Vonnegut Dares To 'Equal' Stravinsky
It was not an entirely satisfying evening, either for the fans of the eminent novelist Kurt Vonnegut or for those who have, over the years, considered the original libretto and music of Stravinsky's "L'Histoire du Soldat" a classic not to be tampered with.
The occasion was a performance, at the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, with a new text by Mr. Vonnegut as counterpoint to the music. The novelist, who served in World War II and was captured at the Battle of the Bulge, made light of the original tale- in which the Devil tempts a soldier to teach him to play the violin.
He had accepted the challenge to write a new text with the intention of complementing the music with something "real," said Mr. Vonnegut.
Comparisons Made
He noted that a long letter to the editor had appeared in this newspaper last week from Donald Kennedy of East Hampton, criticizing him for attempting to recast the work.
"We invited the writer to attend. Is he here?" Mr. Vonnegut asked. No response was forthcoming.
A number in the audience had seen "L'Histoire" presented earlier this season by a group under the direction of Lukas Foss at the Hamptons Music Festival. The readers then were the playwright Peter Stone, the theatrical director Gene Saks, and the artist Larry Rivers.
To these theatergoers, the Vonnegut play, based on the true story of an American soldier executed for desertion in World War II, had a relevancy the original, by the Swiss poet Charles Ramuz, lacked.
A Putdown
Among the detractors in the audience who thought otherwise was none other than Stravinsky's grandson, John Stravinsky, who manages the Stravinsky estate. Mr. Stravinsky was offended and said so. According to those who heard his comments, Mr. Stravinksy called the Vonnegut work a "piece of crap" and suggested it should die an immediate death.
Mr. Vonnegut, whose friend George Plimpton asked him to write the text as a benefit for the New York Philomusica and The Paris Review, two institutions close to Mr. Plimpton's heart, said this week he had "had no idea" it would cause controversy.
"Great musicians ordinarily pick completely uninteresting stories in order not to detract from their music," the novelist said, calling the Ramuz text "the most inane, uninteresting folk tale ever heard."
"Not A Nickel"
Instead, Mr. Vonnegut said, in using the story of the only American soldier executed for desertion since the Civil War, he "gave language equal power" that "harmonized."
"I thought I had honored Stravinsky's music," he said.
Furthermore, Mr. Vonnegut said, Mr. Stravinsky seemed to think he was going to make a "pot of money" on the work. "I did not make a nickel," he said, adding, "I'm done with it."
"Controversy was to be expected," the Philomusica's director, A. Robert Johnson, remarked afterward.
Unfortunately, although the Philomusica, an ensemble of winds, strings, and piano, is a fine musical group, the music suffered somewhat on Saturday night.
There were times when it seemed to be tamped down to allow for the dramatization and others when it seemed overwhelmed by the vigorous choreography.
Mr. Vonnegut had told the audience that after several workshop performances and some reworking he thought the text was done. Nevertheless, to this viewer at least, the music, stage action, and text still need better integration.
First-Class Acting
The acting, even with scripts in hand, and choreography, by the acclaimed Pat Birch, were first class.
Particularly notable were Jason Danieley, as the ill-fated soldier, Ben Gazzara, who played the general who follows Dwight D. Eisenhower's orders to have the soldier killed by firing squad, Michael Rupert, as an M.P., Lynne Godfrey, who stepped in for the promised Ann Reinking, and the dancer Starla Pace.
"L'Histoire" was preceded by an unconnected short piece by Philomusica's director, Mr. Johnson, "The Duffer's Strut." It was strutted by Deanna Dys, who also appeared in the Stravinsky, as a majorette.
Sheehan Tribute
"L'Histoire" is quite short, just over half an hour, and it was prefaced on this occasion by an on-stage interview of Mr. Vonnegut by Mr. Plimpton.
The evening was also conceived as a memorial to the late Rosemary Sheehan of East Hampton, whose efforts on behalf of many worthy causes were remembered by Anthony D. Duke, the head of the Harbor for Girls and Boys, at a champagne and dessert party that followed the performance.
Mr. Vonnegut has written an affecting antiwar play; Stravinsky wrote compellingly beautiful music; more rehearsal and/or different stage positioning of the instrumentalists might help the two coalesce into an extraordinary theatrical experience.