Bluebeard's Not-Wives

One of my favorite operas, if not my very favorite, is the Hungarian opera Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, a short two-singer psychological opera that turns the tale of Bluebeard and his wives into a story of almost pure metaphor.

So it’s always nice to see some allegorical Bluebeard content.

Alas, this wondrous tale is both a bit short and not interactive outside of actions. But hey, my favorite opera is short too.

On this you don’t feel a connection to traditional womanhood, but your parents arrange your marriage to Bluebeard anyway. But Bluebeard is certainly not what he seems.

This story has some layers to it; there was one implication I only just now realized besides the more clear ones. Overall, very interesting.

Bluebeard’s Not-Wives is a kinetic retelling of the Bluebeard story, in which you play one of the wives of Bluebeard ahead of the marriage. Except, the prose breaks the original mould about Bluebeard and his wife. Bluebeard is not some tyrannical blood-thirsty husband, but a misunderstood soul dealing with prejudice. And though the wives are never to be seen, you are not fearful of this terminal fate, for living as society demands of you actually feels like death.

The entry does a wonderful job at building the story, bringing the pieces together in such a lovely way, leading to a very touching end. It was very sweet, and though I would read a whole book of this, perfect the way it just is.