Re: Grigori Frid's "The Diary of Anne Frank"

[Bob Wiener <wiener...>]

Thanks for that response.

My recording is in Fried's original Russian.  The English translation of the 
passage you refer to (not knowing Russian I assume that it is accurate -- it is 
similar to the French translation) is:

"And I have nothing left, except prayer, and I implore, "Let this ring that is 
tightening, open and widen, that freedom may be granted us!"

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the version you saw added the "Adonai 
eloheinu" for its largely Jewish audience but that it wasn't in the original.  
I also wouldn't be surprised if the original staging was also "non-Jewish".  
(BTW, it was originally presented in a concert version.)

In the booklet accompanying the CD Natalia Ziv writes, 

"The social theme in The Diary of Anne Frank, i.e., the protection of the human 
being from discrimination and persecution induced the composer to concentrate 
on the internal action, to elaborate the dramatic connotations of the character 
in minute detail, and to present the microcosm of her inner "Self", reflcting 
the most subtle stirrings of the soul."

and

"Anne's last words are that the human being is morally free as long as he can 
look at the sky without fear.  In these words Grigori Fried also heard the 
voice of his country, Russia, capable of looking into the future with 
confidence even in the most distressing situations."

Nothing Jewish here.  

Bob
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: George Robinson 
  To: World music from a Jewish slant 
  Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2002 9:20 AM
  Subject: Re: Grigori Frid's "The Diary of Anne Frank"


  The downside to being a fulltime working journalist is that I have to move to 
the next story immediately. It will take me a few hours to answer this in any 
detail because I need to excavate the enormous mountain of crap in my office 
and find the libretto and my notes. I will say this, however; Nancy Rhodes's 
staging doesn't neglect Anne's Jewishness -- the final image of the magen david 
projected on the back wall is pretty strong. I also vaguely recall a hanukiyah 
on the set, but that may be my memory playing tricks on me. 
  Actually, I just found the libretto and although for the most part Bob is 
right, there is this passage: 

      "And now all I can do is pray: 'Adonai eloheinu, make our way open our 
path 
      to freedom!'" 

  That's more Jewishness than you get in the Goodrich-Hackett version. 

  Musically, the piece is very good modernist art music. I can't recall any 
specific musical references to Jewish themes -- I would have to see it again to 
be certain. 

  GRR 
    
    

  Bob Wiener wrote: 

    I just read George Robinson's long review in The Jewish Week (1/18/02) of a 
production of Grigori Frid's (spelled Fried on the CD) opera "The Diary of Anne 
Frank" in NYC. The work and the performance receive a rave.  What I miss is any 
comment on whether the music or libretto in any way reflects Anne Frank's 
Jewishness.  I believe that the answer is no.  In other words, from the 
libretto I just read, there is not a single reference to Anne Frank's 
Jewishness.  In other words, one could listen to the entire opera and not be 
able to tell from the lyrics that Anne Frank was Jewish. Apparently there are 
indications in the set of this production at the very end.  And I haven't heard 
the music -- but George doesn't mention any Jewish music themes.  It seems that 
this is a work that "universalizes" Anne Frank at the expense of identifying 
her particularity as a Jew. Perhaps this is a reflection of the fact that the 
opera is, according to George, based on a publication of the diary in the 
Soviet Union in 1969.  Perhaps that version edited out the Jewish sections.  
(Note that it is probably not a matter of length -- this is a short opera and 
the libretto makes room for an entire section on Soviet military victories. The 
issue of the elimination of Anne Frank's Jewish identification has deservedly 
received substantial attention in plays and film.  I believe that it deserves 
comment in reviews of musical works as well.  Especially when published in a 
Jewish periodical and described as "the best dramatization" of "The Diary of 
Anne Frank". I ask for a response from George or any other list member who has 
seen this production. Shavuah Tov,Bob
  -- 
  The world is new each morning-- 
  that is God's gift, and a man should 
  believe he is reborn each day. 
                    -The Baal Shem Tov