Psychodynamics and Opera

When Sigmund Freud discovered psychoanalysis and developed his theory of human behavior, he revolutionized the entire field of psychology. Freud differentiated between surface meaning called the manifest content and underlying meaning which is called latent content. The result of this view of the human condition was to broaden our understanding of people and to appreciate their complexities and subtleties. We are indebted to Freud for putting into words those ideas that explained what people are all about. His work paved the way for an in depth study of human beings, applying principles that related to behavior of people in western society.

While the concepts he wrote about were expounded upon sys­tematically, many of Freud's ideas have probably been known since the dawn of civilization. Painters, writers and musicians have always dealt with the subject of human behavior and motivation from an artistic point of view. They have been the unofficial spokesmen of mankind and have depicted the drama of life with unerring accu­racy. I intend to explore one aspect of creative art namely opera, by using psychoanalytic concepts. I hope to uncover the many hidden treasures of this art from and to deepen and broaden our understand­ing and appreciation of opera. I contend that both the composer and the librettist intended to portray life's subtleties and complexi­ties through the music and words they wrote for their characters. But before we explore the specifics of the operatic medium, we must become familiar with some psychoanalytic concepts and with the oper­atic art form. In the pages that follow, I will discuss my ideas about each and how I believe the two are interrelated. All of us have had the experience of thinking about doing or saying something and of being surprised that things turned out quite differently than we had anticipated. For example, we may be angry with a loved one and want to express this in strong terms. Yet, when we talk to that person, the anger is not quite so strong and the effect is not what we had thought it would be. We have exper­ienced the working of a force that is unconscious. It is largely of an unknown quantity and it is outside our sphere of awareness. The impact of the Unconscious can be unsettling, because of our unawareness of it and its unpredictable nature

The Unconscious is a perpetual force that constantly strives for expression. No matter what our attempts to stifle it, we cannot succeed. The Unconscious is like the patch of grass that manages to break through the asphalt roadway that had been laid upon it, even if the process takes a long time. The Unconscious is like water seeking its own level. Eventually, it must find a means of expres­sion—and always does. This force is of limitless energy; it is boundless A major aspect of the Unconscious is its lack of disci­pline in our sense of the word. It knows no time or place or order. A memory or a thought about an event that took place in childhood may be experienced by the adult with the same vividness and impact, as though the event took place only yesterday. We sometimes connect events, and concepts that seem illogical. Yet, the relationships occurred to us; we thought about the events in this particular -seemingly illogical way. This is the work of the Unconscious mani­festing itself. It is incongruous and its force results in ambiv­alent feelings and ambiguities. We cannot grasp the meaning of unconscious material by using our usual concepts of logic. Yet, we must recognize and accept its ground rules in order to comprehend the unconscious. This force is spontaneous and the ideas, thoughts and feelings that it produces are connected in a very special way. In contrast to conscious ideation that is connected by reason, un­conscious messages are conveyed more by implication and a sense of relatedness. For example, although a person may not say anything that would indicate his anger, we may yet get a sense of his anger. He may either avoid mentioning his anger when he should be angry, or he may profess the opposite feeling too much, or his tone may be devoid of any anger when anger should be manifest. We know there is something incongruous about the communication and the given situation. Yet, people's behavior must be internally con­sistent to be manifest. We know there is something incongruous about the communication and the given situation. Yet, people's behavior must be internally con­sistent to be understood. Knowledge of unconscious communication provides us with this consistency.

Dealing with manifestations of behavior about which we are largely unaware makes us anxious—uneasy at best. To allay this anxiety we make efforts to control our behavior and our environment. However, communication involves a process that must be accepted if we are to become comfortable with ourselves and with others. The psychoanalytic idea of the Unconscious is one aspect that leads to this goal. Another concept is called free-association. A person is asked to say whatever comes to mind without censoring thoughts and/or feelings. This kind of self expression permits the Unconscious to manifest itself. If we listen closely we will eventually discern an underlying theme that connects the flow of words. Every piece of communication is taken seriously and treated with respect-no matter how trivial or inconsequential it may seem initially. The psychoanalytic posture is that all behavior, be it active or passive, a verbal expression or nuance, is purposeful and has intent. No form of communication is accidental or haphazard. This means for example that, in psychoanalysis, there is no such thing as forgetting.

When we listen attentively, the meaning of the implied message becomes clear. An example of this was provided above in the case of an implied expression of anger. This happens in music as well and opera is replete with such examples. The opening measure of: "Che gelida manina" (Your tiny hand is frozen) in Act I of Puccini's La Boheme is repeated in the duet between Mimi and Rodolfo towards the end of Act IV. Riccardo's recitative "Forse la soglia attinse, e posa alfin" (Perhaps she has reached home and is safe at last) in Act III of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera includes no less than four repetitions of a melody first heard in Riccardo's Act I aria: "La rivedra nell'estasi" (When I see her, my soul will be in ecstasy), And Tonic's melody to- "Un nido di memorie" (A nest of memories) in the prologue of Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci is repeated during the Intermezzo later on. Many more examples may be provided. The point here is that the repetition of themes in music, and opera specifi­cally, connect the circumstances in which they appear. A rela­tionship between and amongst similar motifs is indicated by this common denominator. No one can deny the existence of these ties. Our attention is drawn to these instances with the implication that they are clustered together on
purpose; to make some point. This is so in music as it is in communications between and amongst people. We are left with the prospect of deciphering the meaning of these relationships. The psychoanalytic posture requires that we analyze behavior. We do not judge or accuse people; we try to understand the motivation behind the communicated message.

Since unconscious material has no sense of time or place, we must translate its manifestations into a language that can be understood rationally that is, communication must make sense. In the analyst-patient relationship this is achieved by the process of interpretation. The acceptability of interpretations to the patient and their effectiveness in changing his manner of behavior -and the perception of his environment requires that interpretations be made solely on the merits of the evidence which is presented whether stated or implied. Anything short of this is detrimental to the well being of the patient. The same principles hold for the interpretations of the behavior of characters in opera. And, just as interpretations must be well timed in the therapeutic situation, so must they be in the service of understanding characters in opera. Evidence must build up gradually so that it becomes overwhelming. The interpretation then becomes correct and is readily acknowledged.

An immediate dividend of a good interpretation is that facts thoughts, ideas and feelings that were previously unintelligible suddenly become comprehensible. Things are placed in clear relation­ship to each other. Behavior makes good sense. Our understanding is keener and our vision has greater depth and latitude.

Opera is a specialized art form that uses music and words to illuminate the drama of life. It is an attempt to describe the inter­relationship of people using these creative tools. Because of this, the psychoanalytic conception of behavior has great relevance for opera.

One aspect of the operatic medium is the music, and it is comprised of several integral components: dynamics, tempi, intervals, themes, instrumentation and harmony. All of these have emotional and psychological effects and they are used intentionally by the composer sometimes consciously and at other times unconsciously. Dynamics concern themselves with forces of energy. They go from loud to soft in all gradations between the two extremes.

Loudness symbolizes strength, power, anger, and is used to express climactic situations. The opening of Giuseppe Verdi's Otello is a good example of this dynamic. This is not to say that all aspects of loudness I've mentioned apply here, but this excerpt is representative. The other extreme – softness - signifies tenderness, tranquility and a plumbing of emotional depths. Act III of Verdi's Aida opens with a gossamer-like effect of this dynamic. But, of course, most situations are admixtures of these two polarities. To witness I refer to the overture of Richard Wagner's Der Fliegende Holländer as an example.

Another facet of the musical message is tempo, or pacing of the music. This is either fast or slow, and tempi lie along a continuum of the two extremes. They are used to depict excitement, anxiety, anticipation and, also, turmoil in the case of pacing; tranquility, unhurriedness and sadness, when the pace is slow.The music that precedes the entrance of Zerlina and her wedding party in Act I of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Don Giovanni serves us well as a case in point in the first instance. Lenski's aria in Peter Illyich Tchaikowsky's Yevgen Onegin is illustrative of emotions expressed by slow tempi.

Notes are connected and are related to one another by intervals which are
nothing more than spacing of sounds in order to create a melodic line. These
are of two types: steps which imply gradations in ascending or descending order and leaps which indicate wider separation between notes, up or down.
Steps are used to describe gradual development, a sense of "dawning", literal or figurative, and a protracted progress or breakdown. The prelude to Act III of Giacomo Pucini's Tosca describes dawn break on the day of Cavaradossi's execution. Leaps, on the other hand, express sudden development, openness – a kind of breakthrough and a revealing of self. Gioconda's aria: "Suicidio", in Act IV of Amilicare Ponchielli's opera La Gioconda exemplifies of this type of interval since it describes, in vivid color, the explosive aspect of Gioconda's nature.

Ideas are expressed by themes. They are used to describe qualities and traits of the characters and, sometimes, their states of mind in specific, real-life, situations. There are times when themes are repeated exactly. The purpose of this repetition is to remind the listener of specific character traits, to connect events and states of mind; to indicate relatedness. A particularly telling example of this kind is provided by Jacques Offenbach in his masterpiece Les Contes d'Hoffman, in which he introduces each of his four villains: Lindorf, Coppeliús, D'apertutto, and Dr. Miracle, with the same melodic theme. He does so for several reasons. First, because the tales are narrated by the same person – Hoffman and the situations are viewed through his eyes. There is no outside corroboration or contradiction. Second, Hoffman does not learn from his experiences and the outcome is always the same. Third, there is an aura of
mystery and treachery about each of the villains he encounters.

Another use of themes is variation of a musical thought as sung by two different characters. This illustrates differences in states of mind and alerts us to contrasts in personality. The deployment of this technique may be seen in the Act IV confrontation between Don Alvaro and Don Carlo in Giuseppe Verdi's La Forza del Destino. Don Alvaro sings: "Le minaccie, I fieri accenrti portin seco in preda I venti" (May the winds carry off with them your threats, your proud and angry tones), in a minor key. Don Carlo sings: "Non si placa il mio furor per menduce e vil accento" (You cannot placate my rage like this with your damned and lying words), in a major key. Don Alvaro pleads, Don Carlo challenges.

Contrasts may also be employed with different themes, in order to draw attention to parallel emotions, to complimentary or diametrically opposed qualities in characters. The love duet between Otello and Desdemona that ends Act I of Giuseppe Verdi's Otello illustrates this idea remarkably well. Verdi portrays Otello's heroic stature in bold strokes and illuminates Desdemona's gentility as a striking counterbalance. Note how Otello's description of tumultuous battle in:"L'assalto, orribil edera, coll'ugna, al baluardo e il sibilante stral." (the assault, painful, clambering to the bastion and the whistling arrow) is followed immediately by Desdemona's soothing: "Poi mi guidavi ai fulgidi deserti. All'arse arene, al suo materno suol." (Then you led me to the shining deserts, to the burning sands, to your native land.) In spite of the opposite qualities described in this excerpt, parallel emotions are delineated in Desdemona's subsequent statement: "Narravi allor gli spasimi sofferti. E le cante e dello schiavo il duol." (You told of the pains suffered and the chains and grief of the slave) In the first part she parallels Otello's thunder but finishes with her very characteristic empathic quality.

Instrumentation is another important facet of the operatic medium. It, too, is assigned to illuminate psychological truths about operatic characters. Composers use musical instruments to describe states of mind and changes in moods and contrasting situations. For example, the woodwinds are employed to indicate Rodolfo's flightiness as he attempts to write his magazine article in Act I of Giacomo Puccini's La Boheme. The violins play feverishly as they draw attention to Pollione's underlying anxiety in his Act I confrontation with Adalgisa: "Va, crudele…" (Go, cruel one! ) in Vincenzo Bellini's Norma. The change of dynamics in the orchestration between part I and part II of Canio's: "No, pagliaccio non son!" (No, I am not a clown) in Ruggiero Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci is a marvelous illustration of a change of mood and of state of mind. And lastly, the tranquil orchestral accompaniment to Otello's statement: "Calma come la tomba." (Calm like a tomb) after he's strangled Desdemona belies the torment he truly feels inside.

Music consists of a main theme or melody and subsidiary, related themes
namely, harmony. The interrelatedness of the two is non-accidental either in terms of musical configuration or psychological theory. There is a message concerning character to be derived from the use of harmony. For example: the employment of the flute in the Mad Scene in Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti, illustrates Lucia's deranged mind. The choice of the flute and its deployment are both made with purpose and intent.

The use of harmony is especially sensitive to describing the psychological
Interdependence of operatic figures. A beautiful illustration is afforded by
Giuseppe Verdi in Act I scene II of Rigoletto. The harmonic interweaving of themes In the duet between Gilda and Rigoletto beginning with: "Oh quanto dolor!" (Oh, What pain! ) indicates, with great vividness, the intermingling of souls.

None of the musical aspects of the operatic medium which I have mentioned is found in its pure form. Just as there is no pure character type, so is there no isolated manifestation of a musical component. There must always be a relationship in order for the musical composition to hang together and have meaning.

Having discussed the musical side of opera, we must now consider the text to Which the music is set namely, the libretto. Words relate to thought while music appeals to feelings. We talk about feeling tone but words convey ideas. Words relay ideas and thoughts that are conscious. But the choice of words and the context, in which these words are used, conveys unconscious intent. We pick out words and phrases that describe something about us; this is referred to
as character. This process is tailor-made for the individual involved.

When Shakespeare writes: "The lady doth profess too much!" about Gertrude, In his play Hamlet, he is not only saying that Gertrude talks a great deal; he implies That she talks too much. He conveys a sense of expansiveness that is superfluous, out of place. He describes this characteristic of this, particular, character to the
exclusion of others. Shakespeare is telling something about Gertrude's character – by design, he chooses this description willfully. Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci pro vides us with a similar illustration. Canio sings: "Un grande spettacolo" ( A grand spectacle ) in Scene I. Simply put, Canio tells the townspeople that he and his troupe will put on a show. But his choice of words reveals significant aspects of his personality that go beyond the simple idea. He is not going to put on a mere show but, rather, a spectacle, and a great one at that. Canio is one of thousands of itinerant show people who traveled the length and breadth of Europe; he is not a big city theatrical impresario. Yet he is passing himself off as one by using such language as will fire the imagination of the villagers. Tonio doesn't make this statement and do neither Nedda nor Beppe. Canio does. Since Leoncavallo wrote these words for Canio, we must conclude that he had his reasons ( psychological ) for doing so, otherwise he would have had another character sing this selection.

Language may involve statements of thoughts that are simple or profound. The
famous overcoat aria "Vecchia zimarra" (Old cloak) sung by Colline in Act IV of
Puccini's La Boheme serves as an apt example. The librettists write: "…tu ascen
dere il sacro monte…" (You are to ascend the sacred mountain). The thought is
simple; you are going to die. But the chosen phrase: sacred mountain is a rather profound way f saying the same thing. It is poetic and, therefore, lends itself to imagery which is related to the concept of holiness and sanctification. The phrase was chosen with purpose to describe Colline's personality. He is not a simple man; he is complex, introspective. And in this example lies another quality of word usage. The employment of ideas vs. emotions. This concept is tricky because it deals with the quality or effect of the words – not the meaning of the words themselves. Colline is faced with a problem. Mimi is dying and he cannot bear the pain it will cause him. Talking about Mimi's impending death in direct terms as: 'Oh, Mimi is dying and I'll miss her', is too painful for Colline. He has difficulty in expressing feelings and finds it easier to deal with death from a distance, as though it was a journey up a mountain. The sense of emotional restriction by means of word choice is here employed. It is intended by the librettists, consciously; no one but they set down the words!!

Sometimes the librettist wishes to indicate an appropriate or inappropriate
response of a character. Often the response has to do with self absorption at the
expense of reaching out towards another person. In Act II of Verdi's Rigoletto,
Piave (the librettist), draws our attention to just such a situation. Gilda has just concluded singing her aria: "Tutte le feste" (Every festive day) in which she tells of her abduction. Rigoletto first responds to his needs: "Solo l'infamia a te
chiedeva. O, Dio." (I have brought this upon myself…the infamy I have done has caused me to recoil. O God!) He is self absorbed and, only after he has attended to his emotional needs, does Rigoletto reach out to his daughter (Gilda): "Piangi, piangi fanciulla" (Weep, weep my girl).

Yet we cannot, and should not, divorce the text from the music. A relationship between the musical score and the libretto always exists. Together they accurately describe a character in a given situation. Sometimes the music and libretto coincides; sometimes they do not. One example of the first instance is found in Act I of Puccini's Tosca. Cavaradossi sings to Tosca: "Qual 'occhio al mondo puo star di paro all'ardente occhio tuo nero?" (What eyes on earth are as lustrous or bright as your black eyes?) Puccini's music is as ardent as the words written by Illica and Giacosa. The opposite is true in Act I of Puccini's La Boheme. Mimi says of herself to Rodolfo: "Importuna e la vicina" (I am a bothersome neighbor) to music that is gay, energetic and totally out of keeping with the imagery of what a bothersome neighbor is like. In the example from Tosca the character means what he says; in the La Boheme reference she certainly does not!

Omission is yet another technique used in opera to signal a significant difference to draw attention to the inner feelings of a character at a particular time. An example is the repetition of a musical theme without the words that accompanied its initial appearance. Act III of Puccini's La Boheme serves as a model. When Mimi tells Rodolfo to pack her few belongings in the aria: "Addio, senza rancor" (Good-bye without ill feelings), the first statement of that musical theme is set to these words: "Le poche robe aduna che lascia sparse" (Gather the few things I have left). The theme is repeated at the end of the aria but with the words omitted. There is a verbal hiatus between the first "Addio" (Good-bye) and the second "addio" during which the musical theme of: "Le poche robe" etc. is played. This suggests that Mimi is reluctant to leave Rodolfo. If we are sensitive to subtleties such as these, we can learn much about the state of mind of the characters, and, in this way, appreciate their humanness.

Opera composers and librettists rely on inspiration; their art is creative. The degree of their success is a function of their talent relative to others. They are drawn to their field of endeavor. The calling to creativity linked to The Un-
conscious. Artists of all kinds are beckoned to their undertaking by forces
that are inexplicable even to themselves. There is often a quality of a mission
in their art. This aspect rarely applies to accountants, scientists or laborers. The reason for choosing the creative arts as opposed to other vocations are: a greater sensitivity to unconscious forces; a deeper understanding and appreciation of them; and finally, relative comfort with The Unconscious.

Depicting life's drama in music and words, as they do, opera composers and librettists strive to understand the human condition and to transmit their essence to others by using its most constant component – The Unconscious. Their grasp of this phenomenon and their capacity to describe it is intuitive. This is yet another reason why they gravitate towards creative arts. The operatic medium concerns itself with feelings, personal and impersonal. The plots are superficial and subordinate to the message about life and people.

But, opera, in addition to being a creative art form, is also a performing art. This is its most significant characteristic. For without performance the creative force becomes nullified. Singers must have a thorough knowledge of the entire musical score and the libretto. This includes all singing parts and orchestral interludes. For example, in the Intermezzo of Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci, the melody to the words: "Un nido di memorie in fondo l'anima cantava un giorno. Ed ei con verelacrime scrisse, ei I singhiozzi il tempo gli battevano." (A nest of memories stirred one day within his heart; and, with real tears he wrote and marked the event.) first sung by Tonio in the Prologue, is repeated (without words). This is no capricious penning of a melody! It is done with intent to alert us that a change of mood has come over Canio. He recalls memories of long ago with real tears. Until this point the melody is an exact duplicate of its initial statement in the Prologue. But, after the word "lacrime" (tears), the music changes markedly. Why? Because the time for tears is long gone. Canio resolves to act. And, just as the music takes off, so do his fantasies of what he must do. Singers must be especially attuned to thematic variations for these are keys to personality vicissitudes which the composer and librettist – by implication and intent – wish to bring to our awareness. With this keen attention to details is developed a fuller recognition and appreciation of positive, negative and ambivalent personal feelings, along with a desire to search for truth in human relations.

Studying the full score results in yet another attainment - a sense of stage-presence and the meaning of being in a given situation. Bellini's Norma is
a good example of this. Her entrance in Act I reveals a great deal about her Norma's personality. She sings with full voice and power. Norma is a woman who possesses power. She commands and gets respect---not only because she is the high priestess of the Druids but also because she projects a personality of authority! Norma informs the assemblage and the audience that she is a person to be reckoned with and to be feared. The musical treatment of this operatic entrance has significance even to the extra that is paid to hold a spear! If he truly understands Bellini's intent, he will stand at attention and show proper respect. It is no longer just an assignment but an obligation that comes out of conviction. Upon the performers' ability and willingness to subordinate personal considerations in favor of the demands of the occurrence on stage rests the successful achievement of the overall, total human effect in opera.

Conductors and musicians too, should know the operas as fully as possible. This Is not a foregone conclusion---not even for conductors! When I speak of knowing the opera, I am referring to "feeling" the music and the words. The conductor must imbue the members of the orchestra with the kind of spirit whereby the characters in the opera, not the opera, come alive as a result of their playing. Shakespeare's Hamlet says it best: "The play's the thing"e.g., the manner of play, not the play itself is important. With a greater cohesiveness of this kind of spirit, the comments about a performance would focus on the tenderness with which Rodolfo and Mimi sing their duet at the close of Act I of Puccini's La Boheme instead of the singers.

Similar comments apply to directors and producers of opera. The mportance of an accurate reading of the psychological aspect of characters in opera, as seen through the scrupulously sensitive eyes of composer and librettist, cannot be emphasized enough. It is the ultimate demand of the operatic medium.

The cornucopia of benefits derived from the amalgamation of the operatic
medium and psychodynamics is plentiful. There is a deepened understanding of the composer's/librettist's intended statement about life's drama through music and words. There is an increased appreciation of the nuance and subtlety of the human condition than be achieved only by seeing something in great detail, much like the concept of an embedded figure. If you ask someone to pick out a hidden object in a picture, that person may, or may not succeed. However, once the object is identified, each subsequent viewing of the picture will draw attention to it. Blind spots are no longer possible and clarity of vision is enhanced.

Viewing the human condition through psychodynamic opera glasses in no way diminishes or eclipses the magnitude genius of Verdi, Wagner, Puccini or Mozart. If anything, their genius is averred, confirmed and enhanced.

© Shlomo Hoffert 1975