Ludwig van Beethoven once said, “Oh continue to love me, never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved. Ever thine. Ever mine. Ever ours.” Was he a man who truly believed in the power of love? Or was he someone who simply fell in love with music? Neither seems to get us close to the truth. He was neither a genius nor a hero but merely a normal being who knew how to always be himself. The musical The Beethoven describes Beethoven’s life as a writer and a lover and stars Park Hyo-shin, the famous singer and musical actor. Most importantly, it shows the famous composer as someone who knew how to be his most genuine self.
The musical starts with a conversation between Beethoven and his brother, Kasper. They talk about love and relationships. Kasper tells his brother about a woman that he met recently and how amazing his love for her is. He carries on to how he wants to marry her. Kasper is excited about how their lives would change after promising their forever love to each other. However, Beethoven sees life differently. The composer focuses only on music. Ludwig does not listen to his brother who keeps talking about the amazing power of love. Beethoven even says “Love is like playing with fire.” Indeed, Beethoven is a man who solely falls in love with the music he composed himself. He takes a great deal of pride in being called a genius. He just seems to care about music. Then does this mean that he is blind to love? Viewers of the musical will acknowledge how this is not the case. Ludwig is a man who also falls in love: he falls in love with the way in which he is able to truly be himself. That is enough of a fiery love for Beethoven.
Once Kasper leaves the stage, the famous composer quarrels with his coworkers while preparing a performance. Beethoven laments the fact that he is different from others. Then Park performs a song while playing one of Beethoven’s classics. The performance enables the audience to admire the beauty of Beethoven’s music and feel the composition. Through his music, the audience can finally understand his situation. What is more, while singing the song, ballet dancers perform calmly and gracefully. This also helps focus and better communicate Ludwig’s life.
In the next scene, Antonie Brentano appears as a woman capable of understanding Beethoven. As in any other typical hero story, this is the moment in which the hero finally meets his destiny. Usually, when such things happen, the hero learns something that they never knew before. For Beethoven, it is falling in love with someone else. At first, Beethoven does not believe that Antonie fully understood him. He assumes that she is simply an admirer of his music. However, the reality is quite different.
The stage now brightens. Before, the light shone only on Beethoven and his piano. However, as Anthonie and Beethoven walk together, a light illuminates them both. This use of mise[1]en-scene shows us how they fall in love with each other, and how Beethoven’s focus has shifted. They become each other; they understand each other. The scene is a turning point in Beethoven’s life. Then, what is next? A woman and man meet and fall in love. Audiences may hope that Ludwig would now settle down, live life peacefully with this woman, and pursues his musical career. Unfortunately, as in all good stories, tragedy arises.
As most of us already know, the first obstacle is his hearing. He is gradually losing his most important tool for composing and listening to music. The appearance of Beethoven’s hearing issue is a turning point at which the musical hero’s life changed forever. Sadly, during the musical, this issue is never treated in depth. At most, one or two scenes appears to mention his pain or present a small quarrel with his doctor. What is more upsetting is the fact that the musical focuses on his love story rather than his musical career. Although many masterpieces of Ludwig’s appears during the musical while following the plot, the audience can only capture a typical man who falls in love with another woman and suffers emotionally because it does not work out. Considering the fame and greatness of Beethoven as a musician, those that expected to see his moments of genius may have found the musical ultimately unfulfilling. Yet, at the same time it might humanize this hero presenting him as a person in love like any of us. Accordingly, an important question arises: “How do we modern people love each other? Are we villains or heroines when we love?” In the moment of love, everyone is vulnerable and makes mistakes. The same rule applies to Beethoven. He was a gifted man who suffered greatly in life but just like everyone else experienced both pain and happiness through love.
Beethoven’s symphony number five is the last song of the musical and the dialogue pointed to “destiny.” What is destiny? The musical insists the audience think about life, love, and destiny. The answer will surely come if and when we are able to live a life like the musical’s protagonist: passionate and honest.
Date: 2023.01.12~ 2023.03.26
Place: Seoul Arts Center Opera House
Running time: 165 minutes
