主持：Joanna C. Lee 编译：辛时雨

不止后台

创乐者交响乐团组织的《女武神》讲座活动（图：吴咏翰）

小琼：

几天前，我有机会参观了新加坡滨海艺术中心的后台区域。其实这不是我的特权——每位希望多了解创乐者交响乐团版本的《女武神》的公众，都可以报名参加。

小薇：

我听说演出前一天，创乐者交响乐团组织了整个下午的活动，目的是让观众做更好的准备，更深入地欣赏瓦格纳的《女武神》。无论如何，这是新加坡观众首次可以在现场体验这部经典乐剧的机会。

小琼：

1月4日活动当天，你可以旁听介绍瓦格纳音乐语言或探究乐剧故事神话根源的讲座，之后就是我先前提到的后台之旅。最后大家更可以观赏一小时的彩排，亲眼看见乐团的乐手、歌唱家和技术人员工作的过程。24小时之后便是《女武神》正式的新加坡首演了。

小薇：

这些确实是独特的体验，令人大开眼界。在看到了制作人员在几乎空旷的剧院里四处奔走，见证了舞台监督的细致入微后，才能更好地欣赏这来之不易的作品。

小琼：

我非常同意。当我们走进剧场看正式演出的时候，所有的这些准备工作已经在我们眼前隐藏起来了。比方说，当幕布拉开，诸如灯光细节、道具的精确摆放、群众演员在舞台上的站位还有特定的舞台提示等诸如此类的技术考量，都早已确定下来了。

上、下：创乐者交响乐团版本的《女武神》现场（图：许智勇）

小薇：

你一定很兴奋吧，这几乎算是参与到剧组的工作过程当中了——或者至少可以说，能够在专业歌剧工作者外的人员进剧场前率先看到些什么。

小琼：

你会更加注意观察周围的细节，毕竟体会到了工作人员对他们工作的专业投入。大都会歌剧院（像许多顶级歌剧院一样），对待其彩排很严肃，甚至要求中场休息的时长和正式演出时完全一致，毕竟在排练期间能用正式演出的同等时长完成更换服装、修补妆面、移动舞台装置等工作，对台上台下的每个人都很重要。

上、下：创乐者交响乐团版本的《女武神》现场（图：许智勇）

小薇：

在新加坡，他们甚至给来观看彩排的观众分发了节目册，所以大家可以有一整天的时间来研读其中的文章以了解信息。真的，之前从没有人能有时间在场灯暗下之前坐下来好好把节目册上的注解读完。这种做法给了大家一个先机。

Joan:

Just the other day, I was offered a chance to tour the backstage of Singapore’s Esplanade—Theatres by the Bay. Actually, it wasn’t just me—anyone who wanted to learn more about the Orchestra of Music Makers’ production of

Die Walküre

could sign up.

Valery:

I did hear about a whole afternoon of activities organized to prepare audience members the day before the performance. After all, this was the first chance Singapore audiences would have to experience this classic Wagnerian music-drama performed live!

Joan:

On January 4, you could attend lectures introducing Wagner’s musical language and the story’s mythological roots. After that came the exclusive backstage visit I mentioned. To cap it off,you also could attend an hour of the dress rehearsal and see the musicians, singers and technical staff in action. Then, 24 hours later, came

Die Walküre

’s actual Singapore premiere.

Valery:

These are really unique experiences, eyeopening in every way. By seeing the production staffrunning around a nearly empty theatre, witnessing how meticulous stage managers have to be, you can appreciate the results even more.

Joan:

I do agree. When we see a public performance,all of these preparations are already hidden from us.For example, by the time the curtain finally comes up, technical considerations such as lighting details,precise placement of props, spotting in crowd scenes and specific stage cues have all been fixed.

Valery:

You must feel a sense of excitement becoming almost part of the working process—or at least being able to see something before the rest of the opera world is allowed to enter the house.

Joan:

You pay even more attention to the details around you, since you see the care that the production staff puts into their work. The Metropolitan Opera (like many top-tier opera houses) takes its dress rehearsals very seriously, even keeping intermissions the same length as in the actual performance, since moving within the same amount of time to change costumes,fix makeup and move sets is important for everyone on and off stage in “going through the process.”

Valery:

In Singapore, they even gave out program books for the dress rehearsal, so audience members could have a whole day to read the informative articles. Really, no one ever has the time to sit and read program notes before the lights go down. This gave people a head start!