Optimism and the Loss Thereof in Bernstein's Candide

Friday's discussion of optimism, particularly in the Chenoweth / Groves version of Bernstein's Candide, lead to further thought on my part after our class discussion ended. I wanted to expound a bit more upon my ideas on the topic.

To me, the most poignant aspect of Candide is the cynicism inherent in the protagonist's loss of innocence and naivete. It is a love story not of the mold. Yes, the story contains familiar romantic elements such as Boy loves Girl, Boy loses Girl, and Boy gets Girl in the end. However, the details surrounding these familiar situations are not what we expect to find in a romantic comedy. The most drastic break from the expected outcome of a more optimistic love story comes with the final element, Boy and Girl marrying and being together. Unlike in most modern love stories, where the differences that caused an initial separation are resolved and everyone ends up happy, Candide and Cunegonde do not merely resolved all their problems. Instead, the story is about accepting things as they are. The idealized lives they each had envisioned in the beginning of the opera are finally realized to be nothing more than unattainable dreams. Instead, the couple accepts their lot in this world and endeavor to make the most of it.

To me, this determination and acceptance of reality is very admirable in the characters, but is not exactly the optimistic resolution one might hope for. However, despite this end being perhaps more earthy and grounded than one might wish, I find it more powerful. This loss of some of the initial optimism of the characters creates a stirring, realistic message to the audience that I believe is very applicable to the world we live in today. Our world is far from ideal; far from Utopian. However, the only hand we can play is that which we are dealt. If we venture forth with a determination to "make our garden grow", we can make the most of the imperfect world we live in, and perhaps one day make things truly better.

I believe that the power of this conclusion is lost in the Chenoweth / Groves production, because I believe they overshadow the more serious, less optimistic elements with their glitz and glamour.