美国国家公共电台 NPR Art Exhibit Features Chagall's Works For Ballet And Opera

 

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Something many people don't know about Marc Chagall - most know the late artist for modernist paintings. But he was less known for designing costumes and sets for ballets and for an opera, which are now featured in an exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art that opens today. NPR's Mandalit del Barco met with the artist's granddaughters.

MANDALIT DEL BARCO, BYLINE¹: Twins Bella and Meret Meyer, now in their 60s, reminisce while standing² before the fanciful costumes and stage backdrops hand-painted by their grandfather for the Tchaikovsky ballet "Aleko."

BELLA MEYER: Music was holy to him. He would listen to it. Here we have Tchaikovsky. He would listen to it and see, how could he translate it into what he can do?

DEL BARCO: Chagall was commissioned to paint for the Ballet Theatre of New York, where he lived in exile after fleeing Nazi-occupied France. The LACMA show features rare footage of the 1942 production of "Aleko" as well as Chagall's sketches³ and paintings. His granddaughters remember visiting him in his studio when they were young.

MEYER: He always had a record player or the radio on and would listen to classical music. I understood from these wonderful conversations that the material and texture⁴ was very important. And through them, his paintings sing.

(SOUNDBITE OF OPERA, "DAPHNIS ET CHLOE")

UNIDENTIFIED OPERA SINGER: (Vocalizing).

DEL BARCO: The exhibition includes costumes and sets Chagall created for the Metropolitan⁵ Opera's 1967 version of Mozart's "The Magic Flute⁶" and his ballet costumes for Stravinsky's "Firebird" and Ravel's "Daphnis Et Chloe." Meret Meyer now oversees⁷ Chagall's estate in Paris. Her sister Bella is a floral designer in New York, who says they grew up with their grandfather's lyrical artworks.

MEYER: His world was very much an enchanted⁸ world. And I loved when we were sitting at lunch. I just disappeared into his paintings, and they opened doors for my dreams.

DEL BARCO: Marc Chagall's "Fantasies For The Stage" are at LACMA through January 8. Mandalit del Barco, NPR News.

1 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 sketches   

n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概

参考例句：

• The artist is making sketches for his next painting. 画家正为他的下一幅作品画素描。
• You have to admit that these sketches are true to life. 你得承认这些素描很逼真。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 texture   

n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理

参考例句：

• We could feel the smooth texture of silk.我们能感觉出丝绸的光滑质地。
• Her skin has a fine texture.她的皮肤细腻。

5 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

6 flute   

n.长笛；v.吹笛

参考例句：

• He took out his flute, and blew at it.他拿出笛子吹了起来。
• There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。

7 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

8 enchanted   

adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• She was enchanted by the flowers you sent her. 她非常喜欢你送给她的花。
• He was enchanted by the idea. 他为这个主意而欣喜若狂。