Migrating Sound Peripheral Voices in European Opera and Music Theatre

1. Dr. P.M.G. Verstraete Mercator – IPC Fellow Sabancı University Istanbul (Honorary Fellow, University of Exeter) Migrating SoundPeripheral Voices in European Opera and Music Theatre „Sound und Performance“ Kongress der Gesellschaft für Theaterwissenschaft Universität Bayreuth 5 October 2012

2. “Postmigrants are the new Germans. It would be difficult to call us New German Theatre. That would have been a step too far, and I would not know if every college of high culture would take this with the necessary doses of humor. It is a play with notions. We place ourselves in a discourse which already exists: ‘post-migrant’ appeared for the first time in Anglo-Saxon literature, when ten years ago Feridun Zaimoglu was invited to a symposium. To me post-migrant, in the understanding of the producers and recipients at Ballhaus, is the right description, to the extent that one can describe something accurately.” • (Shermin Langhoff; my translation, PV)

3. ‘Post-migrant’ ‘Community’ ‘Aurality’

4. Lege Wieg / Boş Beşik (2010) directed and produced by Cilia Hogerzeil composed by Seung-Ah Oh Hollands Diep in collaboration with VocaalLAB in Het Energiehuis in Dordrecht Tango Türk (2010) directed by Lotte De Beer composed by Sinem Altan Neuköllner Oper in Berlin

5. The Aesthetic Argument • Acoustic Communication and Inter-Aurality

6. Acoustic Communication • “… how sound, in all its forms and functions, defines the relationship of the individual, the community, and ultimately a culture, to the environment and those within it.” • (Barry Truax 1984: 3)

7. Lege Wieg / Boş Beşik: ‘Nenni Bebek’ • Bebeğin beşiği çamdan The cradle of the baby is made of pine wood • Yuvarlandı düştü damdan the baby fell over the roof • Kurtulur mu gelin gamdan would the daughter-in-law (the mother) be free from sorrow? • Nenni nenni nenni lullaby, lullaby, lullaby Nenni bebek hey (oy) lullaby, baby • Dere olup taşamadım I could not be a creek overflow • Kader dağin aşamadım I could not climb/pass over the mountain of destiny • Gelin olup yaşamadım I could not be a daughter-in-life (wife) and live well • Nenni nenni nenni Nenni bebek hey (oy) • Bebek beni deleyledi the baby made me crazy • Yaktı yaktı kül eyledi it burnt me, it burnt me, it turned me into ashes • Her kap ya kul eyledi it made me a servant to everybody (everyone’s door) • Nenni nenni nenni Nenni bebek hey (oy)

8. The Social Argument • Community as Critical Concept

9. Bi-musicality • “This is the ability to function competently and with understanding within the musical practice of another culture. Hood notes that every culture’s music can be appreciated only on its own terms and he offers the example that basic western musicianship, such as having perfect pitch, actually represents a ‘conditioned prejudice to overcome’ interfering with the musician’s ability to hear ‘microtonal inflections’ (Hood 1960: 56). The needed skill set can be gained through learned sensitivity and actual musical performance experience.” • (Robert Gluck 2008: 143)

10. Community • “… it may be allowed too easily to become an explanation rather than something to be explained.” • (Brian Alleyne 2002: 608) • Community as departure point for inquiry: • Bataille, ‘community without community’ • Nancy, ‘inoperative community’ • Agamben, ‘the coming community’ • Blanchot, ‘unavowable community’

11. Conclusion A Radical Politics of Community

12. P.M.G.Verstraete@exeter.ac.uk