Chemie - Gesellschaftlicher Katalysator? Roald Hoffmann macht es wahr!

Startfolie des Preisträgervortrrags
von
Prof. Roald Hoffmann

Roald: From a refugee camp in Wasseralfingen, books of Marie Curie and George Washington Carver in German, to America

(Roald: Von einem Flüchtingslager in Wasseralfingen, Bücher von Marie Curie und George Washington Carver auf Deutsch, nach Amerika)

Am 10. September 2017 feierte die die Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh) das Jahr ihres 150-jährigen Bestehens mit einem Festakt im Konzerthaus am Gendarmenmarkt. Höhepunkt des Abend war die erstmalige Verleihung des Primo-Levi-Preises an Prof. Roald Hoffmann, Nobelpreis in Chemie (gemeinsam mit Kenichi Fukui) 1981.

Primo Levi, italienischer Schriftsteller und Chemiker, der den Holocaust überlebte (ähnlich wie der Preisträger auch), hat mit seinem schriftstellerischem Wirken die Chemie in weite Teile der Bevölkerung getragen. Darüber hinaus hat er mit seinem autobiografischen Werk "Ist das ein Mensch?" über seine Erfahrungen während seines 11-monatigen Zwangsaufenthalts im Konzentrationslager Auschwitz einen Platz in der Weltliteratur eingenommen.

GDCh Präsidentin Thisbe K. Lindhorst und Prof. Roald Hoffmann

Mit dem Primo-Levi-Preis, der von der GDCh und der Italienischen Chemischen Gesellschaft (Societa Chimica Italiana) gemeinsam verliehen wird, werden "Chemiker oder Wissenschaftler chemienaher Disziplinen ausgezeichnet, die sich in besonderem Maße für die Wahrung der Menschenrecht einsetzen und damit den Dialog zwischen der Chemie und der Gesellschaft voranbringen" (Auszug aus der Pressemitteilung der GDCh vom 6. Juni 2017).

Roald Hoffmann, bedingt unter anderem durch seine Kindheit, geboren 1937 damals im polnischen Zloczow (heute zur Ukraine gehörig) ist ein "Brückenbauer" (Boundary Spanner via P2P Foundation) zwischen unterschiedlichen Kulturen und Disziplinen. Der Titel seiner Nobel Lecture anlässlich der Nobelpreisverleihung 1981 "Building Bridges between Inorganic and Organic Chemistry" lässt den interessierten Leser bereits vermuten, dass sich darunter mehr verbirgt als ausschließlich die Leidenschaft eines Chemikers im Kontext mit Atomen und Molekülen.

Kunst, Poesie und Philosophie sind die Felder, in denen Roald Hoffmann ebenfalls seit Jahren aktiv tätig ist, wie auf seiner Website zu entnehmen. Nicht ohne Grund ist die Kunst und die mit ihr verbundenen Künstlerinnen und Künstler ein Katalysator für gesellschaftlichen Wandel hin zu größerem Verständnis gegenüber der Wissenschaft (die, falls wir nicht selbst damit zu tun haben, uns abstrakt und im "strengen Sinne" überflüssig vorkommt, da wir sie in geringem Maße in unserer persönlichen Erlebenswelt einordnen können) und zwischen unterschiedlichen gesellschaftlichen Gruppen. Auf den Malta Conferences, die sich dafür einsetzen, die Kraft der Diplomatie der Wissenschaften für ein friedfertiges Zusammenleben der unterschiedlichen Kulturen im Nahen Osten einzubringen ist er ebenfalls ein regelmäßiger Teilnehmer, so auch in diesem Jahr im Dezember.

Jan Kollwitz (li.)
Roald Hoffmann (re.)

Besonders faszierend ist die gestiftete Keramik, die in tradioneller japanischer Technik von Jan Kollwitz, dem Urenkel von Käthe Kollwitz, die ihre letzten Lebensjahre in Moritzburg unweit Dresdens verlebt hat,  produziert worden ist. Just in dieser Woche, am morgigen Donnerstag, eröffnen die Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen (SKD) im Kupferstichkabinett eine Sonderausstellung anlässlich des 150. Geburtstages von Käthe Kollwitz - man mag es für eine zufällige "Laune" der Geschichte halten und doch treffen wiederum unterschiedliche Stränge der Geschichte in Dresden in Form der Kunst zusammen.






Zusammenfassung des Erlebten während (und nach) der Eröffnungsfeier des Wissenschaftsforum 2017 (#wifo2017) im bewährten #PresencingStatus:

• Good - Konzerthaus am Gendarmenmarkt war der passende Ort, um Wissenschaft, Kunst und Publikum emotional zu verbinden 
• Tricky - mehrfache Anläufe zum Aufschreiben der Erinnerungen an diesen faszinierenden Abend in Berlin "scheiterten"
• Learned - manche Dinge, wie das Schreiben dieses Artikels, benötigen mehr Zeit als vermutet, vor allem wegen der verfältigen Verflechtungen und Dockingpunkte mit anderen Dingen (SKD, Semperoper Ballett, Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft, Dialogmiteinander, Flüchtlingskrise, Bundestagswahl, Diversity, ...)
• Action - Wie könnte ein Prototyp im Rahmen des MOOC "u.lab - Leading From the Emerging Future" aussehen, der die Vielfalt (diversity) von Personen, Erkenntnissen sowie Erlebnissen, die die offenbaren Grenzen zwischen Wissenschaft, Kunst und Gesellschaft verschmelzen lassen und visuell oder in anderer geeigneter Form für andere erfahrbar macht? 

Cultures Accelerate their Uniqueness at Semperoper

Most of the readers of this blog by now have probably noticed that I love to write about the local opera house, Semperoper. Traditionally orchestra performances, operas, and ballets are the repertoire of the house - yet this one is certainly different.

Since the new intendant, Dr. Ulrike Hessler, and certainly already under its former intendant Prof. Gerd Ueker a new wind of change (in German) is weighing through the building that looks older than it truly is (only last year it had its 25th anniversary - bombed in large part in the nights of the 13th and 14th, February, 1945 it took several decades until 1977 to restart the rebuild).

Is it really so different to other opera houses? Not just a opera house in the sense we all would expect? Attracting the "silver locks" and "black suits" night after night?

It certainly is, yet most of it has to be explored personally. Even when you have no clue what the concrete outcome of visiting a performance of "Young Choreographers" (premiering tomorrow, three performances already completely sold out - only chance to get tickets being at the box office of Semper 2 30 min prior to performance start) - I love the challenge to try out new staff, that could eventually lead to further personal learning experience. Dresden is the heart of Europe's most dense multi-disciplinary hotspot of emerging technology fields, with cutting edge research, and a rising entrepreneurship eco-system (even though still in a pre-mature phase compared to other tech centers around the world, taken the acceleration, and open cooptition into account).

Semperoper, as a microcosmos of the world as such in a nutshell (pretty much what August the Strong created back in his ruling days) where arts, science, technology, and foreign cultures "clash" in serendipity constantly. Doing business as everybody in the opera world, playing the "old" operas in traditional style and costumes, would certainly enable the box office to sell ticket for premieres for several thousand EUROS per person. Yet the human mind only would see, hear, and feel what it would naturally expect - where is the NEW then coming from?

In a world of changing priorities, shrinking monetary funds, and reshifting the kind of work the Semperoper is reinventing itself every day - from my past experience in the lean management world, which I had also the privilege to lead as an "early mover" at BMW back in 2003, the house is an amazing role model to see what "lean" is about. Changing daily productions on stage, and starting every night sharply at the preset hour is more than amazing.

Last Sunday another outstanding evening of the almost 20 year-long history of "Jazz in der Semperoper" had been announced in the papers and the website. A jazz trio from Palestine bringing not only unheard sounds to the house, and the city - rather setting another mosaic stone in the multi-cultural tribe of house. Having had a rich past of Jewish artists that had to leave Semperoper when the Nazi-government took power in 1933, inviting the group - in my view - gave room for setting closer emotional bounds across diverse cultures.

"Die Welt des Trio Joubran feat. Yousef Hbeisch" pulled the audience completely in its ban, and created a emotional band, that only music, and ballet can create - as individual language, and words plays no role, only the world universal language that is understood across cultural boundaries and enables the creation of trust. Trust is the essential essence of dialogue, that when nurtured for long enough a time enables unimaginable collaborative action that would not be thinkable.

Dresden is rich of such places where the "unexpected culture clashes" can happen in a relaxing, and most fruitful way - lets await the next "Jazz in der Semperoper" and meet together (even though we have no clue what is the concrete outcome - it may be new friends you'd never have met, learning about a style of music that until yesterday did not even bother your thought, or may it be the emotions that pull your tears out thinking about getting along with friends from Serbia, Croatia, Switzerland, England, Italy, Greece, Germany, France, Turkey, Hong Kong, Japan back in 1991).

Everybody will draw something different from attending a performance at Semperoper, and it will be different from the kind of performance, and her or his personal past experience. Looking forward to a fruitful future of "Jazz in der Semperoper" that got very positive feedback by Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten (in German).

As always, a short PresencingStatus on the event:

Good: amazing cultural spanning performance, emotional connection with the audience
Tricky: some sounds my ears are not yet used to
Learned: holding the tension, not knowing what to come - always good for personal learning
Action: finding out what is about the rumors that "Jazz in der Semperoper" will finish

Impression on Jewels - by George Balanchine

Impression on Jewels

JEWELS the beautiful precious stones available in different colours that women love so much. Well, this time NOT. The "JEWELS" I had to do with is a beautiful ballet performed in three parts: Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds.

Green like Emeralds, like childhood, like the first steps in the world. Music by Faure.

Red like Rubies, like teenage, like first love and passion made of skirmishes, games and fun. Music by Stravinski.

White like Diamonds, like the adulthood, the true love, the conscious passion, the tenderness. Music by Tchaikovski.

George Balanchine put all these emotions in his 3 coreographies. The result is an amazingly beautiful performance (2 hours in total).

To say the truth, I saw it twice. The first time I was fascinated expecially by the costumes and the music. Never seen costumes so magnificent, they are really jewels: Emeralds with green stones, Rubies with red stones, Diamonds with transparent stones. The performance was not so good as I expected it to be.

Yesterday I loved all the three performances and I loved them in full, costumes, music and dancers. They performed beautifully. All was perfect!

La Scala was full, not less then 2000 people (different ages) breathing at the same time, feeling the same emotions and expressing all their appreciation and their love after each performance, expecially after the second one, Rubies (my favourite too).

Among the 2000 people attending the performance, many came from abroad, German people, English people, East-European people and African people and also a nice couple coming from the west coast of Canada. They were in Milan for visiting the city, the museums and possibly a performance at La Scala. They sat next to my friend and me and we discovered they had no idea that a ballet performance was taking place in the afternoon and learned about it by chance. Nice to know that they try to attend a performance in every city they visit! The Opera (ballet or opera can be a mirror of people, a lot can be learned attending a performance in a city you do not know, it has to do not only with what performed on stage but with the behavior the people living there have).

One more lovely thing that happened during the performance had to do with the orchestra director Mr. David Coleman, a very friendly man. He danced on his place while conducting the orchestra during Rubies, I could feel he loved what he was directing, he felt the music deep in his body and in his soul and could not help dancing. I felt the same, I wanted to stand and dance the enchanted music written by Stravinski.

Another Emeralds is waiting for me soon....very curious to see how it will be!

Arts, Science & Business - brewing the future together

As I have written earlier in my posts around my personal experience at Semperoper (the local opera house in Dresden) performances, especially Semperoper Ballett performances, there is a strong connection between performing arts, science, and business (including education) and a "delicious" combination when put together right.

Arts is meant to be a "provoking and mind opening" facilitation ground to bring new thinking and innovation to kickstart. Semperoper intendant Dr. Ulrike Hessler in a recent interview given to Deutsche Welle Culture said, "If opera is good, that's the place to go if you want to experience strong emotions". "Strong emotions", that's when innovative thinking sneaks from the ground of hidden consciousness. Getting the thoughts across disciplinary boundaries and getting into the dialog beyond into the world that is outside the opera house, is what will bring future value in the community (and well beyond).

Recently this topic has been also taken into account in Silicon Valley, where BiblioTech2011 takes place and will be live-streamed and soon available on YouTube as Vivek Wadhwa a tech-entrepreneur and academic at Silicon Valley posted on Facebook and Twitter recently (check out his blog for more background on his work in the field).

Due to the fact that the ensembles of the science research institute and the ensembles of the internationally well known Semperoper ensembles (whether orchestra, singing or ballet dance) are pretty much multi-international set by members, I take the courage to bring this thought out in English. It may be disturbing the local crowd but isn't it "provoking" your emotions that makes us rethink our current actions and thinking?

The third part of the above "equation" of driving the future innovations in Saxony (or perhaps in more general terms anywhere around the globe) is engaging the business world. Here especially the local business on an SME size are the ones that will make the difference in the "game".

Tolerance - Talent - Technology - it's all here in Dresden, Saxony, as well as in Silicon Valley, and elsewhere whether India, Botswana (a dear friend is doing a great job over there transforming the country), or Australia (where gamification of business is strong). Only we have to put on the stove and get the menu out (TOGETHER).

Richard Wagner - Mind Pictures through the Fog

Easter - always a time of renewal. So every year Good Friday starts with a visit to church. The last couple of years the smaller version of the Frauenkirche, it's the small Loschwitzer Kirche made by George Bähr, the builder of Frauenkirche.

Why do I write this? It has much to do with what the title announces.

Easter is for several years my journey in finding the right spot to work (actually I do work a lot) and earn a decent income for living. Every time I fetch a different piece of new knowledge from the prayers. And so the Easter days went on reflecting on the past and where the "cracks in the future door" are to be seen and opened.

Over the past days several entries from non-Dresden folks appeared on Twitter about Semperoper. That immediately caught my interest. "What could have happened that has made the change?" Nahoko Gotoh wrote about a terrific performance of Tannhäuser ("hm, sounds like Wagner" - I thought by myself) and mentioning a following blog entry (there seem to be more opera fan writing than thought initially - good to know) - actually back in London by now. Best regards to London, where close by I happened to learn English some three decades ago in a two weeks "crash course" (staying at a family with no German contacts whatsoever - which made the game (without any course)!).

Thoughts are moving like rivers, sometimes everything goes straight, nothing special to talk about. Then out of the corner of the eye there is something changing, a small river from the side is approaching, new waters flowing into the thought stream, some turmoils, changes, new!

So I learned about someone else who just tweeted about arriving in Dresden for the Monday evening Tannhäuser performance.

And so Easter Monday started quite normal, visiting the 3rd FIGARO Operncafé Spezial at Rundfoyer of the Semperoper. Annette Jahns, one of the guests invited, a former singer at Semperoper talked about a song evening about Wagner some years ago. My synapses snapped in: Tannhäuser, Semperoper, Wagner, Bayreuth (actually there is something else right now Bayreuth is connect since a few weeks past). BTW I also met (the first time I have met someone I know at this event) Boris Michael Gruhl, organizer of the Danceweek (Tanzwoche) that is currently taking place (till 29th of April) in Dresden.

Not sure whether taking the courage to go to a performance with well over four (4) hours length I posted my concern on Facebook to some friends. I got genuine support and all but none told me: GO!!!

So I went, got a decently priced ticket and awaited  long afternoon-evening event. Of course I had challenged Wikipedia for Tannhäuser shortly before coming, now holding the textbook in my hands reading through the plot. While reading an older couple seated themselves beside me. I noticed that they only had the "Einleger" (showing all participants on and beyond stage for that particular performance). So I offered my textbook while I was writing on Twitter and we got into a short conversation. They were from Munich on holiday, having visited the Saxonian Switzerland, now seeing Peter Konwitschnys  Tannhäuser for the 2nd time. We exchanged names and wished each other a great time.

What followed then from 5 PM sharp (till 9:30 PM, with two twenty minutes breaks) was amazing, colorful, challenging, stunning (as the Australians like to say ;-)), and a learning session of its best. Though during the performance -I have to admit that- I was somewhat overwhelmed by my cold and tiredness.

• Good: listening to my dear opera friends and going - THANKS to ALL of you!!! The work of the stage builders once a again an exceptional outcome full of color resonating with emotional feelings;  a furious Stephen Gould (Tannhäuser) taking us back to time and Tichina Vaughn (Venus; I have seen her at Rusalka where she also played exceptionally); the orchestra led by Peter Schneider held the play together over the complete time (awesome (!)); standing ovations (there must have been lots of fans in the house).
• Tricky: the time length of the play - "Once upon a time in America" with four hours back in the 80's was aquivalent in time and reminded me of my several late night movie theatre visits (starting at 8 PM and finishing with sunrise) also back then. Not understanding to much of my "mother tongue" really "disturbed me, time for deep listening on YouTube to Wagner and other German operas. 
• Learned: Deep learning happens when you feel uneasy doing something and at the same time learn that it is doable (by others).
• Action: Take yesterday evening as another puzzle piece on my personal development path towards a place where my personal strengths can be put into action. Thank you Semperoper Crew for enabling such a great self-development environment!!!

Bayadère - Personal Leadership on Stage

Yesterday afternoon I read a tweet by István Simon about his second show as Solor with Natalia Sologub as Nikija in Bayadère. Being a "last minute man" going with the flow I tried the very last minute tickets (in my Tevas, just coming back from shopping - which made me feel a bit awkward amongst the people in fine robes) and was lucky (and off I went for changing for trousers and jacket - living just across the street does make that possible ;-)).

Seeing after Coppélia my second story-driven ballet, this time arranged by Aaron S. Watkin,  ballet director of Semperoper. Also this time I knew the main characters in advance and had seen other work of István at the "Inner Voice" played at Albertinum in October last year.

Always stunned by how the humming audience is silenced the moment the announcement for shutting off mobile phones. The start in the story followed a real dramaturgic approach: slow in the beginning, tuning in for the dancers and the orchestra as well. Not sure why I look so sensitively but that is probably what my passion and skill is in general. This helps a lot in understanding the emerging processes in any disciplinary, may it be a production line at an automotive manufacturer, creating a CoWorking space, or just observing the emergence of a new technology within given processes.

Photo: Ian Whalen

István and Natalia (see on left at rehearsal) certainly had some role models in my head that they "compared" to: Jiří Bubeničeck (video interview by New York City Ballet on Facebook) and Yumiko Takeshima, both some of Semperoper's principal dancers. One could clearly see the development over the course of the play that night. In the first act an almost missed grip (at least I had the feeling to sense that) by István caused some "ahs" and "ohs" in the audience. Remembering situations on the field playing Ultimate Frisbee, when someone drops the disc - the real mental strength of people emerges in situations like that. István and Natalia not only managed to get across that situation but improved immensely till the end.

Again it was worth going into the unknown field of ballet - always positive surprises that the Semperoper Ensemble (singers, dancers, orchestra players) provide. THANK YOU ALL!!!

• Good: experiencing the high-level dancing and mental leadership (taking an error in performance as an accelerator for going beyond the possible), standing ovations for the "new" dance pair István and Natalia, the "Kingdom of Shades" with stunning dancers of the ballet ensemble (time could have been definitely longer - it was lovely to watch and analyze the perfection)
• Tricky: some seats are definitely not for tall people like me (how about mentioning the suitable ones on the seat plan?), feeling a bit absurd with bare feet (in Tevas) buying the ticket
• Learned: believe in yourself and go for the best (there is always more than you achieved till today (!))
• Action: taking István's experience (learning from (tiny) mistake at stage performance) for own life. "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined" - Henry David Thoreau

PS.: Thanks to Ian Whalen for always being a great source of stunning ballet photographies! Actually he danced yeasterday as well in the corps de ballet.

PPS.: Short video sequence of Natalia Sologub and István Simon in La Bayadère

Cinderella - Aschenputtel - Aschenbrödel ... three names one story

What could be nicer than attracting friends to a field of art that is for most of us situated only on the large stages of the operas such as Semperoper and somewhat out of scope (so to say)? Starting with the premiere of "Dido and Aeneas" Semper 2 now is attracting a wide range of newcomers and opera lovers. Always a pleasure to see age range from 10 to 80, newcomers and fans alike!

This time the 4th premiere on this cozy stage, just holding 200 seats, in a -you'd think boring-looking- cubicle was coming up with the ballet "Cinderella". Guest choreographer Stijn Celis had adapted the fairy tale with the music by Sergej Prokofjew and others to a one-hour show, which should certainly open some surprises - as the audience experienced pretty soon. For me the first surprise happened minutes before the start - but that's another story, which worked out fine. Patience is what is needed in tough looking situations, as "Cinderella" had to go through later on as well.

Off we go!

First protagonists on stage three man-looking women ("Hm, wasn't it a stepmother with two stepsisters?"). This was the moment to set the mind into gear, recalling the story on mind, racing back in time to the brother Grimm's fairy tale or the famous "3 Nüsse für Aschenbrödel" (a great czechoslovakian movie from the 70's which actually was filmed close by to Dresden, around Schloss Moritzburg). Again and again the ballet plays out surprises with a well-set choreography that -on purpose- leads the audience's minds through the story, sometimes on totally derailed thought routes.

George Hill as stepmother was just as hilarious as "her" two "daughters" (played by Claudio Cangialosi [main protagonist at "Silent Spring" a few weeks earlier] and Jón Vallejo [Franz in "Coppélia" together with Anna Merkulova as Copéllia]). A great compliment to the make-up artists, as this was just created beautifully!

A good start into the story, as the audience eased into to the flow of the story, and minds free to take the action on stage, actually right in front of some visitors (as seating goes well on the very edge of the stage, actually there is no stage, everybody is sitting or playing on the same ground - which makes it a very special feeling, and one "field").

Photo: Costin Radu

When Anna Merkulova appeared on stage in the role of Cinderella she struck again with her strong pantomimic expression, which made once again another shift in the setting that night. Now two counterparts on stage: the natural Cinderella versus the "artificial" stepsisters (which stands for the constraints in life, the struggles everyone of us encounters every day in life).

Being almost part of the play the audience was completely entrenched and part of the play on stage - amazing what can be achieved when it's not world of acting on stage and audience rather a combined "social field" in the room which the dancers had made possible in the first place.

The general take-away from this beautiful evening: life is always a surprise and one has to keep the hands open to capture the love (and personal vision) that arrives often out of the "blue".

• Good: A big THANK YOU to the whole team especially Anna Merkulova and Guy Albouy (on stage and behind the scenes [there are always surprises, like the snow flakes coming from top, one would not expect that moment], beautiful story setting (Stijn Celis) and costumes (Catherine Voeffray), audience being almost part of the play (sitting along the four walls), a crisp story wonderfully told by all the protagonists, new faces and friends.
• Tricky: Personally bound too much on the "3 Nüsse für Aschenbrödel" story - had to let go get in the flow of "Cinderella".
• Learned: I like the short performances a lot, as they enable to condense the essentials of the play and its implications to one's own world and experience much easier also through the closeness to the actors and dancers during the play.
• Action: Applying Cinderella's view of life even more in own life, enjoy and let the future come.

Argentina meets Semperoper - That really Ba'rocks

Last Sunday my first encounter with Poppea. This evening then premiere. What would really expect me and the crowd? Some specialities like the orchestra pretty much on same level as audience and the stage overarching the orchestra dip, and lots of really old and unfamiliar instruments to be seen and heard.

But let us start from the beginning - BTW I am writing this blog post in English, as different nations were acting on stage from Argentina, Canada, via US-America to Romania and others, and I would like to let my opera friends outside Germany be part of the journey of tonight's surprise.

1643 - the probable birth year of "L'incoronazione di Poppea" - transferred to 2011 quite a stretch. Should we stick to the old stuff? Of course not, that would not be Semperoper-Style. Florentine Klepper, the current house stage director at Oper Basel is giving her debut at Semperoper, thought different. Taken from the old times are the music (with some surprises as you will see later) and the libretto, most of the rest around the story is adapted to modern times - which actually makes it pretty easy to take the story into current society stage setting.

Short synopsis of story (to be also found here), to have the guiding leash:

Quelle: Matthias Creutziger

"A woman is aiming for the top. Poppea loves Nero, who is (not by coincidence) the ruler of Rome. She skilfully conceals her past and disarms all adversaries until there is nothing which can hinder her coronation.However, Monteverdi not only portrays the life and loves of a high society dream couple. This glamorous existence is counterpoised with the world of the servants and employees, who have their own desires, dreams and ambitious plans. And from the lowest rung of the ladder, things can look completely different …" 

Having seen Entführung aus dem Serail by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lately it is rather challenging to adapt to the baroque instruments and music - this counts not just for me but also for quite a few others whom I talk to during the break. These instruments don't have the large volumes rather the subtle differences and this definitely takes time - within the timeframe of over three (3!) hours no problem at all.

Monteverdi's last opera is more suited to the current times, as we may expect when reading about the baroque era. It is all about group dynamics in an society "closed circles" on the top with little open flow into the lower ranks and back up. Doesn't that sound familiar? However Poppea, a rather clever woman with sex appeal and clear goals knows to play the "group dynamics game". Reminds me very strongly of system dynamics and Donella Meadow's work on it. Of course she is not the only one in the game, others interact and for that to make more transparent (as it is not normal in life, where one mostly just has a key hole perspective on the complete field of action) a great white-orange stage construction leads into the "Semper-Sky". As in Rusalka there are several stories going on in parallel and on different stage levels, which (if you haven't read about the story beforehand) can be quite challenging and tiring - opera is not just about singing, the costumes, the stage, but even more the underlying story that knits all together.

I could probably write till next morning, so much has happened during the pretty "kurzweilig" (a reminiscence on Ray Kurzweil) performance - almost three and a half hours of play. One major finding was the diversity of appreciation of the to modern times adapted play till the break. On my left I had the feeling, that the elderly man was not amused at all (he later left the house earlier) and meeting some folks from Hellerau during the break, they really liked the setting and play. Always a good sign, when at break time there is some kind of stillness in the ongoing action. A feeling of uneasiness as one don't know what is going to come, and when and where the climax arises.

While I was strolling around the hallways at Semperoper, getting the feeling of how the play is appreciated or what bothers people. Talking to some people I know, from the Technical University and Gebäudeensemble Hellerau, I realized that some additional background activities like the Introduction Matinees (the next one is for "Street Scene" on 12th of June) are not yet well-known to regular Semperoper visitors.

Two rings and the masses move (interestingly everybody knows what the rings have to mean - despite the different countries, languages and cultures they come from - common understanding exists amongst humans, without putting it into words, just sounds) back inside. This second part of the opera should be really one of surprises. Seeing a baroque guitar playing Argentinian conductor putting the tango feeling into Semperoper within a baroque opera was quite a suprise. With his Argentinian counterpart, Franco Fagioli (Nerone), on stage this duo was the driving force putting everything else in motion around Poppea.

This is not yet finished, and will be continued, as there is so much wisdom within this wonderful opera. Well worth to reflect and bring into real world in more detail.

So what are the four questions and its answers this time on Presencing Status?

• Good: An awesome playing Nicole Heaston (Poppea), great stage construction offering lots of different stage levels, where different sub plays took place, always transparent and to be fully seen by audience; Rubén Dubrovsky (conductor) playing baroque guitar himself (!); seeing all the protagonists from last Sunday's Introduction Matinee again (especially Vanessa Gokkoetxea, Timothy Oliver, and Georg Zeppenfeld); great timely play connecting to the current situation in the state, region and city of Dresden (in the "wild life" out in the city the processes are not as transparent as we could experience them here at Semperoper tonight - time to learn from the performing arts, especially the field of opera (!)); standing ovations & Bravo screams & yelling of the fans of the ensemble on stage - wouldn't have thought of that before the break (!).
• Tricky: due to the uprisen orchestra the sound of the instruments in the beginning of the performance somewhat overwhelmed the singers' voices (this leveled over the course of the time), bound to one fixed seat made me somewhat nervous (so many different perspectives to take to understand the play on stage); I'd like to have longer breaks especially during operas as complex as "L'incoronazione di Poppea"and "Rusalka" are.
• Learned: when there is a dip and you feel uncomfortable (as large parts of the audience seemed to feel at first part till the break), the inner process of "letting go" prepares best for what new emerges; it is the uneasy emotions that make us grow and adapt to new circumstances in life (and over three hours spending at the opera is quite some time ;-)) better than before.
• Action: definitely hone and finish this article (WIP work in progress), and for next time engage some friends to come along, guiding some opera talk after the performance (Cinderella on 9th of April will first try - meeting in the Café Alte Meister next to Gemäldegalerie - who else is coming? [for reserving a table])

How does SocialMedia Shape Cultural Institutions in the Future

This is an interactive action research experiment, connecting opera lovers around the globe, in sharing their experience with social media.

Interacitve international session in the context of http://startcamp-dresden.de (#scdd11 on Twitter):

""#Semperoper & how #SocialMedia plays a role connecting #opera crowd across globe"

http://twitter.com/RalfLippold/status/51548854012743680

Participants:

LingChan, http://twitter.com/girllightning former head  of social media of Vancouver Opera, http://twitter.com/VancouverOpera

AngelaIncampo, http://twitter.com/angieincampo opera fan from Italy 

RalfLippold, http://twitter.com/RalfLippold opera & ballet lover from Dresden

RaLi - Good morning, and good night, Ling and Angela, depending on your time zone.

Ling good morning everyone!

RaLi - this will be real "crazy" workshop experiment within #scdd11, the in these minutes starting barcamp in Dresden.

May I start of with the question about your person and what has brought you into the opera field?

Angela Hi

Ling - I love the performing arts, be it opera, ballet, plays or musicals. My very first opera was Turandot at The Met. I think it was in 2005 or 2006. Since then I became entranced by the artform of opera. When an opportunity to work for Vancouver Opera became available, I became interested and applied for the Assistant to Managing Director position. That was in 2007. I was with the company until February 2011.

Working at Vancouver Opera, I've come to appreciate opera and am now a convert. I still consider myself pretty new to the genre; only having been exposed to 14 operas. There's lots more to see!

When I travel, I do try to see if the city I'm in is performing an opera at that time. My last trip to Amsterdam in June 2010, I saw the world premiere of A Dog's Heart. 

I have always loved the old Greek theater and sow it in high school then, one of my best friend here in Italy is a young opera singer and I started my passion for opera thanks to him. I've always loved music expecially classical music but I went to my first opera " Tosca" by Giacomo Puccini with this friend.Then I started going also alone. Then, couple of years ago I started also with Ballet.....

Ralf - My initial connection to the opera was laid out decades ago. My grandma was a great singer, always sticking out of the chorus in church and my mother is an opera lover. Though what did not work when I was small switched when I worked in a large automotive plant and realized the interactions of the different groups are very ballet-like. Last year the Semperoper here in Dresden got a new director, a woman after 350 years, and I saw the connection as publicity arose (due to new website layout and other activities). I write a blog on economic issues of daily since 2008 and now often add reviews about performances on ballet and opera as well. 

As more I see and experience there more connections into "real life" and the work field.

Hi Ling, happy to know your first opera was Turandot (Puccini). I love it. Sow it once in the Petruzzelli Theather (Bari) and I will go to see it again in April at La Scala Theater (Milano).

Hi Angela!

Hi Ling!

Ralf - What is it that really really draws you to the field of opera, and is there something special you love most in the field?

A question...would it make any difference if an opera is performed as a concert and not as a traditional opera performance with all the costumes and scenography?

Angela, unfortunately, I've only so far seen opera in its most theatrical form. Not as a recital. Having said that, I love the whole spectacle of it: the singing, the orchestra, the costumes, wigs, make-up, set decoration, multimedia touches. 

Ralf - hehe. I think I anwered your last question when I was answering Angela's.  

Ralf - Loving the performing arts, also an inspiring element for my work, I love the multifacetted action on stage and the orchestra. Sensing the subtle changes in the field of the actors and seeing the "tipping points" is what challenges me and draws my interest. Ballet is the most fascinating part for as expressing emotions without voice is challenging your mind. You really have to let go to get what lies behind the sheer things you see on stage.

Love ballet. Just came from one tonight. Royal Winnipeg Ballet's, http://twitter.com/RWBallet, cross-Canada tour of Wonderland.

I love ballet too. But I realized I prefer the modern performance. Last year I went to see Giselle. I saw the traditional performance and then the Mats Ek's coreography with Roberto Bolle. Well I was really impressed by Mats Ek's. It fascinated me the modern style and the feeling it was real for our time.

Ling, Ralf Sorry but I have to go now....time over.

nice to meet you Angela! 

Ciao Angela and see you later!

Ralf, did you still want to continue or are you going into the conference now?

Ralf - What was it that made you aware that social media can be a helpful media facilitator for an opera house?

Social media is a fantastic tool, particularly to connect and communicate with new audiences. Especially younger audiences since they are all well-versed in social networking services such as Facebook and Twitter. Opera houses can use social media to engage and educate those new or curious abut opera, get them interested and hopefully turn them into lifelong supporters of the arform. 

In my past work I realized that the new communication tools, social media in the broadest sense, enabled me not only to find information on the web, rather - and more relevant - to interconnect with people across the globe. As the effort and money you need to connect across distances and time zones is almost zero, this new media landscape seems - for me - as facilitating tool for cultural institutions like museums and operas alike to connect with a much broader audience. Getting feedback in an instant by visitors, perhaps even during the performance, seeing the connections that are built up amongst fans of operas and people working on the ensembles is of great benefit for all.

The traditional media can't possibly act as fast and direct. When I visit a performance at Semperoper for example I can write a review within an hour after the event and put it online. As a visitor my personal views can be shared. Writing driven by my inner intent to share what I have seen and experienced is much different to a review a paid journalist will write in the first performance. 

You're absolutely right. The cost involved is minimal but social media is very time-consuming and labour intensive. Companies and employees have to be willing to put in the time and effort. 

That's correct - time consuming and labour intensive are definitely points not to underestimate. However when the activities are leverage across the fan base and even members of the ensemble find fields outside their professional. IstvanSimon, http://twitter.com/IstvanSimon, and IanWhalen, https://twitter.com/Ianwhalen1387, both members of the http://facebook.com/Semperoper.Ballett ensemble are strong in photography and video making of their team's performances.

Ralf - Where do you see drawbacks in stepping into the Web World for operas?

I don't see any drawbacks when it comes to opera companies utilizing social media. If anything, I think being transparent, 'lifting the veil' and dispelling any myths about opera is a good thing. It gets people interested. Opera is perceived too often as elitist and intimidating to those on the outside. 

Regarding your question about what worked well using social media:

For Vancouver Opera, what worked well for us was our blogger outreach initiative. We invited 4 bloggers to blog about their whole opera experience on opening night. They blogged about their thoughts pre-show, during intermission and after the post-show backstage party.  The bloggers would convey their thoughts to their readers, many of whom have never been to the opera. We started that in early 2008 and it was a successful initiative. We had many first-timers come to the opera after our first Blogger Night. 

Do you have a link to the Blogger Nights?

This really sounds awesome. In a way, I would call myself as one of these bloggers here at Semperoper - though the early mover at the moment. Started the minute I saw the connection to my own life and work.

Indeed!

Link to some of our Blogger Night posts:

http://vancouveropera.blogspot.com/search/label/Guest%20Bloggers

We had about 10 Blogger Nights already. 

Great. Thanks a lot Ling.

You're very welcome. I would love to continue the conversation, but I'm afraid I must be going now. That's the bad thing about being in different timezones! It's night and day.

I hope my contributions have been helpful to you!

Thanks so much Ling for joining in at this time of the day and sharing your thoughts. Looking forward to continue our conversation soon.

technology - talent - tolerance

What is the asset that Dresden has which will make it strive forward into the time ahead of us?

RichardFlorida in a short interview on how the "Valley" can reinvent itself. This really can be applied to Dresden and the region in great part as well. You don't believe it? Just have a deeper look on what is cooking in this wonderful city.

What have you seen in the past years emerge in Dresden in this context?