Musings on "Wille Stark"

In Olivia’s post, Staging ‘Stark’, she said: “Political stories, especially Presidential themes, always gather attention. So why not capitalize on that?”

That got me thinking. What is it about political figures that make them larger than life? Is the position of power? Is it the particular brand of charm that seems to be part of the job description? Suddenly it occurred to me: they are public figures! Meaning, unlike most men, they are responsible to the public and because of that, they are very visible in society. Oh yeah, and that position of power has a tendency to get them into trouble (I’m being very general here). How do we find these things out? Well, for starters, the media has an obsession with trouble…

That got me thinking about all of the possible ways one could stage Carlisle Floyd’s opera “Willie Stark” in order to strengthen the work. What I didn’t like about LSU’s production (granted, I’m sure their budget was not huge) was the fact that the set and costumes didn’t help my understanding of the work as a whole. I think the aesthetics of a production should highlight some theme of the work, or heighten the drama, or simply transport the audience into the story more completely. In that vein, I would like to see a production of “Willie Stark” that really hyped up the media aspect of the political life. The media informs so much of what we, the public, see of politicians. Being public figures, the line between their private and public lives seems to get blurred. I think bringing that dichotomy to light would tighten up the action 'Willie Stark'. For example, how much more touching and honest would Stark’s speech about homesickness seem if it was contrasted with the glitz and show of his public life in office?

Floyd already insinuates the media into the work with his inclusion of the ‘radio broadcasts’ strewn throughout the opera, but I think following his lead and capitalizing on that theme would allow the audience to connect to the heightened nature of the story. Especially since, as Christina pointed out, we are set down right in the middle of the protagonist’s rise and fall, as it were.

What if the production used newspaper in a way that was similar to the Metropolitan Opera’s version of Satyagraha, so that it was integral to the design? What if the floor of the stage was made up of newspaper clippings and media (newspaper, radio, TV and film) functioned prominently in the staging? What if the voyeuristic aspect of the work was heightened by haveing members of the chorus always present around the stage in some way, watching the proceedings, either as townspeople or press workers? What if one incorporated projections at the political rally scenes?

Many of my classmates brought up the difference between the effects of watching an opera on stage versus watching it on film. I too find it interesting that the reviewer who watched the filmed version praised the piece that the other saw in the theater and disparaged. I think the story is worthwhile, it just needs some help in the form of a production that focuses the audience’s attention more tightly (the way a camera does). On that note, I really like what Shelley pointed out about the disappearing doors in her post, Cliché that Ish Up! It made me wonder if one could heighten the tension in the work by making the audience’s focus effectively get narrower and narrower as the work went on (either through literally making the space in which scenes occur smaller or by the use of lighting or other effects) so that, by the end, one has no choice but to be involved in what is happening to Willie Stark.