Tag Archives: opera

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: The Mikado, King’s Head Theatre

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This was a night of firsts for me: my first visit to the Kings Head Theatre in Islington, which I had heard so much about; my first time watching (ashamedly!) a Gilbert and Sullivan production and; my first time reviewing solo without the company of one Thoroughly Modern Milly!

Each of these novel experiences lived fully up to expectation as I was thrilled and entertained by Charles Court Opera’s intimate version of The Mikado in the warm (literally!), inclusive atmosphere of this fringe venue. The quick witted and sparky action of this production kept the audience constantly engaged while the actors bounced off each other with lightning quick reactions. John Savournin’s choreography made creative use of the small space he was confined to, and suitably complimented the fine singing. The stars of this show were the comic counterparts Pooh-Bah and Pish Tush, acted out superbly by Savournin and Ian Beadle respectively. These men sang with impressive resonance and acted with a very clear awareness of their characters’ motivations. Also worthy of mention is Catrine Kirkman’s Yum-Yum, who sang with admirable clarity, control and poise in her famed aria ‘The sun whose rays are all ablaze’. I also take my hat off to Nichola Jolley, whose comedic interjections as Pitti-Sing were perfectly timed, and communicated with the most captivating and amusing facial expressions.

Aside from the action, the pianists, David Eaton and James Young, played with remarkable dexterity and sensitivity. It is some task for four hands at one keyboard to be responsible for accompanying this entire tour de force, and this duo deserves the highest praise for the skill and gusto with which they fulfilled their role.

I was fortunate enough to catch this production just before it closed but never fear! Charles Court Opera will return to The King’s Head in September with what will no doubt be an innovative and spunky production of The Pirates of Penzance. This burgeoning young opera company is certainly one to watch. I must insert a health warning at this point though: the wine served at the King’s Head is very drinkable and the craic is mighty – DO NOT MISS YOUR LAST TUBE HOME! (Not that this happened to me of course…)

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, Mark McCloskey.

Aida, Royal Albert Hall

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Verdi’s Aida is epic in every way and requires a grand production to do the story justice. The Royal Albert Hall is the ideal venue for this large scale work, Raymond Gubbay is currently presenting a glorious staging in the round. I have never seen Aida before, but learnt a little about this famous opera at University in a Verdi module and remember wondering at its grandeur then. Set in Ancient Egypt, this is not an easy production to create visually but set and costume designer Isabella Bywater has done a remarkable job with an evocative backdrop behind the orchestra and a dusty archaeological site covering the stage.

This is a typical Gubbay performance (I sang in several at RAH as a child): atmospheric, dramatic and exciting, making full use of the huge amphitheatre, with characters running through the audience from every entrance, choruses singing up in the Gods, and various props lowered from the ceiling. It is an extraordinary spectacle, the nonstop action makes it utterly thrilling. The production feels strangely foreign and I couldn’t quite figure out why: the concert hall setting? the massive cast? or most likely, the obvious amplification. With the singers all mic-ed up, it feels like the show is being filmed and relayed to a digital audience. It unfortunately removes the viewer slightly from the immediacy of it all.

The cast is huge, and the lead characters are triple cast to avoid over-stretching the star singers. I watched Indra Thomas as Aida, she looks beautiful in a green gown but I was sadly disappointed with her over-acting and under-singing. Her voice is wispy round the edges, vague and indirect, and though she did warm up during the show she wasn’t very believable as the story’s heroine. Aside from that slight reservation, the cast is wholly impressive… Tiziana Carraro gives a stunning performance as the bitter and jealous Amneris and Marc Heller is strong and heroic as Radames. I was particularly impressed by David Kempster who plays Aida’s father: he has a rich and lyrical voice, a joy to listen to, and he acts well too, bringing a sensitive aspect to the role especially when he sings to his daughter while imprisoned.

This production of Aida is overwhelmingly powerful. Act I Scene II in the Temple is particularly enchanting, the large hooded chorus assemble singing a cappella in close harmony, it is a magical moment that stuck with me long after the show had finished. Although I could find minor faults with this production, the night of entertainment will be remembered as one of the most hypnotizing shows I have ever seen.

Aida continues until March 11th, book here.

The Tales of Hoffman, ENO

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‘The Tales of Hoffman’ is perhaps the maddest opera I’ve ever seen, the narrative is almost completely incomprehensible with unexpected twists from start to finish. Director Richard Jones uses these bizarre anomalies to his advantage creating a wildly imaginative but baffling production.

Offenbach’s problematic work was left unfinished at his death in 1880. The ENO are staging a controversial edition by Michael Kaye and Jean-Christophe Keck rather than opting for the more traditional version that the Royal Opera House use. The most obvious difference, aside from drastic alterations to the score, is the ordering of the acts.

Arriving at the Coliseum, I was eager – I’ve never seen this Offenbach classic before and recently the ENO has produced a string of brilliant shows so my expectations were high. With an unusual 7pm start, I knew it was going to be a lengthy performance.

The piece begins and finishes with embarrassing sequences as the drunken writer Hoffman stumbles about struggling to find inspiration. His muse/ conscience/ sidekick Nicklausse follows him about like a loyal dog, commenting on his behaviour and trying to instill sense into the delusional protagonist. Hoffman then divulges information regarding his three fantasy women: Olympia (a doll), Antonia (a singer) and Giuletta (a prostitute) and we learn of his unrealistic relationship with each of them, and the disastrous partings.

Of the three acts and three lovers, the first is by far the most successful, a kitsch raucous scene at a children’s party with a captivating blonde doll that comes to life, it is a sensation. Unfortunately because of this early climax, the remaining two acts seem comparatively dull. However set designer Giles Cadle and costume designer Buki Shiff present a visually fantastic production, and the stage transformations are handled beautifully; every act conjures up a new dream.

The cast do a marvelous job, singing brilliantly and remaining in their tricky characters with impressive conviction. The three leading roles are particularly outstanding; Barry Banks as Hoffman, Christine Rice as Nicklausse and Georgia Jarman as the three women. Jarman makes a strong ENO debut, taking on this challenging role: her voice is clear and crisp and suits the part. She excels as the doll, mimicking the rigid movements of a toy while simultaneously delivering vocally. She is a little less convincing as the weary Antonia and the promiscuous Giuletta. Christine Rice is wonderful, she is completely captivating throughout, her voice is rich and delicious. Clive Bayley’s performance as the four ‘baddies’ is appropriately sinister and his deep bass voice is chilling.

Surely no-one can deny that the ENO offers the most diverse and interesting programme of all opera houses in this country. Each and every production is unique and adventurous, a feat  for which we must applaud the company. The Tales of Hoffman is a night of surprises, and yet the tremendous singing remains consistent throughout.

Continues until 10 March, book here.