For the sake of the record I should say that this performance seems to have
encountered a doubly problematic translation, firstly from the original
Sumerian, and then from US to UK performance sensibilities.
It is not the case that 'the boys freaked and the girls froze', as you seem
to suggest, because we were shrinking violets, embarrassed crimson by such
frank sexual performance.
While I too was disappointed by the more aggressive responses from the
audience, it seems to me that the real issue was the manner of the
performance. The criticisms I heard, and which I am largely in agreement
with, were along the lines that Nicole Peyraffitte's performance seemed
totally incommensurate (even comically so) with the subject matter. By
subject matter I mean a translation of a ritual performance from a culture
many thousands of years old. Hence a simple inability to suspend disbelief
that this had anything remotely to do with Sumerian culture. Perhaps that
was asking too much of such a translation.
Secondly I feel that the expectations of what a performance is, and can do,
were perhaps very different among the grouping of people in that audience,
many of whom are also performers of great standing, and who do not flinch
from very extreme performance situations on occasion as well. I suppose that
represents a translation difficulty brought about by two different
performance cultures, divided, as they say, by a common tongue.
Best, P
>Nicole Peyrafitte sings it in performance & it is very effective and
>powerful -- except in England when she last did it there 2 years ago & the
>boys freaks & the girls froze.
>
>Pierre
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