BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
How many times can you present a musical work before getting so sick of it, you never want to hear it again? Maybe 50 times? Or 150?
Try 3,000 times. It’s a career marathon for long-time musical director Donald Chan, who returns to his string of West Side Story experiences when it tours Australia this year.
Donald will take on the role of music supervisor, this time, across performances in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, and Adelaide – proving a solid work never gets old. (Ever.)
We chat with Donald about the production, meeting Leonard Bernstein, and being “Master” of the show.
Donald, you’ve conducted more than 3,000 performances of West Side Story. How did that even happen?
It started in 1985 with a production with the Cleveland Opera Company. I was conducting Cabaret with Joel Grey on Broadway, and received a call to do the production. Little did I know that the production was with the Cleveland Symphony, and little did I know that the Bernstein office was planning to attend some of the performances.
We received beautiful reviews, and a year later I was called into the office and was asked if I wanted to do a national tour of West Side Story. Of course I said yes, and that led to the La Scala production years later when I teamed up with Joey McKneely.
Do you think it’s possible to bring something new into each performance, in an artistic sense, once you’ve expressed the story so many times throughout your life?
There’s always something to look forward to in doing this production – whether it’s a Tony or Maria which are bringing something wonderful to the stage, or waiting for a passage that’s beautifully composed, or watching the wonderful dancing that occurs every time I do the show.
The music was way ahead of its time for theatre, and there’s so many facets in the composition that it really is a pleasure to conduct this work.
How do you avoid feeling like you never want to listen to this music again?
There are shows that I couldn’t listen to twice, but there is really something special about this work that makes it so lasting. Of course, I don’t do this work 364 days of the year; and we go stretches of 6 months [on], then rest 6 months, which gives us the flexibility to enjoy the piece.
During the time you’ve worked on West Side Story, other musical works have come and gone with varying rates of popularity. Why do you think this work is an endless hit with its audiences?
It has so many facets – [such as] jazz, Latin, a ballet, a bit of opera, and some classical idioms – that you have to see the genius that incorporates the work. And it all works.
There are very few pieces that can do this. They are either in one style and can’t budge, or jump the bridge to encompass everything, like West Side.
You met Leonard earlier in your life. What are your memories of the conversations you had together about this music?
I met Lenny, as he was fond of being called, at the Juilliard School where I was working on my Master of Science degree. His seminars were a joy to attend. He was very open to interested students, and always available for questions about the arts. I consider him a real renaissance person.
Many people haven’t conducted 3,000 performances, let alone 3,000 performances of the same work. How have your West Side Story experiences shaped your identity as a conductor more broadly throughout your career?
I guess that I am now considered the ‘Old Man’ or ‘Master’ of the piece, and I have many people who are asking me about how the piece should be done. I have the backing of the Bernstein estate, and recently Bernstein’s daughter saw a production was told me that her father would have been proud of the performance that she saw.
I feel that I am now the teacher for those who want to learn the piece the right way.
Being so familiar with the work, what is the main message you hope audiences will forever continue to take away from West Side Story?
The main thing is that they see a production that brings the complete picture – a production that contains good acting, wonderful dancing, and a great orchestra together. This is what we hope to accomplish with the production.
Joey and I always are trying to break the mould by casting young and talented performers […] West Side Story will always be around, and taking on this work will change their lives. The teenagers who do this show with us will always say that this was an experience that they never forget.
See the BB Group production of West Side Story in your city as it tours from April – December.
Editor’s note: This is NOT the production of West Side Story taking place as part of the Opera Australia Handa Opera on the Harbour series, which you might have read about in the news last week. However, the BB Group’s Sydney event is still booked through the OA website.
Images supplied. West Side Story captured by Matthew Murphy; Donald Chan by Keith Saunders.
