A Conversation with David Gockley / Разговор с Дэвидом Г.

Reporter: Good morning, Mr.Gockley. I'm Martin Drews, a reporter from the magazine "American Music". May I possibly ask you a few questions about the present state of American music, and opera in particular?

D. Gockley: Hi, Martin. You may call me David. I'll be glad to answer your questions.

Reporter: I do appreciate that. And, looking back over the past decade or two what do you believe to be the most significant developments in serious music in the United States?

D. Gockley: New music is more listener-friendly as opposed to being academically-friendly. Today, composers are not afraid of being popular, and opera companies, more than orchestras, are welcoming them into their houses.

Reporter: What is the greatest challenge in your field, in your opinion?

D. Gockiey: I would say it is the reality that there are so many entertainment options, like staying at home to listen to recordings or to watch a DVD or 120 channels on television. These new media threaten to move opera and symphony off the public attention.

Reporter: Is there a new musical tradition coming to the States from abroad?

D. Gockley: In opera, the significant creative influences are the stage directors who reinterpret the existing repertoire of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Let's take, for example, the new general director of the San Francisco Opera, Pamela Rosenberg. She has spent most of her career in such cities as Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Stuttgart, where she absorbed modernist music styles. And, her productions will challenge the traditional audiences of San Francisco.

Reporter: Thank you, David. And the last question. Could you predict what will happen to American opera in 10 years from now?

D.Gockley: I do believe there will continue to be high-quality opera in the USA. There will be attempts to reach out and cultivate new audiences. And the level of training of American artists, as well as the new works with American themes and influences, will keep opera alive.

Reporter: Thank you, David, for the talk. I hope we shall return to it in 10 years and speak about the recent changes in American music again.

D. Gockley: Right. And there will be those changes, I'm sure. Thank you for the interview. Good-bye!

Reporter: Have a good day!