Manifest Destiny (opera)
Encyclopedia
Manifest Destiny is a British
opera
composed by Keith Burstein
with a libretto
by Dic Edwards
. The opera is notable for dealing with the subject of Islam
ic suicide bombers
, and with the ramifications of both the Middle Eastern conflict and the War on Terror
.
Set in the present day or "near-future", the complex plot centres on a harrowing journey through the War on Terror by the Palestinian poet
Leila who - along with her friend Mohammed - is radicalised
and drawn into a suicide bomber
cell
, leaving her lover (the Jewish composer
Daniel) in a state of hysterical blindness
due to his despair at her loss and at the state of the world. Leila and Mohammed subsequently undergo a profound change of heart and, on the eve of their suicide mission, renounce violence and reject their own bombs. However, their attempts to achieve a more peaceful resolution to their lives (in the face of a brutal and cynical war campaign involving the President of the United States of America
and her Director of CIA
) result in them becoming further - and fatally - entangled in the conflict when Mohammed takes the fatal step of "saving" Leila by turning her over to American forces, leading to her internment and subsequent death in Camp X-Ray
. The plot is resolved when Mohammed retrieves the dead Leila's poetry as a completed libretto, which he brings back to Daniel to set to music (effecting a symbolic reconciliation between Jewish and Palestinian cultures in spite of realpolitik
interests and personal tragedy).
Manifest Destiny has attracted a large amount of press attention due to its themes, content and subject matter - including scenes showing the preparations for a suicide bomb raid and the incarceration and maltreatment of Leila in Camp X-Ray
(the latter of which was a scene written prior to public knowledge of the events at Abu-Ghraib). An accusation in the press was the subject of a libel action (Burstein vs Associated Newspapers
) in the British High Court.
The opera has been staged three times: once at London's Tricycle Theatre in 2004, once at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2005, and most recently at the King's Head Theatre in London in September 2011 (in a rewritten form titled Manifest Destiny 2011).
playwright
Dic Edwards
, and the two subsequently wrote Manifest Destiny together, completing the opera in 2003. Though critical in tone, the opera was explicitly presented as a pacifist
statement. Both Burstein and Edwards took pains to stress that the opera did not endorse the actions of suicide bombers and displayed them ultimately rejecting their violent course of action. In the programme for the Edinburgh production, Burstein wrote: "The renunciation of violence in time of war will always seem miraculous. Manifest Destiny is an attempt to describe such a miracle. Taking as its starting point the most ardent form of contemporary violence - that of the suicide bomber - it asks us to contemplate a path, a journey of the soul, on which these ‘martyrs’ are transformed by the power of love. Their grievances remain, their passionate demand for justice remains, but their weapon turns from war to peace."
In interviews with Reuters, Edwards has stated "I've always believed theatre is a place of debate... What we wanted to show is that terrorists are human beings, with the same emotions as the rest of us. While it's impossible to sympathise with terrorism, I think we have to, for the sake of the future, try and understand it... We wanted to show that potentially we are all suicide bombers if there is a cause.” Burstein added "Opera is peculiarly able to X-ray issues and X-ray the soul in a way that other media do not.I hope the opera will surprise people by making the characters in this story seem to be very immediate and very real...There is also a symbol at the end of a possible reconciliation between Palestinians and Jews."
In an article written for The Scotsman, Burstein stated"(Manifest Destiny) imagines a scenario in which the protagonists - would-be suicide bombers - are stopped in their tracks. Not by the security services, but by their own humanity: a process of love, springing from within the peaceful teachings of Islam and triumphing over their anger and fear. In the near-future envisaged in the opera, it is Mohammed, a Jihadist committed to violent direct action, who is transformed by discovering the human-scaled, yet overwhelming nature of his love for a fellow suicide bomber (which) has so overwhelmed his emotions that he can neither let her die, nor let her or himself kill others."
, Marylebone, London during November 2003, directed by David Wybrow. The first full-length production was subsequently performed at the Tricycle Theatre
, Kilburn, London on 27th June 2004 (produced by Corin Redgrave
).
The second full-length production (also directed by David Wybrow) was staged at the St Georges West venue between 6th and 29th August 2005 as part of the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with a cast of four. The Observer announced it as "undoubtedly the most controversial production" of the festival,” (Observer of 24 July) and it was flagged by both The Independent and The Times as one of the five top classical music events to see in Edinburgh that year. Excerpts from the opera were subsequently performed at public concerts – notably, part of the Guantanamo Bay prison scene from Act 3.
for a set of performances to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. The opera’s music was reworked (as well as being expanded, it was also rearranged to be performed by a quartet of two violins, cello and clarinet), as was the libretto. This resulted in an altered opera which was renamed Manifest Destiny 2011 and drew on fresh developments in contemporary world history including the ongoing series of 2011 revolutions in Arabic countries generally referred to as "the Arab Spring
" and the growing profile of Sarah Palin
. Burstein remarked that the overall approach of the opera had now shifted further to emphasize the concept of the power of love overcoming violence. Manifest Destiny 2011 was scheduled to open on September 11 2011 at the King’s Head Theatre, London, continuing as part of the OperaUpClose repertoire during September and October 2011.
In productions to date, the opera’s eight characters have been performed by singers doubling or tripling roles.
The action takes place variously in London
, Palestine
, Afghanistan
, the White House
in Washington DC and Camp X-Ray
, Guantanamo Bay.
Leila and Daniel are living together as partners in London, with Leila writing a libretto for Daniel’s music. However, all is not well. Daniel is gradually going blind. He considers his condition to be a response to the trauma of world events, which are now dominated by a seemingly unavoidable clash between the West and the retaliatory terrorism of the 'third world' whose spiritual values are perceived to be under threat. (Aria: "O Israel.")
Leila is also affected. What she sees as the iniquities of the post-9/11 world and the growing 'War On Terror' have pushed her first into pro-Palestinian political activism, and finally towards a pursuit of martyrdom as part of her personal jihad
. Torn between her love for Daniel and her loyalty to Palestine, Leila chooses to leave Daniel and return to the Middle East to join a cell of Islamic suicide bombers. (Duet: "You’ve been crying.") Daniel attempts to persuade her otherwise but she is adamant (Duet: “Revenge is futile”) and after a harrowing debate, the two part (Duet: "Now is the beginning of my world, my night.").
As Daniel plunges into despair, his blindness takes hold. A parade of horrific images begins to pass before his mind, mirroring the events that led to this crossroads - the rise of Ariel Sharon set against the growing Palestinian Intifada; the election of George Bush
with the apparent complicity of the Florida Supreme Court
; the atrocities of 9/11 and the subsequent atrocities in Afghanistan, Iraq
and across the world. (Aria: "These?") Daniel’s sense of responsibility intensifies, but his ability to act is paralyzed by his loss of Leila, whose unfinished poem on the struggle for freedom and justice was his inspiration.
Leila joins her friends Omah and Mohammed in the suicide bomb cell. She finds them serenely resigned to their martyrdom, believing themselves already to be in ascent towards heaven. (Trio: "We’ll give our lives to fight") Chanting a fervent refrain of “we love death more than they love life
,” they don explosive devices and prepare to detonate themselves amongst the Israelis, whom they see as their oppressors. (Song and chorus: "What we are doing may seem monstrous."). Omah leaves to carry out his suicide mission, and Leila prepares to follow suit.
However, Mohammed has fallen in love with Leila. He realizes that Leila’s power of creativity is a greater power than that of violence; and that her poetic vision, not her power to kill, is her true duty to Islam
. Taking Leila aside, Mohammed makes advances to her and attempts to dissuade her from her chosen course. (Song: "Not yet, Leila, not yet.") She realises that she has confused her passion for the cause with her friendship with Mohammed, and that she is still in love with Daniel. (Duet: "I am confused – my passion is to fight.") Rejecting Mohammed, Leila leaves the bomber cell, choosing to pursue her own jihad further afield in Afghanistan.
Mohammed realizes that his love of Leila is more powerful than his commitment to martyrdom. (Aria: "This pain is too real – greater than all the grief of Islam.")
He decides to save Leila from herself – “for Islam and for Man.” Having previously devoted himself to insurgency and angry destruction, he can now see a non-violent way forward within the heart of his own Islamic beliefs. Mohammed follows Leila to Afghanistan, declaring, to his own surprise, “I love life more than I love death.” His existence as a terrorist is over from that moment, and he destroys his suicide bomb.
In the Oval Office
of the White House
, the newly-elected US President is seen celebrating with the CIA Director after the President’s Inaugural Ball. (Duet: "The Oval Office!") They muse idly about their global ambitions. (Duet: "So where do we begin, Mrs President?") The Director shocks the President by telling her she can become “the first American Emperor.”
In parallel scenes, Daniel (in London) and Leila (in Afghanistan) call out to the memory of each other. (Aria: "So cold on this mountain top" and duet: "Oh Daniel!") The captured Mohammed (also in Afghanistan) is beaten by a CIA Man, but embraces his torturer and pledges loyalty (Duet: "Shall we bugger you to save you?").
Leila recalls how European-Americans destroyed the Native Americans
for the sake of gold with their “Manifest Destiny
” policy, and fears that a similar fate awaits the Arabs for the sake of their oil. (Aria: "For a century Western nations have brought terror to Arabia”) She pleads that the Arabs only want to live in “the beauty of their beliefs.” In their separate worlds, Daniel, Leila, Mohammed and the CIA Man muse on the situation (Quartet: "Parallels”).
Mohammed decides to betray Leila to the US forces (Duet: "I can give you a leading terrorist"). Privately, he reasons that if she is imprisoned it will save her life and that - if she is still intending to be a suicide bomber - it will ensure that she cannot kill others. However, the decision causes him anguish and doubt (Aria: "To be blind…") In London, Daniel sings of his continuing faith in Leila (Aria: "Leila, redeemer of my memory").
A moral struggle develops between the Director and the President. In a display of conscience, the President expresses misgivings about attacking Arabian states, and fears “as a mother” for “the children of Arabia.” (Duet: "I feel so uncertain”) The Director explains the situation (Duet: "Mrs President – the Arabians have oil”). He states that “these resources belong to the world” and that America, on behalf of the world, must “rescue” those resources. He sweeps aside the President’s protests - claiming “the conflict will last beyond your term of office” - and insists that she signs the authorization for war.
As she signs, they are interrupted by the sudden arrival of Mohammed, who has convinced his captors of his value as a double agent. (Trio: "Mrs P, meet Mohammed!") He is duly dispatched to Guantanamo Bay by his new American masters, who believe that he is a “big catch” who will extract secrets from the detainees there. Carried away by the moment, the Director announces that the new Manifest Destiny now applies to everyone (“even the bums on our campuses!”) and that this is the beginning of “full spectrum dominance – pre-emptive strikes against everyone.”
Mohammed’s true motive, however - following Leila’s capture and imprisonment - is simply to follow her to Guantanamo. He seeks forgiveness for his betrayal of her, and redemption for his actions. (Aria: “When I betrayed Leila”)
In Guantanamo, Leila is beaten and mocked by a Jailer (Duet: "What is this? It’s not poetry.") Her spirit all but broken, Leila pleas for an end to her suffering (Aria: "Let me die"). Despite himself, the Jailer is moved to a kind of remorse, and declaring “no, I will save you” unbinds her and goes in search of water. Left alone, Leila sings of how war has despoiled her homeland and its people (Aria: "There is a tree in my mother’s garden")
The Jailer returns. As an act of contrition, he washes Leila’s feet and attempts – in his way – to comfort her (Aria: "We are not here to hurt you"). However, his comfort mostly takes the form of assurances that she and her people will be safe once their country has been conquered and restructured to American standards. Leila’s journey through idealism, rage, capture, torment and imprisonment has been too much for her. She announces “when this is over, I’ll be dead”.
Several days later, Mohammed arrives on his mission from the White House. He waits patiently to see Leila, and daydreams of forgiveness and a new life for them in America (Aria: "Waiting in this room").
The Jailer arrives, and Mohammed announces that he has come for Leila (Duet: "Are you Mohammed"). The Jailer sadly reveals that Mohammed is too late. Leila has killed herself, having hanged herself in her cell. The grief-stricken Mohammed demands Leila’s manuscript (Duet: "No, Death's breathing is her life") and the Jailer – himself grieving – gives it to him. Mohammed departs with the manuscript.
Outside Daniel’s London studio, dawn has arrived. As the sun rises, little by little Daniel's sight miraculously returns. (Aria: "Today the light comes dripping like a honey’d thread") He is overjoyed, although he wonders why this has happened with Leila still not returned and “the world not mended yet”.
In the flood of brilliant light, Mohammed arrives – he has come from Guantanamo. He hands the apprehensive Daniel Leila’s libretto (Duet: "My name is Mohammed"). On the front, Daniel reads the words ‘Manifest Destiny’. Mohammed tells him that Leila has set out a stark choice in her prayer for peace – death or love. (Duet: “She has written ‘we have this choice…death or love’”) Mohammed tells Daniel “she died loving you.” Heartbroken, Daniel confesses that he is a Jew, and Mohammed simply replies “I know.”
Daniel asks where Mohammed will go, and Mohammed replies “home.” Daniel warns “they will kill you”, but Mohammed has resolved to go. The two men - the Jewish composer and the Palestinian former suicide bomber, united by their love and grief for the same woman - embrace in a spirit of tragedy, forgiveness and hope. Mohammed leaves for an uncertain future in Palestine, while Daniel is left alone to finally set Leila’s poetry to music.
in nature, in common with the body of Burstein’s music. The score also incorporates sardonic waltz
es, tangos
and echoes of American marching tunes during the sections involving American characters and scenes.
All productions to date have had music provided entirely by voices and solo piano
(played by Burstein himself).The 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe production also utilised a fragment of rock music - an excerpt of the song Telescopic by the British band Suns Of The Tundra
(this was inserted at the start of the prison sequence to represent the use of sonic psychological warfare by the US Army, and is not considered to be part of the score itself).
, black comedy
, satire
, sections which can be played as dream sequence
s, agit-prop, expressionism
, and parallel scenes. Dramatic and metaphorical themes include revenge
, terrorism
(and its definitions), blindness
, redemption
through love
, pacifism
and imperialism
. At the time of the Edinburgh production, director David Wybrow described Manifest Destiny as “opera-noir: a new melodramatic theatre that reaches for the emotional intensity of opera in order to take on the profoundly disorientating anxieties of the twenty-first century.”
The staging for the production has generally been minimalist (the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe production used three black boxes and assorted props) and involved multimedia (projections, animations and subtitles/surtitles
- some key information in the opera has been conveyed via these methods in the manner of a film or television piece).
The President is portrayed as being morally compromised - able to ask questions about the ethics of situations but generally not comprehending the consequences (despite a fleeting attack of conscience in the third act).
Mr Director of CIA is portrayed as a brutal Machiavellian committed to the concept of the New American Century and using a mixture of temptation, moral seduction and bullying to achieve his ends.He does however appear to believe he has moral justification, citing the protection of the world's oil.
The CIA Man in Afghanistan who abuses the character Mohammed is similarly brutal, threatening Mohammed with both actual and symbolic rape
. The Jailer in Guantanamo Bay who abuses the character Leila is initially presented as brutal, scornful and openly violent.He later attempts to make amends for this in a mysterious act of washing Leila's feet and reveals that he has a vision of her redeemed by submission to western values.
The Palestinian suicide bombers are portrayed as a mixed group. Some of them are irrevocably committed to violent rhetoric and violent action; whilst others question and change their own attitudes (or have them compromised) during the course of the opera.
Manifest Destiny is also notable for having predicted the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuses
at least a year before they occurred in real life. When written in 2002, the opera contained two sequences featuring abuse of a Muslim prisoner by an American guard (one set in Afghanistan and the other in Guantánamo Bay detention camp). In an article written for The Guardian
, Burstein reflected:
Of the reviews which dealt more substantially with the opera itself, the British Theatre Guides Peter Latham described the Edinburgh production as “a powerful piece, powerfully performed… Political opera is a very rare bird, even today, and this piece is one to be cherished,” while asserting that “it is right that opera should take on such subjects” and noting that Burstein’s music was “more melodic than most modern opera.” On EdinburghGuide.com, Alex Eades commented "Manifest Destiny will haunt your soul for many a day. Of all the performances based around terrorism this year, this is the one to see. A miracle of a show that is sometimes beautiful and sometimes horrible. It is, however, always unforgettable." The Scotsman commented "Operatic themes do not come more epic than this."
In the Scotsman On Sunday, Michael McManus was particularly complimentary, comparing Manifest Destiny to Michael Tippett
’s A Child of Our Time
and praising the “brave, touching and timely work” as “a dazzling, dark opera... affecting, bold, potent and perhaps most importantly of all, packed with melodic invention… Mahler
ian harmonies and rhythmic patterns, a gorgeous waltz, and a cynical tango… Time and again – as in the greatest operatic works – tonal resolution and emotional closure come hand-in hand” The reviewer also commented “Like so much great art, Manifest Destiny marries the personal with the political, the particular and the universal… A simple and humanitarian message shines through unambiguously; that violence begets only violence in a cycle which must be broken as an act of human will; and that love is stronger than hatred.”
The Daily Telegraphs David Gritten described the opera as “rigorous and high minded, with a story in the environs of Greek tragedy” and praised Burstein’s ambition and the music (which the reviewer found “mournful” and “affecting”), but attacked Edwards’ libretto as “stilted” and the political content as “banal and fatally one-sided,” In a combined feature/review of political works at the 2005 Fringe, the Sunday Herald's Iain McWhirter hailed Manifest Destiny as a “scintillating if flawed opera - with a witty and surprisingly melodic neo-classical score” but argued that “the politics are sometimes risible (and) the ultimate message, that love can triumph over religion and bring Jew and Muslim together, is unconvincing. Nevertheless, Manifest Destiny is a considerable piece of work, dealing with important themes, which demands to be heard.”
Anna Picard, in The Independent on Sunday, was particularly dismissive of Manifest Destiny, describing it as “sixth-form satire”, and attacking the music for “the abject narrowness of its harmonic language and the robotic word-setting.” She also compared the opera unfavourably to John Adams’ The Death Of Klinghoffer
(another opera dealing with terrorism and the Middle Eastern conflict, which was being revived at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the same time). Another particularly damning response was written by the London Evening Standard
s Veronica Lee, who praised the cast but referred to the opera overall as “a trite affair”, the music as “uninspiring, save for the odd duet” and to the libretto as “horribly leaden and unmusical”. Lee concluded her review with the comment “I found the tone depressingly anti-American
, and the idea that there is anything heroic about suicide bombers is, frankly, a grievous insult.” This comment would subsequently lead to a court case. (The Sunday Herald review had made a similar comment, stating that although Manifest Destiny deserved to be heard “it won't be if the thought police get hold of it. For it undoubtedly justifies and arguably glorifies terrorism.”)
, Keith Burstein sued Associated Newspapers
(the newspaper’s parent organisation) for libel in 2005. He did so on the grounds that the review (although it did not specifically contain the words 'glorify' or 'glorification') claimed that he had glorified terrorism via the content of the opera, and that this was not only libellous but left him open to the risk of state prosecution under both the recently-passed Prevention of Terrorism Act
of 2005 (which explicitly names “promotion of terrorism” as a criminal act) and the incoming Terrorism Act of 2006 (at the time, a Terrorism Bill) which featured a retrospective "glorification of terrorism" clause.
The case (Burstein vs Associated Newspapers Ltd.) is ongoing, having gone to the High Court and then the Court of Appeal. The first of these hearings favoured Burstein, granting him the opportunity of taking the case to a trial by jury. The second judgement overturned the first (while admitting that it was "very unusual" to overturn a High Court ruling for a jury hearing) and found in favour of Associated Newspapers
. The result was that costs were awarded against Burstein and he was consequently forced into bankruptcy
. Although Burstein subsequently took the case to the European Court of Human Rights
his application was rejected.
The court case and its aftermath inspired a subsequent theatrical play, The Trainer, written by David Wilson and Anne Aylor (with co-writes by Burstein). Premiered at Oxford House, London, in March 2009, the play covered a fictionalised version of the events of the trial, in parallel with a separate plot strand similar to one used in Manifest Destiny. Actors involved in the production included Corin Redgrave
and Tim Piggott-Smith who played Burstein, and further cast members included Janie Dee and Roger Lloyd-Pack.The production went on The Hackney Empire in May 2009.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
composed by Keith Burstein
Keith Burstein
Keith Burstein is an English composer, conductor and music theorist. He is noted for his championing of tonal music as a valid contemporary composing style and for the humanitarian dimension of his compositions....
with a libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Dic Edwards
Dic Edwards
Dic Edwards is a British playwright and poet with more than 20 productions to his name. Born in Cardiff Edwards has often found himself at odds with his Welsh background...
. The opera is notable for dealing with the subject of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic suicide bombers
Suicide attack
A suicide attack is a type of attack in which the attacker expects or intends to die in the process.- Historical :...
, and with the ramifications of both the Middle Eastern conflict and the War on Terror
War on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
.
Set in the present day or "near-future", the complex plot centres on a harrowing journey through the War on Terror by the Palestinian poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Leila who - along with her friend Mohammed - is radicalised
Political radicalism
The term political radicalism denotes political principles focused on altering social structures through revolutionary means and changing value systems in fundamental ways...
and drawn into a suicide bomber
Suicide attack
A suicide attack is a type of attack in which the attacker expects or intends to die in the process.- Historical :...
cell
Clandestine cell system
A clandestine cell structure is a method for organizing a group of people in such a way that it can more effectively resist penetration by an opposing organization. Depending on the group's philosophy, its operational area, the communications technologies available, and the nature of the mission,...
, leaving her lover (the Jewish composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Daniel) in a state of hysterical blindness
Conversion disorder
Conversion disorder is a condition in which patients present with neurological symptoms such as numbness, blindness, paralysis, or fits without a neurological cause. It is thought that these problems arise in response to difficulties in the patient's life, and conversion is considered a psychiatric...
due to his despair at her loss and at the state of the world. Leila and Mohammed subsequently undergo a profound change of heart and, on the eve of their suicide mission, renounce violence and reject their own bombs. However, their attempts to achieve a more peaceful resolution to their lives (in the face of a brutal and cynical war campaign involving the President of the United States of America
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and her Director of CIA
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency serves as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, which is part of the United States Intelligence Community. The Director reports to the Director of National Intelligence . The Director is assisted by the Deputy Director of the Central...
) result in them becoming further - and fatally - entangled in the conflict when Mohammed takes the fatal step of "saving" Leila by turning her over to American forces, leading to her internment and subsequent death in Camp X-Ray
Camp X-Ray
Camp X-Ray was a temporary detention facility at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp of Joint Task Force Guantanamo on the U.S. Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.The first twenty detainees arrived at Guantanamo on January 11, 2002....
. The plot is resolved when Mohammed retrieves the dead Leila's poetry as a completed libretto, which he brings back to Daniel to set to music (effecting a symbolic reconciliation between Jewish and Palestinian cultures in spite of realpolitik
Realpolitik
Realpolitik refers to politics or diplomacy based primarily on power and on practical and material factors and considerations, rather than ideological notions or moralistic or ethical premises...
interests and personal tragedy).
Manifest Destiny has attracted a large amount of press attention due to its themes, content and subject matter - including scenes showing the preparations for a suicide bomb raid and the incarceration and maltreatment of Leila in Camp X-Ray
Camp X-Ray
Camp X-Ray was a temporary detention facility at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp of Joint Task Force Guantanamo on the U.S. Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.The first twenty detainees arrived at Guantanamo on January 11, 2002....
(the latter of which was a scene written prior to public knowledge of the events at Abu-Ghraib). An accusation in the press was the subject of a libel action (Burstein vs Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers is a large national newspaper publisher in the UK, which is a subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust. The group was established in 1905 and is currently based at Northcliffe House in Kensington...
) in the British High Court.
The opera has been staged three times: once at London's Tricycle Theatre in 2004, once at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2005, and most recently at the King's Head Theatre in London in September 2011 (in a rewritten form titled Manifest Destiny 2011).
Composition and inspiration
Seeking collaborators for an opera taking the "War on Terror" as its subject, Burstein advertised for a librettist. He advertised for a librettist via Artists Against The War (Guardian - My Opera Hell). In late 2002, the post was filled by controversial WelshWelsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
Dic Edwards
Dic Edwards
Dic Edwards is a British playwright and poet with more than 20 productions to his name. Born in Cardiff Edwards has often found himself at odds with his Welsh background...
, and the two subsequently wrote Manifest Destiny together, completing the opera in 2003. Though critical in tone, the opera was explicitly presented as a pacifist
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
statement. Both Burstein and Edwards took pains to stress that the opera did not endorse the actions of suicide bombers and displayed them ultimately rejecting their violent course of action. In the programme for the Edinburgh production, Burstein wrote: "The renunciation of violence in time of war will always seem miraculous. Manifest Destiny is an attempt to describe such a miracle. Taking as its starting point the most ardent form of contemporary violence - that of the suicide bomber - it asks us to contemplate a path, a journey of the soul, on which these ‘martyrs’ are transformed by the power of love. Their grievances remain, their passionate demand for justice remains, but their weapon turns from war to peace."
In interviews with Reuters, Edwards has stated "I've always believed theatre is a place of debate... What we wanted to show is that terrorists are human beings, with the same emotions as the rest of us. While it's impossible to sympathise with terrorism, I think we have to, for the sake of the future, try and understand it... We wanted to show that potentially we are all suicide bombers if there is a cause.” Burstein added "Opera is peculiarly able to X-ray issues and X-ray the soul in a way that other media do not.I hope the opera will surprise people by making the characters in this story seem to be very immediate and very real...There is also a symbol at the end of a possible reconciliation between Palestinians and Jews."
In an article written for The Scotsman, Burstein stated"(Manifest Destiny) imagines a scenario in which the protagonists - would-be suicide bombers - are stopped in their tracks. Not by the security services, but by their own humanity: a process of love, springing from within the peaceful teachings of Islam and triumphing over their anger and fear. In the near-future envisaged in the opera, it is Mohammed, a Jihadist committed to violent direct action, who is transformed by discovering the human-scaled, yet overwhelming nature of his love for a fellow suicide bomber (which) has so overwhelmed his emotions that he can neither let her die, nor let her or himself kill others."
Original version
A promenade production of the first act of Manifest Destiny was performed at the Cockpit TheatreCockpit Theatre (Marylebone)
The Cockpit Theatre is a Fringe Theatre in Marylebone, London. The Cockpit Theatre was designed by Edward Mendelsohn built in 1969-70 by the Inner London Education Authority as a community theatre and is notable as London's first purpose built Theatre In The Round, since the Great Fire of London...
, Marylebone, London during November 2003, directed by David Wybrow. The first full-length production was subsequently performed at the Tricycle Theatre
Tricycle Theatre
The Tricycle Theatre is located on Kilburn High Road in Kilburn in the London Borough of Brent, England. During the last 30 years, the Tricycle has been presenting plays reflecting the cultural diversity of its community; in particular Black, Irish, Jewish, Asian and South African works, as well as...
, Kilburn, London on 27th June 2004 (produced by Corin Redgrave
Corin Redgrave
Corin William Redgrave was an English actor and political activist.-Early life:Redgrave was born in Marylebone, London, the only son and middle child of actors Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson...
).
The second full-length production (also directed by David Wybrow) was staged at the St Georges West venue between 6th and 29th August 2005 as part of the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with a cast of four. The Observer announced it as "undoubtedly the most controversial production" of the festival,” (Observer of 24 July) and it was flagged by both The Independent and The Times as one of the five top classical music events to see in Edinburgh that year. Excerpts from the opera were subsequently performed at public concerts – notably, part of the Guantanamo Bay prison scene from Act 3.
Manifest Destiny 2011
In September 2011, Manifest Destiny was revived by the London-based opera company OperaUpCloseOperaUpClose
OperaUpClose is a resident opera company at the Kings Head Theatre London OperaUpClose is a resident opera company at the Kings Head Theatre London OperaUpClose is a resident opera company at the Kings Head Theatre London (also called "London's little opera house". It started at The Cock Tavern...
for a set of performances to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. The opera’s music was reworked (as well as being expanded, it was also rearranged to be performed by a quartet of two violins, cello and clarinet), as was the libretto. This resulted in an altered opera which was renamed Manifest Destiny 2011 and drew on fresh developments in contemporary world history including the ongoing series of 2011 revolutions in Arabic countries generally referred to as "the Arab Spring
Arab Spring
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
" and the growing profile of Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
. Burstein remarked that the overall approach of the opera had now shifted further to emphasize the concept of the power of love overcoming violence. Manifest Destiny 2011 was scheduled to open on September 11 2011 at the King’s Head Theatre, London, continuing as part of the OperaUpClose repertoire during September and October 2011.
Recordings
Although performance recordings (both audio and video) exist, Manifest Destiny has not yet been recorded for professional release. Home-made copies of a video recording of the 2005 production have been circulated on DVD at related events and some clips are viewable on YouTube.Roles
| Role | Voice type | Cast: Cockpit Theatre, November, 2003 Tricycle Theatre, June 27, 2004 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, August 6–29, 2005 |
|---|---|---|
| Leila (Palestinian émigré and poet, would-be suicide bomber) | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Cockpit & Tricycle: Bernadette Lord Edinburgh: Bernadette Lord |
| Daniel Xavier (Anglo-Jewish composer) | tenor | Cockpit & Tricycle: Alexander Anderson-Hall Edinburgh: Peter Furlong |
| Mohammed (Palestinian political activist and would-be suicide bomber) | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Cockpit & Tricycle: James McOran-Campbell Edinburgh: Paul Carey Jones Paul Carey Jones Paul Carey Jones is a baritone opera singer.-Education:Jones attended Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf... |
| Omah (Palestinian political activist and suicide bomber) | tenor | Cockpit & Tricycle: James McOran-Campbell Edinburgh: Peter Furlong |
| Mrs President (newly-elected President of the USA) | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Cockpit: (role not performed) Tricycle: Bernadette Lord Edinburgh: Bernadette Lord |
| Mr Director of CIA (American government official) | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Cockpit: (role not performed) Tricycle: Peter Willcock Edinburgh: Peter Willcock |
| CIA Man (Afghanistan-based American intelligence officer) | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Cockpit: (role not performed) Tricycle: Peter Willcock Edinburgh: Peter Willcock |
| Jailer (unnamed Guantanamo Bay guard) | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... |
Cockpit: (role not performed) Tricycle: Peter Willcock Edinburgh: Peter Willcock |
In productions to date, the opera’s eight characters have been performed by singers doubling or tripling roles.
Synopsis
(adapted and condensed from theatre programme from 2005 Edinburgh production, and by referencing the privately-circulated DVD recording of the opera, also from the Edinburgh production)The action takes place variously in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in Washington DC and Camp X-Ray
Camp X-Ray
Camp X-Ray was a temporary detention facility at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp of Joint Task Force Guantanamo on the U.S. Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.The first twenty detainees arrived at Guantanamo on January 11, 2002....
, Guantanamo Bay.
Scene 1
LondonLeila and Daniel are living together as partners in London, with Leila writing a libretto for Daniel’s music. However, all is not well. Daniel is gradually going blind. He considers his condition to be a response to the trauma of world events, which are now dominated by a seemingly unavoidable clash between the West and the retaliatory terrorism of the 'third world' whose spiritual values are perceived to be under threat. (Aria: "O Israel.")
Leila is also affected. What she sees as the iniquities of the post-9/11 world and the growing 'War On Terror' have pushed her first into pro-Palestinian political activism, and finally towards a pursuit of martyrdom as part of her personal jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
. Torn between her love for Daniel and her loyalty to Palestine, Leila chooses to leave Daniel and return to the Middle East to join a cell of Islamic suicide bombers. (Duet: "You’ve been crying.") Daniel attempts to persuade her otherwise but she is adamant (Duet: “Revenge is futile”) and after a harrowing debate, the two part (Duet: "Now is the beginning of my world, my night.").
As Daniel plunges into despair, his blindness takes hold. A parade of horrific images begins to pass before his mind, mirroring the events that led to this crossroads - the rise of Ariel Sharon set against the growing Palestinian Intifada; the election of George Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
with the apparent complicity of the Florida Supreme Court
United States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
; the atrocities of 9/11 and the subsequent atrocities in Afghanistan, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and across the world. (Aria: "These?") Daniel’s sense of responsibility intensifies, but his ability to act is paralyzed by his loss of Leila, whose unfinished poem on the struggle for freedom and justice was his inspiration.
Scene 2
PalestineLeila joins her friends Omah and Mohammed in the suicide bomb cell. She finds them serenely resigned to their martyrdom, believing themselves already to be in ascent towards heaven. (Trio: "We’ll give our lives to fight") Chanting a fervent refrain of “we love death more than they love life
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
,” they don explosive devices and prepare to detonate themselves amongst the Israelis, whom they see as their oppressors. (Song and chorus: "What we are doing may seem monstrous."). Omah leaves to carry out his suicide mission, and Leila prepares to follow suit.
However, Mohammed has fallen in love with Leila. He realizes that Leila’s power of creativity is a greater power than that of violence; and that her poetic vision, not her power to kill, is her true duty to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Taking Leila aside, Mohammed makes advances to her and attempts to dissuade her from her chosen course. (Song: "Not yet, Leila, not yet.") She realises that she has confused her passion for the cause with her friendship with Mohammed, and that she is still in love with Daniel. (Duet: "I am confused – my passion is to fight.") Rejecting Mohammed, Leila leaves the bomber cell, choosing to pursue her own jihad further afield in Afghanistan.
Mohammed realizes that his love of Leila is more powerful than his commitment to martyrdom. (Aria: "This pain is too real – greater than all the grief of Islam.")
He decides to save Leila from herself – “for Islam and for Man.” Having previously devoted himself to insurgency and angry destruction, he can now see a non-violent way forward within the heart of his own Islamic beliefs. Mohammed follows Leila to Afghanistan, declaring, to his own surprise, “I love life more than I love death.” His existence as a terrorist is over from that moment, and he destroys his suicide bomb.
Scene 1
The White House, Washington DCIn the Oval Office
Oval Office
The Oval Office, located in the West Wing of the White House, is the official office of the President of the United States.The room features three large south-facing windows behind the president's desk, and a fireplace at the north end...
of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, the newly-elected US President is seen celebrating with the CIA Director after the President’s Inaugural Ball. (Duet: "The Oval Office!") They muse idly about their global ambitions. (Duet: "So where do we begin, Mrs President?") The Director shocks the President by telling her she can become “the first American Emperor.”
Scene 2
Afghanistan/LondonIn parallel scenes, Daniel (in London) and Leila (in Afghanistan) call out to the memory of each other. (Aria: "So cold on this mountain top" and duet: "Oh Daniel!") The captured Mohammed (also in Afghanistan) is beaten by a CIA Man, but embraces his torturer and pledges loyalty (Duet: "Shall we bugger you to save you?").
Leila recalls how European-Americans destroyed the Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
for the sake of gold with their “Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny was the 19th century American belief that the United States was destined to expand across the continent. It was used by Democrat-Republicans in the 1840s to justify the war with Mexico; the concept was denounced by Whigs, and fell into disuse after the mid-19th century.Advocates of...
” policy, and fears that a similar fate awaits the Arabs for the sake of their oil. (Aria: "For a century Western nations have brought terror to Arabia”) She pleads that the Arabs only want to live in “the beauty of their beliefs.” In their separate worlds, Daniel, Leila, Mohammed and the CIA Man muse on the situation (Quartet: "Parallels”).
Mohammed decides to betray Leila to the US forces (Duet: "I can give you a leading terrorist"). Privately, he reasons that if she is imprisoned it will save her life and that - if she is still intending to be a suicide bomber - it will ensure that she cannot kill others. However, the decision causes him anguish and doubt (Aria: "To be blind…") In London, Daniel sings of his continuing faith in Leila (Aria: "Leila, redeemer of my memory").
Scene 3
The White House, Washington DCA moral struggle develops between the Director and the President. In a display of conscience, the President expresses misgivings about attacking Arabian states, and fears “as a mother” for “the children of Arabia.” (Duet: "I feel so uncertain”) The Director explains the situation (Duet: "Mrs President – the Arabians have oil”). He states that “these resources belong to the world” and that America, on behalf of the world, must “rescue” those resources. He sweeps aside the President’s protests - claiming “the conflict will last beyond your term of office” - and insists that she signs the authorization for war.
As she signs, they are interrupted by the sudden arrival of Mohammed, who has convinced his captors of his value as a double agent. (Trio: "Mrs P, meet Mohammed!") He is duly dispatched to Guantanamo Bay by his new American masters, who believe that he is a “big catch” who will extract secrets from the detainees there. Carried away by the moment, the Director announces that the new Manifest Destiny now applies to everyone (“even the bums on our campuses!”) and that this is the beginning of “full spectrum dominance – pre-emptive strikes against everyone.”
Mohammed’s true motive, however - following Leila’s capture and imprisonment - is simply to follow her to Guantanamo. He seeks forgiveness for his betrayal of her, and redemption for his actions. (Aria: “When I betrayed Leila”)
Scene 1
Camp X-Ray, Guantanamo Bay – Leila’s cellIn Guantanamo, Leila is beaten and mocked by a Jailer (Duet: "What is this? It’s not poetry.") Her spirit all but broken, Leila pleas for an end to her suffering (Aria: "Let me die"). Despite himself, the Jailer is moved to a kind of remorse, and declaring “no, I will save you” unbinds her and goes in search of water. Left alone, Leila sings of how war has despoiled her homeland and its people (Aria: "There is a tree in my mother’s garden")
The Jailer returns. As an act of contrition, he washes Leila’s feet and attempts – in his way – to comfort her (Aria: "We are not here to hurt you"). However, his comfort mostly takes the form of assurances that she and her people will be safe once their country has been conquered and restructured to American standards. Leila’s journey through idealism, rage, capture, torment and imprisonment has been too much for her. She announces “when this is over, I’ll be dead”.
Scene 2
Camp X-Ray, Guantanamo Bay – a waiting roomSeveral days later, Mohammed arrives on his mission from the White House. He waits patiently to see Leila, and daydreams of forgiveness and a new life for them in America (Aria: "Waiting in this room").
The Jailer arrives, and Mohammed announces that he has come for Leila (Duet: "Are you Mohammed"). The Jailer sadly reveals that Mohammed is too late. Leila has killed herself, having hanged herself in her cell. The grief-stricken Mohammed demands Leila’s manuscript (Duet: "No, Death's breathing is her life") and the Jailer – himself grieving – gives it to him. Mohammed departs with the manuscript.
Scene 3
LondonOutside Daniel’s London studio, dawn has arrived. As the sun rises, little by little Daniel's sight miraculously returns. (Aria: "Today the light comes dripping like a honey’d thread") He is overjoyed, although he wonders why this has happened with Leila still not returned and “the world not mended yet”.
In the flood of brilliant light, Mohammed arrives – he has come from Guantanamo. He hands the apprehensive Daniel Leila’s libretto (Duet: "My name is Mohammed"). On the front, Daniel reads the words ‘Manifest Destiny’. Mohammed tells him that Leila has set out a stark choice in her prayer for peace – death or love. (Duet: “She has written ‘we have this choice…death or love’”) Mohammed tells Daniel “she died loving you.” Heartbroken, Daniel confesses that he is a Jew, and Mohammed simply replies “I know.”
Daniel asks where Mohammed will go, and Mohammed replies “home.” Daniel warns “they will kill you”, but Mohammed has resolved to go. The two men - the Jewish composer and the Palestinian former suicide bomber, united by their love and grief for the same woman - embrace in a spirit of tragedy, forgiveness and hope. Mohammed leaves for an uncertain future in Palestine, while Daniel is left alone to finally set Leila’s poetry to music.
Musical elements
The opera is a through-sung music drama. The music is tonalTonality
Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchical pitch relationships are based on a key "center", or tonic. The term tonalité originated with Alexandre-Étienne Choron and was borrowed by François-Joseph Fétis in 1840...
in nature, in common with the body of Burstein’s music. The score also incorporates sardonic waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
es, tangos
Tango music
Tango is a style of ballroom dance music in 2/4 or 4/4 time that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay . It is traditionally played by a sextet, known as the orquesta típica, which includes two violins, piano, double bass, and two bandoneons...
and echoes of American marching tunes during the sections involving American characters and scenes.
All productions to date have had music provided entirely by voices and solo piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
(played by Burstein himself).The 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe production also utilised a fragment of rock music - an excerpt of the song Telescopic by the British band Suns Of The Tundra
Peach (band)
Peach was a band from England that originally recorded between 1991 and 1994. They played metal music of a progressive style. The original line-up consisted of Simon Oakes, Rob Havis, Ben Durling and Justin Chancellor...
(this was inserted at the start of the prison sequence to represent the use of sonic psychological warfare by the US Army, and is not considered to be part of the score itself).
Dramatic elements and staging
The opera utilizes a wide variety of theatrical techniques and approaches including tragedyTragedy
Tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
, black comedy
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
, satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
, sections which can be played as dream sequence
Dream sequence
A dream sequence is a technique used in storytelling, particularly in television and film, to set apart a brief interlude from the main story. The interlude may consist of a flashback, a flashforward, a fantasy, a vision, a dream, or some other element. Commonly, dream sequences appear in many...
s, agit-prop, expressionism
Expressionism
Expressionism was a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods or ideas...
, and parallel scenes. Dramatic and metaphorical themes include revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
, terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
(and its definitions), blindness
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
, redemption
Redemption (theology)
Redemption is a concept common to several theologies. It is generally associated with the efforts of people within a faith to overcome their shortcomings and achieve the moral positions exemplified in their faith.- In Buddhism :...
through love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
, pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
and imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
. At the time of the Edinburgh production, director David Wybrow described Manifest Destiny as “opera-noir: a new melodramatic theatre that reaches for the emotional intensity of opera in order to take on the profoundly disorientating anxieties of the twenty-first century.”
The staging for the production has generally been minimalist (the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe production used three black boxes and assorted props) and involved multimedia (projections, animations and subtitles/surtitles
Surtitles
Surtitles, also known as supertitles, are translated or transcribed lyrics/dialogue projected above a stage or displayed on a screen, commonly used in opera or other musical performances. The word "surtitle" comes from the French language "sur", meaning "over" or "on", and the English language word...
- some key information in the opera has been conveyed via these methods in the manner of a film or television piece).
Political content
The tone of Manifest Destinys libretto is forthright, reflecting Burstein and Edwards’ shared view of the state of current world affairs.The President is portrayed as being morally compromised - able to ask questions about the ethics of situations but generally not comprehending the consequences (despite a fleeting attack of conscience in the third act).
Mr Director of CIA is portrayed as a brutal Machiavellian committed to the concept of the New American Century and using a mixture of temptation, moral seduction and bullying to achieve his ends.He does however appear to believe he has moral justification, citing the protection of the world's oil.
The CIA Man in Afghanistan who abuses the character Mohammed is similarly brutal, threatening Mohammed with both actual and symbolic rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
. The Jailer in Guantanamo Bay who abuses the character Leila is initially presented as brutal, scornful and openly violent.He later attempts to make amends for this in a mysterious act of washing Leila's feet and reveals that he has a vision of her redeemed by submission to western values.
The Palestinian suicide bombers are portrayed as a mixed group. Some of them are irrevocably committed to violent rhetoric and violent action; whilst others question and change their own attitudes (or have them compromised) during the course of the opera.
Manifest Destiny is also notable for having predicted the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuses
Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse
Beginning in 2004, human rights violations in the form of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, including torture, rape, sodomy, and homicide of prisoners held in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq came to public attention...
at least a year before they occurred in real life. When written in 2002, the opera contained two sequences featuring abuse of a Muslim prisoner by an American guard (one set in Afghanistan and the other in Guantánamo Bay detention camp). In an article written for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Burstein reflected:
“Dic had uncanny foresight in 2003, when he wroteManifest Destiny’s torture scenes in Afghanistan and Guantanamo with sexual abuse against detainees – long before the full news broke. By May 2004, the abuses of prisoners in Abu Ghraib had become public knowledge, even iconic images. We found the whole scenario of the opera flooding the world to a degree that we could not have predicted when we wrote it. Perhaps, however, we all knew subconsciously that Abu Ghraib was inevitable -it just took a librettist of Dic’s prescience to imagine it and set it down in drama.”
Critical response
The critical response to Manifest Destiny was widely varied. The various productions gained a great deal of press attention, much of it relating to the subject matter, including coverage by Reuters, the BBC and Sud Deutsche Zeitung.Tricycle Theatre, 2003
For the 2003 Tricycle Theatre production, the Observer’s Anthony Holden described Manifest Destiny as a “worthy piece” but also commented that “for all its static, repetitive atmospherics, Burstein's melodic, neo-classical score - the tango for torture, a waltz for the White House - is badly let down by Dic Edwards's libretto, which ranges from the crudest anti-American satire to the most banal, platitudinous failure to explain the appeal of politico-religious duty (i.e. suicide bombing) over love.” The Sunday Telegraph described the opera as "political, prescient and unmissable."Edinburgh 2005
For the Edinburgh production of 2005, the performers were almost universally praised by the critics, but the response to the work itself was profoundly divided.Of the reviews which dealt more substantially with the opera itself, the British Theatre Guides Peter Latham described the Edinburgh production as “a powerful piece, powerfully performed… Political opera is a very rare bird, even today, and this piece is one to be cherished,” while asserting that “it is right that opera should take on such subjects” and noting that Burstein’s music was “more melodic than most modern opera.” On EdinburghGuide.com, Alex Eades commented "Manifest Destiny will haunt your soul for many a day. Of all the performances based around terrorism this year, this is the one to see. A miracle of a show that is sometimes beautiful and sometimes horrible. It is, however, always unforgettable." The Scotsman commented "Operatic themes do not come more epic than this."
In the Scotsman On Sunday, Michael McManus was particularly complimentary, comparing Manifest Destiny to Michael Tippett
Michael Tippett
Sir Michael Kemp Tippett OM CH CBE was an English composer.In his long career he produced a large body of work, including five operas, three large-scale choral works, four symphonies, five string quartets, four piano sonatas, concertos and concertante works, song cycles and incidental music...
’s A Child of Our Time
A Child of Our Time
A Child of Our Time is an oratorio written by Michael Tippett between 1939 and 1941."After more than ten years of thoughtful planning, Michael Tippett summed up his musical, political, spiritual and philosophical beliefs in his first oratorio, A Child of Our Time...
and praising the “brave, touching and timely work” as “a dazzling, dark opera... affecting, bold, potent and perhaps most importantly of all, packed with melodic invention… Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
ian harmonies and rhythmic patterns, a gorgeous waltz, and a cynical tango… Time and again – as in the greatest operatic works – tonal resolution and emotional closure come hand-in hand” The reviewer also commented “Like so much great art, Manifest Destiny marries the personal with the political, the particular and the universal… A simple and humanitarian message shines through unambiguously; that violence begets only violence in a cycle which must be broken as an act of human will; and that love is stronger than hatred.”
The Daily Telegraphs David Gritten described the opera as “rigorous and high minded, with a story in the environs of Greek tragedy” and praised Burstein’s ambition and the music (which the reviewer found “mournful” and “affecting”), but attacked Edwards’ libretto as “stilted” and the political content as “banal and fatally one-sided,” In a combined feature/review of political works at the 2005 Fringe, the Sunday Herald's Iain McWhirter hailed Manifest Destiny as a “scintillating if flawed opera - with a witty and surprisingly melodic neo-classical score” but argued that “the politics are sometimes risible (and) the ultimate message, that love can triumph over religion and bring Jew and Muslim together, is unconvincing. Nevertheless, Manifest Destiny is a considerable piece of work, dealing with important themes, which demands to be heard.”
Anna Picard, in The Independent on Sunday, was particularly dismissive of Manifest Destiny, describing it as “sixth-form satire”, and attacking the music for “the abject narrowness of its harmonic language and the robotic word-setting.” She also compared the opera unfavourably to John Adams’ The Death Of Klinghoffer
The Death of Klinghoffer
The Death of Klinghoffer is an American opera, with music by John Adams to an English-language libretto by Alice Goodman. First produced in Brussels and New York in 1991, the opera is based on the hijacking of the passenger liner Achille Lauro by the Palestine Liberation Front in 1985, and the...
(another opera dealing with terrorism and the Middle Eastern conflict, which was being revived at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the same time). Another particularly damning response was written by the London Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
s Veronica Lee, who praised the cast but referred to the opera overall as “a trite affair”, the music as “uninspiring, save for the odd duet” and to the libretto as “horribly leaden and unmusical”. Lee concluded her review with the comment “I found the tone depressingly anti-American
Anti-Americanism
The term Anti-Americanism, or Anti-American Sentiment, refers to broad opposition or hostility to the people, policies, culture or government of the United States...
, and the idea that there is anything heroic about suicide bombers is, frankly, a grievous insult.” This comment would subsequently lead to a court case. (The Sunday Herald review had made a similar comment, stating that although Manifest Destiny deserved to be heard “it won't be if the thought police get hold of it. For it undoubtedly justifies and arguably glorifies terrorism.”)
Court case and The Trainer
Following the review of Manifest Destiny in the London Evening StandardEvening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
, Keith Burstein sued Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers is a large national newspaper publisher in the UK, which is a subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust. The group was established in 1905 and is currently based at Northcliffe House in Kensington...
(the newspaper’s parent organisation) for libel in 2005. He did so on the grounds that the review (although it did not specifically contain the words 'glorify' or 'glorification') claimed that he had glorified terrorism via the content of the opera, and that this was not only libellous but left him open to the risk of state prosecution under both the recently-passed Prevention of Terrorism Act
Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005
The Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, intended to deal with the Law Lords' ruling of 16 December 2004 that the detention without trial of eight foreigners at HM Prison Belmarsh under Part 4 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001...
of 2005 (which explicitly names “promotion of terrorism” as a criminal act) and the incoming Terrorism Act of 2006 (at the time, a Terrorism Bill) which featured a retrospective "glorification of terrorism" clause.
The case (Burstein vs Associated Newspapers Ltd.) is ongoing, having gone to the High Court and then the Court of Appeal. The first of these hearings favoured Burstein, granting him the opportunity of taking the case to a trial by jury. The second judgement overturned the first (while admitting that it was "very unusual" to overturn a High Court ruling for a jury hearing) and found in favour of Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers is a large national newspaper publisher in the UK, which is a subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust. The group was established in 1905 and is currently based at Northcliffe House in Kensington...
. The result was that costs were awarded against Burstein and he was consequently forced into bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. Although Burstein subsequently took the case to the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
his application was rejected.
The court case and its aftermath inspired a subsequent theatrical play, The Trainer, written by David Wilson and Anne Aylor (with co-writes by Burstein). Premiered at Oxford House, London, in March 2009, the play covered a fictionalised version of the events of the trial, in parallel with a separate plot strand similar to one used in Manifest Destiny. Actors involved in the production included Corin Redgrave
Corin Redgrave
Corin William Redgrave was an English actor and political activist.-Early life:Redgrave was born in Marylebone, London, the only son and middle child of actors Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson...
and Tim Piggott-Smith who played Burstein, and further cast members included Janie Dee and Roger Lloyd-Pack.The production went on The Hackney Empire in May 2009.
External links
- Manifest Destiny video clips on YouTube