(This is the last post in the Musical-Character Relationships series. This might seem a little brief and obvious when compared to the other parts, but I was on deadline, and I just wanted to get it done.)
And on the subject of vampires, we finally reach our last character to examine: The count himself. He parallels Sarah, not only for being manipulative, but doing it through those masks. His music (and voice) is very important. Throughout the show, he shows three different people to different groups. He knows what they want to see, and becomes it. The three are:
1.The monster, the uncaring predator. He acts like this around the graveyard vampires, and around the Professor and Alfred once he’s realized that they’ll never do anything unless he gives them a reason to. Here, his songs are all fast, with pounding drums and a heavy melody, and his voice is loud and strong.
2.The “gentleman predator”. A nice, caring person who just happens to be a vampire. He initially does this around the Professor (and definitely to Alfred), but it’s most obvious around Sarah, in “Totale Finsternis”. To me, watching this song is almost comical, because the situation is: Both of them are pretending to be something they’re not because they think it’s what the other wants, they both have somewhat underhanded motives for pretending that they’re attracted to each other, and they both think they’re fooling the other, having the upper hand. I suppose it’s a case of dramatic irony, where you, the audience, know that they’re both trying to manipulate the other. He seems to also act this way in front of his son, although it’s not a long exchange. These songs are slow, but also powerful – self-assured enough that there’s no need for a fast tempo. And what’s the other side?
3.His real self – miserable. Unlike the graveyard vampires, though he is bitter to the extreme about his existence, he doesn’t want to make humans suffer as well. He blames himself completely. The music he sings to himself when he is alone is vastly different from the other songs – delicate, slow, sad, and with no trace of power or confidence. Though he puts on a front of confidence for everyone else, in fast or slow song, “Gier” is revealing of the own self-loathing and hopelessness in him. Though not every show has done it, when the actor is good enough, he will be crying by the end of the song.
It can be shocking to see this man who, just minutes ago was arrogantly proclaiming “Your soul has belonged to me for a long time”, suddenly reveal weakness, then immediately come in a minute later acting as the vicious monster the other vampires want to see.
Masks. Power, and masks – that is what Tanz is, for the most part, all about. If these nuances of character are lost, or ignored by actors, the whole show falls apart into just a kitschy Austrian musical about vampires. But when you take the time to look at them, care about the characters – it’s amazing what you can find.
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