Keith Burstein may be a respected British composer but his Manifest Destiny, has given him a major headache since it first premiered in the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh 2005. The opera, set in the geopolitical context of the Middle East, is the tale of Daniel, a British Jewish composer; Leila, a Palestinian poet, and Mohammed, a terrorist bomber. Both men fall passionately in love with Leila. With Mohammed, love has a transformative affect on his beliefs and philosophy.

The opera ran for 17 performances at the Edinburgh Fringe. It was of course, a sensitive time to put on such an opera, so soon after the Islamic terrorist attacks of 9/11. An opera critic accused Burstein of glorifying terrorism. Burstein, feeling misunderstood, sued the critic’s newspaper and lost. The trouble didn’t stop there. Since then, Manifest Destiny has also been designated a ‘surrender’ opera by some Palestinian quarters.

We wouldn’t blame Burstein for wanting to abandon the project over the years but fortunately for us, Burstein has continued with the project, and has now produced a new symphonic score. He has been helped along the way by loyal supporters from the art and music world, who recognise talent when they hear it.

I was fortunate enough to see the opera with orchestra on November 15th of this year at St John’s Church, Waterloo, a new space for opera in London.

The opera was unstaged with a terrific line-up of singers. Ching Yan Liu’s mournful mezzo suited the part of Leila. Alex Aldren’s ethereal tenor contrasted well with Mohammed’s earthier, seductive vocals – Peter Coleman, as Mohammed, made a good romantic lead.

There was humour too, offered by Kelly Lyptis, who played the US President and Tom Clough, CIA Man. Lyptis dazzled the audience in her canary-coloured dress and formidable vocal power. Tom Clough had an elegant bass and perfect comic timing.

Burstein is known for championing tonal music and his score was sumptuous with sparkling innovation. Daniel’s final solo to peace was breathtakingly beautiful.

I caught up with Burstein after the opera and asked him the following questions:

What is the significance of the title, Manifest Destiny?

The title of the opera was suggested by my librettist, Dic Edwards, a Welsh playwright.

After 9/11, I wanted to counter the predominant media narratives on the suicide bombers being simply “evil” and with that the racial stereotyping, with an opera that went to the heart of the humanity within every person. I imagined what sort of people would become martyrs and why I imbued them with a dignity emerging from despair as the victims of wrongdoing. 

We were at first going to call the opera ‘War’, but then Dic told me about Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny refers to the expansionist idea, held chiefly in the middle and latter part of the 19^th century, by some US politicians and white American settlers, who believed that the land to the West and the Rockies, where there was gold, was rightfully theirs. In our title the black gold of the oil in the Iraq region became the metaphor for a present day neo-colonialism. But the title also acted on several levels. 

The orchestral score is beautiful but what struck me most of all was your writing for singers – you certainly know how to showcase their vocal dexterity.

The human voice is the original and greatest of all musical instruments. As a result, opera remains the most potent of all art forms. At 16, I travelled repeatedly to London from Brighton to my hometown- to see all four operas of Wagner’s Ring cycle. 

At once, I saw how Wagner had turned opera to the purpose of imagining a transformative social and indeed mythic and mystical process in which the fate of humanity was envisioned. Whether this had political meaning is another matter. So too were Wagner’s notoriously racist views on the Jewish community another matter. He never allowed this aspect into his operas, but instead, and in contrast, his operas are devoted to the idea that love is the most powerful force in the universe, and this perception embodied in music of such overwhelming power in the Ring Cycle and other Wagner operas, is what went deep into me.

As a result, I have so far written two operas that revolve about similar themes- Manifest Destiny and The Prometheus Revolution

There is no doubt that the human voice allied with the power of theatre is fundamental to our society. My writing for voice is driven by an intense desire to express all that is most passionate in the human heart.

Finally, where would you like this opera to go next? Or where is it going next?

The opera’s next step will be a fully staged production with the new orchestration now expanded for full scale symphony orchestra. 

KH

Keith Burstein, composer