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INTERVIEW | Dean Burry On Why An Opera About Confronting Bullies Is Just What We Need Right Now

By Sara Schabas on February 28, 2017

Dean Burry
CCOC Artistic Director Dean Burry / Brundibár

Founded in 1968 by Ruby Mercer and Lloyd Bradshaw, the Canadian Children’s Opera Company (resident children’s chorus for the Canadian Opera Company), possesses a prolific history of commissioning and performing new operatic works written for children, including The Hobbit (Dean Burry, 2004), A Dickens of a Christmas (Errol Gay & Michael Patrick Albano, 2005), Chip and his Dog (Gian-Carlo Menotti, 1979) and The Snow Queen (John Greer & Jeremy James Taylor, 1993). Yet this week, the CCOC opens Brundibár, an opera by Jewish Czech composer Hans Krása with a libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister, which premiered in Prague in 1942 before being reworked to be performed over fifty times by children in Theresienstadt concentration camp.

Musical Toronto spoke with CCOC Artistic Director Dean Burry, about the inspiration to perform Brundibár and the challenges presenting it provokes.

What inspired the CCOC to produce Brundibár?

Back in 1997, I was involved as an Arts-Educator with the first production of Brundibár in Toronto, presented by producer Helena Fines.  I worked with several Hebrew schools to create a small version of the opera and actually got to conduct it myself.  Not only did I fall in love with the work, I was also moved by the poignancy of the back story.  Being an opera composer myself, the fact that this children’s opera provided so much hope for the prisoners of Terezin was just inspirational.  I knew it was a piece that Canada’s premiere children’s opera company had to do, so when I started as Artistic Director in 2015, I knew it was one of the first things I wanted to do.  The fact that this year is the 75th anniversary of the Prague premiere only made it more appropriate.

Brundibár is written for children, as are many of your own works. How do operatic works written for children differ from larger scale operatic works? What factors does a composer have to consider when composing for children?

It is really important to NOT treat the composing for children in a different way then composing for adults.  That’s why so many [works for children]] come across as being facile or pandering.  Children are capable of great emotion in the same way that adults are.  They may not have had the same amount of experiences, but as demonstrated by the children of Terezin, some children will have deeper emotional experiences than many adults ever will.  Children as performers are, of course, different instruments than adults.  Because of the nature of their instruments, oboists have different levels of range and stamina than violinists. This doesn’t make one lesser than the other.  To write for children, like any instrument, you need to know their strengths and weaknesses.  And create an engaging well-paced story, but doesn’t everyone want that?

What is the age range of the performers in Brundibár? How have the performers prepared for and responded to preparing this work, considering its history?

The CCOC has children aged 3-18.  Yes, the back story of this opera in the context of the Holocaust has its challenges.  We haven’t ignored that but rather found a way to present it in an age appropriate manner.  Terezin Survivor John Freund and novelist Kathy Kacer have done a great job of illuminating the rich and meaningful story behind the opera.

How does Hans Krása’s music compare to other composers of his time? Are there any composers or musical styles with which you see parallels?

Hans Krása is certainly not a household name when it comes to composers, and Brundibár is certainly his most well-known work.  It is always a shame to think of what more would have come from him in different circumstances.  There are definitely contemporary flourishes in Brundibár… perhaps a little Bartók, given the folk influence, but I think there’s a real nod to the cabaret style of Kurt Weill and jazz as well.

Brundibár’s instrumentation was reworked when Hans Krása was in Theresienstadt, based on the resources he had available in the concentration camp. Are you using this instrumentation?

Yes, we are using the Terezin orchestration, which added the guitar and replaced the viola with a 4th violin.  It is so interesting to think about this essentially being a pickup orchestra based on what was available.  Even though this is the 75th anniversary of the Prague premiere, I couldn’t pass up the chance to use that “inventive” orchestration.

It has been said that the evil character, Brundibár, in the opera, represented Hitler. Does this change how the character has been treated/approached? Are there other symbolic characters/references in the work?

I don’t think any changes were needed to bring out the connection with Hitler, or other current work leaders for that matter.  Bullies are bullies, and the fact that most people will know the back story here means they will make all the connections they need to.  It amazes me that the Nazis allowed this work to be performed. It really couldn’t be more a condemnation of tyranny and a support of unity.

What lessons does Brundibár teach in 2017?

As mentioned above, bullies, tyrants, and dictators will always rise.  If we ignore them and give into them, we set ourselves up for tremendous hardship.  If we stand together, we all stand to triumph.

The CCCO’s Brundibár runs March 3 through 5 at Harbourfront Centre Theatre. Details here.

#LUDWIGVAN

Sara Schabas

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