnamese water puppetry during the rehearsalprocess. Because this piece is about the emperor of China receiving agift from the emperor of Japan, we wanted to create a show where wecould bring in different things from different Asian countries. Theresult has been harmonious. Various puppetry skills from Asia are usedin the opera including, none resembling the other.
Also, my work typically uses new technology, but for this, I used verysimple techniques, wanting to go back to the original, basic root of allmodern techniques.
We had just three weeks for therehearsals, and had to work very fast. Singers always complain thattheatres are too dry for their throats; in this case, performing inwater, they complained that the stage was too cold. But I was reallyinterested in trying to mix opera with water puppetry.
Opera singers are not very happy always if they are asked to moveabout on the stage. So, when we put a puppet in the hands of an operasinger, the reaction was one of rear. But when they received sometraining and could control the puppets, they became fascinated, andtheir movement with the puppets became smoother.
Icame to Hanoi first in 2007 to see water puppetry and borrow sometechniques. I was a bit shocked at seeing how water puppetry connectedto the whole history of Vietnam. Each time I watched a show, I learntnew things and became very interested in digging more into thistradition.
* You have worked in different fields,theatre, cinema, circus and so on. Is there a particular culture or artthat you are most interested in?
Actually, I thinkthe art of opera is a great mother art, because it invites other arts tobe part of it. I also think any art needs to stand alone. I like theidea of inviting all artists like choregraphers, puppeteers and writersto work together and create an inspiring show. I believe that we shouldall try to learn from each other create together.
* Do you have any plan to co-operate with Vietnamese artists and do the same show in Vietnam?
My first fantasy when I came here in 2007 was to do this – to returnto Vietnam and put on the show. But this would mean France and Canadahave to spend a lot of money on transporting huge equipments as well asmany people involved. It's a bit crazy to think of that, but one day whoknows.
Actually, a couple of days ago, on a streetcorner here in Hanoi, I saw a wonderful concert [Luala concerts]. Ithink that there is enough talent in Hanoi for me to stage a show withVietnamese artists one day.-VNA
Recently he introduced in Hanoi a video of the opera "The Nightingaleand Other Short Fables'', which he directed in October 2009 for theCanadian Opera Company. Its setting was inspired from Vietnamese waterpuppetry.
The opera was presented at the FestivalLyrique d'Aix-en-Provence in July 2010, at the Lyon Opera during theautumn of 2010, and won the Claude Rostand Award in June 2011. Awardedby the Syndicat de la Critique in France, this prize crowns the bestlyrical production created outside Paris.
He spoke to Viet Nam News about the work and his passion:
* How did you choose a water setting for an opera, knowing it could be a medium that artists are uncomfortable with?
The tale takes place in and around a lake. In the main story [TheNightingale], set in China in 19th century, everything happens around asmall pond and the smaller fairy tales on animals are also connectedwith water.
The Nightingale was a short story, so I added some other fairy tales on foxes, roosters and other animals.
I got the idea of using Vietnamese water puppetry during the rehearsalprocess. Because this piece is about the emperor of China receiving agift from the emperor of Japan, we wanted to create a show where wecould bring in different things from different Asian countries. Theresult has been harmonious. Various puppetry skills from Asia are usedin the opera including, none resembling the other.
Also, my work typically uses new technology, but for this, I used verysimple techniques, wanting to go back to the original, basic root of allmodern techniques.
We had just three weeks for therehearsals, and had to work very fast. Singers always complain thattheatres are too dry for their throats; in this case, performing inwater, they complained that the stage was too cold. But I was reallyinterested in trying to mix opera with water puppetry.
Opera singers are not very happy always if they are asked to moveabout on the stage. So, when we put a puppet in the hands of an operasinger, the reaction was one of rear. But when they received sometraining and could control the puppets, they became fascinated, andtheir movement with the puppets became smoother.
Icame to Hanoi first in 2007 to see water puppetry and borrow sometechniques. I was a bit shocked at seeing how water puppetry connectedto the whole history of Vietnam. Each time I watched a show, I learntnew things and became very interested in digging more into thistradition.
* You have worked in different fields,theatre, cinema, circus and so on. Is there a particular culture or artthat you are most interested in?
Actually, I thinkthe art of opera is a great mother art, because it invites other arts tobe part of it. I also think any art needs to stand alone. I like theidea of inviting all artists like choregraphers, puppeteers and writersto work together and create an inspiring show. I believe that we shouldall try to learn from each other create together.
* Do you have any plan to co-operate with Vietnamese artists and do the same show in Vietnam?
My first fantasy when I came here in 2007 was to do this – to returnto Vietnam and put on the show. But this would mean France and Canadahave to spend a lot of money on transporting huge equipments as well asmany people involved. It's a bit crazy to think of that, but one day whoknows.
Actually, a couple of days ago, on a streetcorner here in Hanoi, I saw a wonderful concert [Luala concerts]. Ithink that there is enough talent in Hanoi for me to stage a show withVietnamese artists one day.-VNA
