Mythologizing the Narrative: An Analytical Study of Turnage/Berkoff’s <i>Greek</i> (1989) and the Nature of Operatic Narrative

Alexander Chih-Yuan Mai

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15

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Mythologizing the Narrative: An Analytical Study of Turnage/Berkoff’s Greek (1989) and the Nature of Operatic Narrative

Alexander Chih-Yuan Mai

Published in English Language, Literature & Culture (Volume 6, Issue 3)

Received: 27 June 2021 Accepted: 19 July 2021 Published: 29 July 2021

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Abstract

This paper focuses on literary adaptation of the genre of music theatre, i.e. opera and its strong association with mythic narrative. It will begin with a brief discussion on the hybrid nature of music theatre and its inner struggle between the Apollonian/verbal and the Dionysian/musical principles. In order to fully apprehend operatic narrative, it is necessary to explore the connection between opera and its predecessor, the ancient Greek theatre and the genre’s association with myth and ritual. The paper will analyse a twentieth century English operatic adaptation and its social and cultural implications by using Greek (1989) as an example. In crafting a modern version of an ancient myth, some plausible equivalence of the original narrative motivation must be incorporated if the functional and explanatory elements are not to be lost. Opera can be considered to be the direct descendent of its ancient Greek predecessor. Furthermore, from a social and cultural prospective, opera has transformed the ancient rite of religious sacrifice into a secular social and communal offering. The nature of operatic libretto also reflects the essential characteristics of a double sacrifice in the genre of music theatre. Singers offer their talents in representing the scapegoat in a pseudo religious ritual in the modern society; librettists offer words for the ultimate amalgamation with music in the genre of music theatre. The paper concludes with the idea that the genre of music theatre is designed to epitomise a condensation of human emotions and as an offering which corresponding to the modern society’s need for ritualistic sacrifice and spiritual purification.

Published in	English Language, Literature & Culture (Volume 6, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15
Page(s)	82-90
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Opera Libretti, Cultural Studies, Mythic Narrative, Operatic Adaptation

References

[1]	F. Nietzsche, The Birth of Tragedy, trans. by Douglas Smith, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008, pp. 114.
[2]	S. Pittitt, “Mark-Anthony Turnage ‘Greek’”, Musical Times, cxxix, pp. 397, 1988.
[3]	M. Evans, Opera from the Greek: Studies in the Poetics of Appropriation, New York: Routledge, 2016, pp. 184.
[4]	S. Berkoff, Free Association: an autobiography, London: Faber, 1996, pp. 4.
[5]	W. Burkert, Homo Necans: The Anthropology of Ancient Greek Sacrificial Ritual and Myth, trans. by P. Being, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1983, pp. 1-3.
[6]	A. E. Jensen, Myth and Cult among Primitive People, trans. by M. T. Choldin and W. Weissleder, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1963, pp. 162.
[7]	Berkoff, op. cit, pp. 4.
[8]	F. Nietzsche, The Birth of Tragedy, trans. by Douglas Smith, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008, pp. 118.
[9]	C. Abbate, In Search of Opera, Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2001, pp. 189-194.
[10]	A. Gerhard, The Urbanization of Opera: Music Theatre in Paris in the Nineteenth century, trans. by M. Whittal, London: The University of Chicago Press, pp. 17-21.
[11]	D. J. Grout and H. W. Williams, A Short History of Opera, New York: Columbia University Press, 2003, pp. 43-47.
[12]	C. G. Jung, Jung: Selected Writings, ed. by A. Storr, London: Fontana Press, 1986, pp. 345-346.
[13]	P. Conrad, A Song of Love and Death: the Meaning of Opera, London: The Hogarth Press, 1987, pp. 71.
[14]	C. Lévi-Strauss, Structural Anthropology, trans. by M. Layton, vol. 2, Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1977, pp. 29-30.
[15]	H. Hubert and M. Mauss, Sacrifice: Its Nature and Functions, trans. by W. D. Hall, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1981, pp. 2.
[16]	J. Carter, “General Introduction” in Understanding Religious Sacrifice: A Reader, ed. by J. Carter, London: Continuum, 2003, pp. 2-7.
[17]	P. Cartledge, “Deep plays’: theatre as process in Greek civic life in The Cambridge Companion to Greek Tragedy, ed. by P. E. Easterling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997, pp. 5-11.
[18]	J. R. Green, Theatre in Ancient Greek Society, London: Routledge, 1994, pp. 62-64.
[19]	L. Orrey, Opera: a concise history, ed. by R. Milnes, London: Thames & Hudson, 1987, pp. 9-18.
[20]	P. J. Smith, “‘O Patria Mia’: Female Homosociality and the Gendered Nation in Bellini’s Norma and Verdi’s Aida” in The Work of Opera: Genre, Nationhood, and Sexual Difference, ed. by R. Dellamora and D. Fischlin, New York: Columbia University Press, 1997, pp. 94-95.
[21]	J. Bokina, Opera and Politic: From Monteverdi to Henze, London: Yale University Press, 1997, pp. 2.
[22]	R. Girard, Violence and the Sacred, Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 1977, pp. 6.
[23]	H. Hubert and M. Mauss, Sacrifice: Its Nature and Functions, trans. by W. D. Halls, p. 71-72.
[24]	W. H. Auden, Secondary World, London: Faber & Faber, 1968, pp. 41-45.
[25]	J. Rosselli, Singers of Italian Opera: The History of a Profession, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992, pp. 114.
[26]	W. H. Auden, Secondary Worlds, p. 13-14.
[27]	L. Kramer, After the Lovedeath: Sexual Violence and the Making of Culture, London: University of California Press, 1997, pp. 1-4.
[28]	W. H. Auden, Forewords and Afterwords, London: Faber and Faber, 1973, pp. 345-350.
[29]	W. H. Auden, Forewords and Afterwords, London: Faber and Faber, 1973, pp. 349.
[30]	D. J. Grout and H. W. Williams, A Short History of Opera, p. 3.
[31]	A. E. Jensen, Myth and Cult: Among Primitive People, trans. by M. T. Choldin and W. Weissleder, pp. 59-64.
[32]	E. W. White, “Court Masque” in A History of English Opera, London: Faber and Faber, 1983, pp. 40-48.
[33]	A. Groos, “Introduction” in Reading Opera, ed. by A. Groos and R. Parker, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1988, pp. 10.

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Alexander Chih-Yuan Mai. (2021). Mythologizing the Narrative: An Analytical Study of Turnage/Berkoff’s Greek (1989) and the Nature of Operatic Narrative. English Language, Literature & Culture, 6(3), 82-90. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15

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Alexander Chih-Yuan Mai. Mythologizing the Narrative: An Analytical Study of Turnage/Berkoff’s Greek (1989) and the Nature of Operatic Narrative. Engl. Lang. Lit. Cult. 2021, 6(3), 82-90. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15

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Alexander Chih-Yuan Mai. Mythologizing the Narrative: An Analytical Study of Turnage/Berkoff’s Greek (1989) and the Nature of Operatic Narrative. Engl Lang Lit Cult. 2021;6(3):82-90. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15

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@article{10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15,
  author = {Alexander Chih-Yuan Mai},
  title = {Mythologizing the Narrative: An Analytical Study of Turnage/Berkoff’s Greek (1989) and the Nature of Operatic Narrative},
  journal = {English Language, Literature & Culture},
  volume = {6},
  number = {3},
  pages = {82-90},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ellc.20210603.15},
  abstract = {This paper focuses on literary adaptation of the genre of music theatre, i.e. opera and its strong association with mythic narrative. It will begin with a brief discussion on the hybrid nature of music theatre and its inner struggle between the Apollonian/verbal and the Dionysian/musical principles. In order to fully apprehend operatic narrative, it is necessary to explore the connection between opera and its predecessor, the ancient Greek theatre and the genre’s association with myth and ritual. The paper will analyse a twentieth century English operatic adaptation and its social and cultural implications by using Greek (1989) as an example. In crafting a modern version of an ancient myth, some plausible equivalence of the original narrative motivation must be incorporated if the functional and explanatory elements are not to be lost. Opera can be considered to be the direct descendent of its ancient Greek predecessor. Furthermore, from a social and cultural prospective, opera has transformed the ancient rite of religious sacrifice into a secular social and communal offering. The nature of operatic libretto also reflects the essential characteristics of a double sacrifice in the genre of music theatre. Singers offer their talents in representing the scapegoat in a pseudo religious ritual in the modern society; librettists offer words for the ultimate amalgamation with music in the genre of music theatre. The paper concludes with the idea that the genre of music theatre is designed to epitomise a condensation of human emotions and as an offering which corresponding to the modern society’s need for ritualistic sacrifice and spiritual purification.},
 year = {2021}
}

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TY  - JOUR
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Y1  - 2021/07/29
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AB  - This paper focuses on literary adaptation of the genre of music theatre, i.e. opera and its strong association with mythic narrative. It will begin with a brief discussion on the hybrid nature of music theatre and its inner struggle between the Apollonian/verbal and the Dionysian/musical principles. In order to fully apprehend operatic narrative, it is necessary to explore the connection between opera and its predecessor, the ancient Greek theatre and the genre’s association with myth and ritual. The paper will analyse a twentieth century English operatic adaptation and its social and cultural implications by using Greek (1989) as an example. In crafting a modern version of an ancient myth, some plausible equivalence of the original narrative motivation must be incorporated if the functional and explanatory elements are not to be lost. Opera can be considered to be the direct descendent of its ancient Greek predecessor. Furthermore, from a social and cultural prospective, opera has transformed the ancient rite of religious sacrifice into a secular social and communal offering. The nature of operatic libretto also reflects the essential characteristics of a double sacrifice in the genre of music theatre. Singers offer their talents in representing the scapegoat in a pseudo religious ritual in the modern society; librettists offer words for the ultimate amalgamation with music in the genre of music theatre. The paper concludes with the idea that the genre of music theatre is designed to epitomise a condensation of human emotions and as an offering which corresponding to the modern society’s need for ritualistic sacrifice and spiritual purification.
VL  - 6
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ER  -

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Author Information

Alexander Chih-Yuan Mai

Department of Foreign Studies, Kansai Gaidai University, Osaka, Japan

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Alexander Chih-Yuan Mai. (2021). Mythologizing the Narrative: An Analytical Study of Turnage/Berkoff’s Greek (1989) and the Nature of Operatic Narrative. English Language, Literature & Culture, 6(3), 82-90. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15

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ACS Style

Alexander Chih-Yuan Mai. Mythologizing the Narrative: An Analytical Study of Turnage/Berkoff’s Greek (1989) and the Nature of Operatic Narrative. Engl. Lang. Lit. Cult. 2021, 6(3), 82-90. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15

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AMA Style

Alexander Chih-Yuan Mai. Mythologizing the Narrative: An Analytical Study of Turnage/Berkoff’s Greek (1989) and the Nature of Operatic Narrative. Engl Lang Lit Cult. 2021;6(3):82-90. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15

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@article{10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15,
  author = {Alexander Chih-Yuan Mai},
  title = {Mythologizing the Narrative: An Analytical Study of Turnage/Berkoff’s Greek (1989) and the Nature of Operatic Narrative},
  journal = {English Language, Literature & Culture},
  volume = {6},
  number = {3},
  pages = {82-90},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ellc.20210603.15},
  abstract = {This paper focuses on literary adaptation of the genre of music theatre, i.e. opera and its strong association with mythic narrative. It will begin with a brief discussion on the hybrid nature of music theatre and its inner struggle between the Apollonian/verbal and the Dionysian/musical principles. In order to fully apprehend operatic narrative, it is necessary to explore the connection between opera and its predecessor, the ancient Greek theatre and the genre’s association with myth and ritual. The paper will analyse a twentieth century English operatic adaptation and its social and cultural implications by using Greek (1989) as an example. In crafting a modern version of an ancient myth, some plausible equivalence of the original narrative motivation must be incorporated if the functional and explanatory elements are not to be lost. Opera can be considered to be the direct descendent of its ancient Greek predecessor. Furthermore, from a social and cultural prospective, opera has transformed the ancient rite of religious sacrifice into a secular social and communal offering. The nature of operatic libretto also reflects the essential characteristics of a double sacrifice in the genre of music theatre. Singers offer their talents in representing the scapegoat in a pseudo religious ritual in the modern society; librettists offer words for the ultimate amalgamation with music in the genre of music theatre. The paper concludes with the idea that the genre of music theatre is designed to epitomise a condensation of human emotions and as an offering which corresponding to the modern society’s need for ritualistic sacrifice and spiritual purification.},
 year = {2021}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Mythologizing the Narrative: An Analytical Study of Turnage/Berkoff’s Greek (1989) and the Nature of Operatic Narrative
AU  - Alexander Chih-Yuan Mai
Y1  - 2021/07/29
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15
DO  - 10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15
T2  - English Language, Literature & Culture
JF  - English Language, Literature & Culture
JO  - English Language, Literature & Culture
SP  - 82
EP  - 90
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-2413
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20210603.15
AB  - This paper focuses on literary adaptation of the genre of music theatre, i.e. opera and its strong association with mythic narrative. It will begin with a brief discussion on the hybrid nature of music theatre and its inner struggle between the Apollonian/verbal and the Dionysian/musical principles. In order to fully apprehend operatic narrative, it is necessary to explore the connection between opera and its predecessor, the ancient Greek theatre and the genre’s association with myth and ritual. The paper will analyse a twentieth century English operatic adaptation and its social and cultural implications by using Greek (1989) as an example. In crafting a modern version of an ancient myth, some plausible equivalence of the original narrative motivation must be incorporated if the functional and explanatory elements are not to be lost. Opera can be considered to be the direct descendent of its ancient Greek predecessor. Furthermore, from a social and cultural prospective, opera has transformed the ancient rite of religious sacrifice into a secular social and communal offering. The nature of operatic libretto also reflects the essential characteristics of a double sacrifice in the genre of music theatre. Singers offer their talents in representing the scapegoat in a pseudo religious ritual in the modern society; librettists offer words for the ultimate amalgamation with music in the genre of music theatre. The paper concludes with the idea that the genre of music theatre is designed to epitomise a condensation of human emotions and as an offering which corresponding to the modern society’s need for ritualistic sacrifice and spiritual purification.
VL  - 6
IS  - 3
ER  -

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