Reviews

The Cape Town Opera Studio and University of Cape Town Opera School deserve commendation for boldly staging the radical new opera by composer Hans Huyssen, Masque. It's a 21st-century piece - mankind moves closer to achieving a universal consciousness and a more equable world order based on understanding the historical interconnections of different traditions, rewriting the victor's history and questioning prejudiced Western perceptions of other cultures. Huyssen has combined European Baroque musicians playing chamber music with an African ensemble - all unfortunately hidden away in the conventional orchestra pit. In the second act, patrons shifted to the edges of their seats to glimpse the kudu horn ensemble. Masque is still a fresh and unstable work, somewhat like a wet oil painting that has been framed and hung in a gallery before it has dried. The music itself is the strongest element and Huyssen has resplendently achieved his stated aims.... One is greatly encouraged that there is sufficient vision to stage a work of this nature. There are no shortcuts to the development of a talent such as Huyssen's. Will the full Cape Town Philharmonic also now venture outside their narrow classical canon? Brent Meersman, Mail & Guardian

In the introductory programme notes to the world premiere of his opera Masque given by the Cape Town Opera School and University of Cape Town Opera School (Artscape Theatre, 28 October) the South African composer, Hans Huyssen laid a number of crucial problems before the audience. 'Would it be possible to imbue this form of art with a genuine African spirit and not only superficially touch it up with some exotic elements? Would it be possible to include traditional African music, without sacrificing its unassuming poetic qualities? Could one incorporate African instruments and closely bind them into an essentially dramatic form, yet do justice to their essentially non-dramatic idiom? Could one manage to create a forum in which exponents of different backgrounds would be able to contribute their individual expression, without patronizing or compromising each other? Would one be able to accommodate contrasts, differences, contradictions and discrepancies, contradictions and discrepancies, yet create a unified expression?' That he was largely successful in overcoming many of these problems is a tribute to the boldness of his vision in being prepared to tackle such a daunting task and also to the numerous sponsors who generously contributed towards the experiment. It is the kind of work that needed to be written despite the numerous artistic and financial risks involved. In this respect it proved an important stepping-stone if not a musical landmark... The final result proved to be something of a witch's brew: not many would have been convinced by the thought of the Cape Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble, an early music group (in this case the imported Marini Consort Innsbruck) and the Todi Ensemble (of African instruments) playing in tandem, nor would they completely understood the seemingly bizarre amalgam of styles ranging from Baroque fugal and sequential effects, the 'flatt mournfulll trumpets' effects of Purcell, music-hall, an on-stage guitarist, and plenty of atonal and African elements. But this was part of Huyssen's daring experiment as he blazed some kind of trail in his quest to find a possible future for opera in South Africa... Barry Smith for Opera Magazine (UK)

Masque takes a solid step forward in the continuing search for a unique South African opera style. No informed person would still dare to call opera "eurocentric" (as if that was a cuss-word in the first place). Operatic productions in Cape Town the past ten years have changed that forever. Among the foremost of these are Temmingh's "Enoch: Prophet of God", Duiguid and Hamilton's "earthdiving", and Louis Van Dijk's adaption of Verdi's "Macbeth"... "Masque" goes beyond these works in that it is not just based on an African creation legend, but in that it also seeks to unite a western chamber orchestra, Baroque period instruments and traditional African instruments. It acknowledges the different musical heritages of Europe and Africa and presents them on an equal footing. It also seeks to deal honestly with the different cultural perspectives of Europeans and Africans. It is within this dramatic realm - spiritual masks on display in a clinical museum - that the opera seeks a resolution. It pokes fun at the snobbish curators, who miss the whole point of the masks, but also calls to mind how African chiefs often abused their privileged status. Musically, the work is a montage of various styles and sounds. Composer Hans Huyssen is at pains to point out that no "fusion" between the two continental styles is attempted in the work. Yet kudu horns and saxophone are not the impossible bedfellows one would initially assume them to be. And period instruments with their fewer overtones link nicely with the percussive African sounds. Huyssen has wisely avoided using a rich string sonority in his orchestral writing. The result is a sparser, leaner sound more akin to both the period instruments of the Baroque (Marini Consort Innsbruck, led by Johannes Giesinger) and the African (Todi, led by Kgaladi Thema) ensembles. Furthermore, his fragmented and rather amelodic style of writing is a good companion to the Baroque and African elements... What was particularly gratifying to note on opening night was the obvious sense of pride among Black members of the audience. There was an ownership of the work and an appreciation for traditional African culture not only being recognised, but also valued as a worthy counterpart to Western traditions. Masque is definitely worth seeing. It is not an easy listen, but it is a satisfying theatrical experience. Cape Town Opera and UCT Opera School have been bold enough to mount this exciting production. Now let's see if Cape Town audiences will match their enthusiasm for something new... Carl Fourie, Cape Argus

Face off: Masque, a new South African opera written by Hans Huyssen and directed by Geoff Hyland, features Illka Louw's striking African masks. With only a handful of home-grown South African operas to the country's credit, the world premiere of Masque on Friday saw the launch of a significant treasure, reflecting the country's layered and rich cultural seams. Written and conducted by Hans Huyssen, the pioneering work breaks with Western operatic tradition, melding a vibrant cross of Baroque, symphonic and Africa sounds, with dance, to produce something uniquely African. Briefly, Masque plays on the metaphor of masks, striking African masks created by UCT alumnus Illka Louw... "It's a big beast," Hyland said of the opera... But in liberating the art form from its predominantly Western parentage, the production offers a composite that is textured and layered to reflect its African wellspring, and with more than a few surprises in its execution and composition. Hyland uses the word "magical" several times to describe the fusion of Western and African traditions. Huyssen's music (incorporating UCT's African music students) is dense and complex and the singers, have been asked to infuse their singing with traditional African voice techniques, something Hyland expects will "raise eyebrows" among the puristsŠ Nothing like this has been done before, he notes. "It's a tremendously important piece of work." Opera is an art form that has fascinated and drawn him for many years. "At times during the process of birthing this new work I've felt overwhelmed by its delicate and multifaceted intricacy." UCT Monday Paper

At the conclusion of the evening one was left with an overwhelming sense of having attended an event which had great artistic significance, not merely for opera in South Africa, but for a larger and wider musical world. Cape Town Opera can take credit for its backing of this work; Huyssen, naturally, gets the laurel. Deon Irish, Cape Times