Bernstein's Candide at the Santa Fe Opera

Photo from santafeopera.org

Bucket list item: Attend the Santa Fe opera... Check!  

My dad was visiting at the end of July and we got tickets to see Leonard Bernstein's Candide.  I chose this particular show because I'm familiar with the music from my high school wind ensemble days, and was also familiar with Voltaire's novella, which I studied in European history.  Leading up to the show, I became more and more excited to see the performance after reading the reviews, listening to the soundtrack, and learning more about how one of the most famous American composers and conductors happened to compose an opera based on a story from a witty French Enlightenment writer. 

"All is for the best in this best of all possible worlds" is an optimistic phrase repeated throughout the story of Candide, representing the idea that nothing bad can happen in a world created by a benevolent and omnipotent God.  However, it is obvious that Voltaire thinks this is idiotic, as highlighted by the hero's encounters with one traumatic event after the next throughout the story.  After Candide was exiled from the castle where he was raised in Westphalia, he travels around the world, where he encounters such suffering as warfare, shipwrecks, earthquakes, enslavement, prostitution, religious corruption, and near death experiences.  He finds his long-lost love, Cunegonde, who has also suffered greatly, yet he remains loyal in his love.  Through his experiences, he grows wiser, and in the end he finds contentment in his garden.

While outrageous, ironic, and dense with innuendos and satire, the story is largely a political and social statement as well.  It's anti-establishment, anti-old money, anti-religious, anti-superiority, anti-ignorance, the list goes on.  Voltaire teaches us that bad things happen, and that to see them as good is delusional, but he also teaches us to respond to them with courage and hope and to find happiness and fulfillment in the good things that still exist, like watching the flowers grow.  It was relevant in 18th century Europe, it was relevant in Bernstein's era of anti-communism and mistrust, and it's relevant today, when the political scene is again widely divided and mistrusting.  This year marks Bernstein's 100th birthday.  If he were still alive, what would he think?

Not only was the show entertaining and lively, but the venue and atmosphere made the experience even more memorable.  The opera hall is stunning.  I have been there a few times for concerts, but it was really awe-inspiring to be in that venue for its intended purpose: the opera.  The venue is open-air, with gorgeous views of the Jemez and Sangre de Cristo mountains and a breeze that adds life to the environment.  The back of the stage is open to the elements, and we saw lightning off in the distance, which only added to the dramatic effect.  We were seated in the first row of the balcony, where we had an unobstructed view of the orchestra pit, the entire stage, the tilted roof, and other acoustical elements including the reflecting pool in front of the orchestra.  It was especially meaningful to share this experience with not only my wonderful husband, but also my dad, a well-rounded musician who appreciates a wide range of theatrical and musical productions, and from whom I am constantly learning more about music and the arts.

Fancy tailgating before the show

View from our seats before the show

Maybe we can learn a lot from Candide about retaining optimism in the face of tragedy, and in the end, we are all cultivators of the earth.