Memories of "Moses"......

A regular reader was intrigued by a blog referring to some of my memorable moments in opera performances, and requested that I share some more of them. Today I was reading a magazine reviewing a current performance of "Moses and Aaron", by Schoenberg. Yes, I was in the Extra Chorus (freelance singers who take part in epic perforformances) for the Peter Hall/ John Bury production, conducted by Georg Solti at The Royal Opera House, London in the 1960's. It was quite an experience, with many a breathtaking scene! One of the most impressive was the opening of Act Two. The elders of the tribe, about twenty men, were placed across the stage in a large semi-circle. The curtain rose in complete darkness and from the stygian gloom came the WHISPERED sounds "Where is Moses, where is our leader, more than a month now since he was seen..." one of the most eerie moments I've experienced in theatre - you could have heard a pin drop... With virgins and animals being slaughtered left, right, and centre , and general sexual indulgence (simulated !! ) in the celebrated orgy scene, the house was always filled with production and secretarial staff when it was being rehearsed on stage......One thing that some found irksome by many of them, was that the sacrificial virgins, originally played by professional "strippers" who were paid handsomely for the privilege of baring all , and miming their vocal lines (the singers - all distinguished soloists, were hidden upstage of the "Golden Calf " statue, actually singing) were eventually made to cover their private parts after a rehearsal was attended by an official from the Lord Chamberlains' Office - he immediately banned the nudity. That was the function of the Government department at that time - to censor anything that was thought to be a corrupting influence, or lewd behaviour !! Several of the dancers said they would have been perfectly happy to go on "nude" if they'd known that, especially for the excessive fee ! The most breathless moment for me was being sat on a rock, downstage of a very large, wine filled oxskin - about thirty gallons (!), hanging on a crude wooden frame. An actor slashed the skin with a dagger - and I was deluged in a torrent of - diluted Ribena - a friut cordial for those who don't know it ! Yuk !! It's very sticky, and after each performance one had to shower thoroughly to remove that and all the other substances, including mock blood with which we were soaked during the scene, all very exciting ..... ! Our costumes and wigs were made to be laundered for every performance - what a messy job for the wardrobe dept..! I don't remember when the Lord Chamberlain's Office was abolished, but my, how things have changed......k..p b.......g .....