Bank robbers

Summary

Opera singers have generally not robbed a bank. Thank God for that! On the other hand, had they done so, they would have learnt how all kinds of shady figures behave – conspirators, murderers, terrorists and, of course, bank robbers too. Such dodgy characters can be found in many operas. They act inconspicuously when planning their dirty deeds; they meet as if casually, in the shadows on the walls, not out in the open; they speak softly, with seeming indifference and immobile expression; and their eyes are always scanning the scene for possible dangers. Once they're about to crack open the bank safe, bank robbers reduce their words and gestures to what's absolutely necessary. They act slowly and carefully, avoiding all hasty, accentuated movements that could trigger the alarm. All this happens under the greatest possible tension and with bated breath.

There are plenty of such scenes in the operatic literature, but many opera singers play them freely, insouciantly – as if they were the owners of the bank. They simply refuse to acknowledge the robbers’ true state of mind and ignore the ominous tension in the orchestral accompaniment. They just have no experience of such things. So a healthy dose of bank robber's imagination could really help.

In such hazardous moments when discovery threatens, the tension can even be heightened by little mishaps – such as a tool clattering to the floor. Or when Pedrillo is organizing the escape in Mozart's Entfuhrung aus dem Serail and has to manage the necessary ladder through the narrow, squeaky metal gate; or when Romeo is climbing up to Juliet's balcony and nearly loses his grip, about to fall. In such scenes, the audience has to root for the character, holding its breath in anticipation. But they'll do this only if the character himself plays his part under great tension.

Just about every opera also has someone in a hiding place, spying on others. They too have to demonstrate the tension of their situation – the danger of being discovered, the exertion involved in eavesdropping so they can catch every word. Even if their hiding place is constructed so they can't possibly be seen by the others, allowing them to relax while eavesdropping, without fear of discovery, the audience will find their being hidden believable only if they play it with the right tension, with pounding heart and bated breath.