Who would think that the “fun” chamber concert at the Carmel Bach Festival will be a ballad opera that is based on an early 18th-century poem about economic theories of the free market and was inspired by the economic downturn in 2008? Hark, The Grumbling Hive, scheduled for the mornings of July 23 and 30. It’s based on Bernard de Mandeville’s The Fable of the Bees, published in 1714, and features music from composers who were contemporaries or near-contemporaries of his, as well as traditional broadside ballads, with the poem that sparked the fable providing the framework for the piece.
And it’s a surprisingly contemporary theme. Mandeville’s premise is that you can have materialism or morality — but not both. When the bees were materialistic and greedy, the hive thrived. When the bees became honest and tried to live within their means, the hive eventually died. Compare this with the rising real estate prices, rising stock market, and profligate spending before 2007, and the economic downturn that followed as people began to live within their means.
The work is the brainchild of lutenist Daniel Swenberg. He notes that the “idea of a ballad opera was not foreign to me. But then, in the fall of 2008, when the economy tanked, I heard a report on NPR, on the PBS News Hour, with Paul Solomon on the paradox of thrift.” Swenberg thought that it would be great to do a recitative, which was all the rage in the 18th century: something that was spoken and then went into songs. He found he had enough to make a show. “I edited for the purpose of length and to keep people’s attention, but the story is completely timeless,” he says.
It’s also fun and funny, an irreverent look at society. It comments on society, with lawyers, doctors, politicians, and bankers being favorite targets, as well as on drinking and sex. The performances, which will be held at the Wave Street Studios in Monterey, will be low-key and engaging. Swenberg is aiming for a coffeehouse and recital atmosphere that breaks down the fourth wall. Each performance will be semistaged, with four to five singers, four musicians, and a graphic presentation shown on screens above the performers. “We recorded it all, but we may take turns reciting. We’ll see when we get there.”
Get tickets early; the place is small and sells out quickly. Above all, be prepared for a great time.