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November 2, 2003
Entry: "Brundibar"

I didn't look particularly intently at the book Brundibar when I found myself with a freebie copy. But after hearing the first half of the Maurice Sendak interview on Fresh Air I took another look. Not only is it lovely, charming, funny, and colorful... all what one would expect from Sendak, but the accompanying story of the Terezin performances casts it in a chilling light. After hearing him speak, it seems that the book as a whole is a wonderful personal expression of Sendak, both as an entertainer of children, and as one who was marked by a horrifying time. And thus it serves both as a story for children today, and a call to remember other children in that other time, and their bullies. I feel very fortunate to have heard him speak. And I feel very fortunate to have the book.

This is a book for children, as it was (and is) an opera meant for children, and it is absolutely appropriate for children. On the surface at least, it has absolutely nothing to do with the holocaust. That is, after all, part of what makes it so chilling, that such a simple children's story was performed in such a place, for such a purpose. BUT it probably won't please those parents who tell their children that all three of the little pigs lived happily ever after. It doesn't go out of its way to be sweet and cheerful. The children are getting milk for their sick mother because their father has died long ago. The bully in the story is absolutely a bully who hates children. He's not just a less nice person. And the regular people of the town are largely oblivious and unhelpful. Which is heartening and refreshing. Those little pigs were eaten, dammit. And that's nothing compared to what happened to the Five Chinese Brothers.

Replies: 1 Comment

Posted by Elizabeth @ 11/03/2003 08:16 AM EST