Wagner in Marseille

Mark Twain once observed that Wagner’s music was probably “better than it sounded”. I am not sure I was aware of this quote from the great American novelist and humorist when I decided to journey from Aix en Provence to Marseille to attend Wagner’s famous opera Tannhauser playing at the Marseille Opera House.

My visit occurred during my study year at the Universite’ d’Aix-enProvence. As Marseille is not far from Aix, I thought it would be a good idea to experience the famous Opera House located in the Old Port District adjacent to the Mediterranean and at the same time sample Wagner.

The Opera House is small, seating fewer than 2000 patrons. I found myself communing with the birds in the cheap seats located just below the rafters. The house was full; Frenchmen of all types waited expectantly for the curtain to rise as the orchestra tuned up.

Wagner is not for neophytes. While I thought I appreciated classical music, high opera, particularly the work of Wagner, did not agree with me. The whole production seemed out of balance and ponderous. Nonetheless, I chalked it up to being a hopeless heathen from America.

As it turned out, I was not alone in my lack of “sympathie” for the production. As the curtain began its descent, framing Tannhauser at the foot of Elisabeth’s funeral bier, a scene erupted in the Opera House which I will never forget.

With the lead tenor and soprano at the front of the stage, backed by the entire ensemble, all in the midst of taking their bows, a cascade of cabbages, tomatoes, onions, baguette bits, and assorted other projectiles, rained down on the stage. The Marseillaise crowd roared its disapproval!

I was stunned. The scene unfolding would not happen in America. Perhaps it was simply the French way, or more specifically, the Provencal way. Whatever the case, the players fled the stage in a mad dash effort to avoid bodily harm.

Certainly, Wagner would have disapproved. I am not so sure about Mark Twain; was the performance better than it sounded?