The Royal Shakespeare Company's decision to proceed with severe cuts to its music department, reducing the team from seven to just two members, has sounded a stark alarm for the future of live music in theatre. This cost-saving measure reflects a wider trend, where touring shows and West End musicals are increasingly replacing orchestral forces with minimal numbers of players, raising the question: why employ live performers when technology can simulate their roles?
The Historical Significance of Theatre Music
Historically, theatre music was never merely "incidental"; it was a fundamental component that brought drama to life from the 17th century onward. Composers from Purcell to Harrison Birtwistle created scores that were integral to productions, working collaboratively with writers and directors to shape the atmosphere of text and story. For instance, Mendelssohn's work for A Midsummer Night's Dream and Grieg's for Ibsen's Peer Gynt served as precursors to modern film and video game compositions, demonstrating how music enhances narrative depth.
Misinterpretations and Lost Contexts
Classical hits like Mendelssohn's orchestral scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream and Grieg's Morning Mood from Peer Gynt owe their existence to the plays that inspired them. However, these pieces are rarely heard in their original theatrical contexts today. When listeners encounter Grieg's sublime melody on a classical playlist, they often associate it with Norwegian fjords, but its true purpose was to evoke a scene in the Moroccan desert from Peer Gynt. This disconnect underscores how theatre music allows composers to explore unique soundworlds beyond concert hall conventions.
Innovative Contributions to Drama
Writing for the stage has enabled composers to push creative boundaries. Sibelius's score for Hofmannsthal's Everyman features extreme orchestral visions, including a ten-minute piece with achingly dissonant semitones that convey the protagonist's desolation. Similarly, Harrison Birtwistle's work as musical director for Peter Hall's production of The Oresteia at the National Theatre introduced a new sonic ritual. His use of percussion and speech-rhythms in the choruses created a hybrid music-theatre form, closely mirroring the spirit of Ancient Greek drama.
The Essential Nature of Music in Theatre
The core idea is that plays, from Sophocles to Shakespeare, have never relied solely on spoken word. The music inherent in the language, and the scores composed around it, are essential to the art form. Reducing a music department does more than eliminate jobs; it strips theatre of a vital element that enriches audience experience and artistic integrity.
The Rise of Popera and Modern Alternatives
Despite these cuts, orchestral musicians continue to thrive in other performance arenas. For example, the Heritage Orchestra collaborated with Rosalía in a memorable staging of Berghain at the Brit Awards, blending scale, ambition, and drama in a multimedia spectacle reminiscent of grand theatrical traditions. This performance, while not opera, showcased operatic elements through music-dramatic excess.
Moreover, the fusion of pop and opera, exemplified by Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé's 1988 collaboration on Barcelona, created the genre of "popera." This camp and glorious style highlights how integrating full-scale symphony orchestras with pop divas could potentially revive musician roles in theatre, offering a model for future productions that prioritize live musical accompaniment.
In summary, the RSC's music cuts represent a significant threat to the historical and artistic role of live scores in theatre. As technology encroaches, preserving these traditions is crucial for maintaining the depth and vibrancy of dramatic performances.
