Bringing opera back to Jerusalem

Mozart’s ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ is opening in town, conducted by Omer Arieli

By BARRY DAVIS
Israeli director Ari Tepperberg’s minimalist and daring approach to the ever-popular opera. (photo credit: ELAD ZAGMAN)
Israeli director Ari Tepperberg’s minimalist and daring approach to the ever-popular opera.
(photo credit: ELAD ZAGMAN)
We all know that culture doesn’t get a fair slice of the budget pie, and all sorts of theaters and music venues are struggling. So it doesn’t really seem to be the right time to try to get a new opera venture off the ground.
Omer Arieli is clearly made of sterner stuff and has been the driving force behind the attempt to get an operatic institution up and running in Jerusalem.
It has not been easy, and a Headstart fund-raiser several months ago did not work out too well. But three days from now, Jerusalemites will get a second chance to enjoy a professional opera production, following the inaugural gala show, overseen by Arieli, which took place at the Gerard Behar Center in March 2012.
On Monday at 8 p.m., the venue will host a grand production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, with Arieli wielding the conductor’s baton. FSU-born bass singer Yuri Kissin will play the lead role, with Italian baritone Gabriele Ribis in the role of Count Almaviva. The Ashdod Symphony Orchestra will be on hand to do the instrumental honors. There will be a performance of the opera in the orchestra’s hometown on Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Ashdod Performing Arts Center.
The rendition of the ever-popular opera will be anything but traditional.
Award-winning Israeli director Ari Tepperberg has conjured up a daring and intriguing performance format that is based on visual theater. He has opted for a minimalist approach to allow the music and the drama of the storyline to take precedence. He toes the line between fantasy and reality as the interior of the opening scenes gradually evolves into a beautiful garden, where Mother Nature displays her charms.
Arieli says he is delighted to be putting on the enterprise’s new offering and that he and his colleagues have come a long way since the first gala production.
“We have discovered so many things, including a lot of talent.”
The conductor notes that there is plenty of demand for operatic roles in Jerusalem.
“Hardly a week goes by without someone coming along to try out for the opera. We are always holding auditions.
We have singers coming here from all over the country. People want to sing in Israel,” he says.
That is a sentiment that Arieli shares.
He was born in Jerusalem but grew up in Florence, returning from Italy at age 18 to do his army service. From 1998 to 2004 he studied conducting at the renowned Hochschule in Vienna and worked as coach-conductor at various institutions in Germany and Austria.
All that sounds rather appealing and exciting. After all, Vienna has been one of the world’s leading centers of opera for centuries, while Italy is the birthplace of the art form. Even so, Arieli would rather have learned his craft here.
“I didn’t want to go abroad after studying and doing the army here.
I was still fighting it at the airport.
But [acclaimed conductor] Mendi [Rodan] said that while he applauded my Zionistic feelings, in professional terms it was suicide to stay here. To get a decent position in Israel, you simply have to gain some working experience and studies abroad. That’s the way it goes,” he explains.
There is a saying that “Appetite comes with eating.” That appears to be the case with the Jerusalem operatic venture.
“We have had all sorts of composers sending us their work, and people have offered donations – not very large amounts, but it is heartwarming to get these offers of support and interest,” says Arieli.
The enterprise may not as yet have a home base or a regular program of productions, but Arieli says he is optimistic about the possibility of the capital’s eventually getting its own opera house.
“The Jerusalem Opera has been operating successfully for about two years,” he states, “and has garnered highly positive reviews and reports in the media and wonderful responses from the public. It provides many professionals with work and offers a stage for talented local artists.”
Arieli and his colleagues recently received a welcome shot in the arm when the Jerusalem Opera was officially recognized by the Culture Ministry.
“Next year we expect to put on a range of productions, including cooperations with opera houses in Italy and Switzerland,” says the conductor. “We will, of course, continue to work with David’s Tower [in the Old City].”
The latter venue hosted two performances of Mozart’s Don Giovanni by the Jerusalem Opera in October 2 013.
Arieli says he is also looking for support from abroad.
“We cooperate with opera houses and festivals in Italy. The objective is to create an opera culture on an international level in Jerusalem.”
Arieli wants the evolving enterprise not only to be physically based in the capital but also to feed off local themes.
“We have had all kinds of composers send us scores that are connected to Jerusalem and to Jewish tradition,” he says. “These are the kinds of things we want to deal with in the opera company and to support. First and foremost, we want to establish ourselves, but we have also taken a pledge to support local artistic creativity and work that feeds off our tradition and heritage and Israeli literature and anything connected to Jerusalem. That is a very important part of what we are about.”
The conductor also has a grander ulterior motive for his efforts to create a bona fide opera scene in the capital.
“There are young musicians who complete their studies at the Rubin Academy of Music and Dance and then have to go off to Germany or New York or London to find work. That’s very sad.
There is so much talent, but Israel has only one opera house,” he laments.
If Arieli has anything to do with it, that will change before too long. 
For more information and tickets: *6226 and www.bimot.co.il