Last Saturday, my son, wife and I attended the outdoor production of Turandot - the last of a trio of opera's presented by Opera Australia and Handa Opera. Whilst I intended presenting my thoughts on each opera immediately after attending them, I didn't really find the time to do so. So, here is a condensed review of all three of them.
A few years back, Opera Australia appeared to have made a strategic change to the approach taken to their productions. Rather than the lavish sets etc. The focus seemed to have changed to spending more on the artists. So, rather than having fat, chunky chics running around the stage shrieking at the top of their voices (with the exception of one or two stupendous voices), we had productions with vastly improved vocals but sometimes rather drab sets. This was particularly noticeable in the last 2 productions of Lucia. The first had some of the most brilliant sets, which almost looked like elaborate paintings (a point that was not missed by the producers who at the end of each scene would have a curtain call or of a split second where the cast would stay motionless - just as in a painting). Admittedly, Emma Mathews played Lucia and was simply brilliant. The next production had almost no sets what-so-ever.
Several of the other productions that year were of similar vain.
Since then Opera Australia appear to have got the balance better. We have the privilege of hearing several overseas artists through-out the season and the productions are quite impressive as well. My personal opinion, based on the productions I've seen is that the tenor voice appears to be the toughest one for the company to recruit.
The Pearl Fishers.
The first opera was Bizet's "The Pearl Fishers". I recall having enjoyed the previous production and had high expectations this time around. As the opera is based in Sri Lanka, my wife has a special affinity towards it.
Unfortunately for me, whilst they had taken quite an effort to make the costumes authentic, they decided to have the main two male characters dress up in suits - Colonialist fashion. To most "Western" observers, this might have been quite acceptable and even normal, but it was something I found completing unacceptable. Bizet would have been rolling in his grave! These characters were Zurga and Nadir not Peter and John. This was no Madame Butterfly, this was an opera about a village in Sri Lanka - it was quite nonsensical to have the leaders of the village running around in pants - implying they were colonialists. They had denigrated the opera to a "White man seduces exotic Eastern chic" concept. This was not a mistake made in their previous production.
To make things worse, they had a couple of East Asian muscle bound guys tumbling around with swords - another complete mistake - could they not find someone from the sub-continent, after all there are close to a billion and a half of them?!! It seemed like they had wandered down George street to China town and picked the first two obliging non-European looking chaps they came across!!
I don't usually delve into the calibre of the voices and orchestra as the Opera theatre isn't really the stage to show-case one's voice and even less an orchestra! Unless of course, there is a performance that really captivates me. The sound of the orchestra is never great.
I'm not sure if it was due to these errors or if I'd have come to this conclusion regardless, but I didn't really enjoy the opera as much as I had the previous production.
Having done and dusted the disappointment, let's now focus on the two that I really enjoyed.
La Boheme.
This is an opera that I can never have too much of. I've seen several Opera Australia productions and seen it on screen etc. There were two key highlights for me and they were Ji-Minh Park as Rodolfo and home grown Julie Lea Goodwin as Musetta.
As I've mentioned before Opera Australia do have a challenge in attracting good tenor voices. But for the first time in a while, I found Park's voice quite powerful and balanced with the soprano voice.
The real highlight for me was Goodwin's performance as Musetta. I don't recall ever seeing her before. The first few phrases in Musetta's Waltz had me surprised and attentive - her voice was pure, powerful, silky and rounded. To add to that, she was sexy, considerate, care-free and confident - the perfect Musetta!
On returning home, I did some research on her. As much as I tried, her age is still a mystery to me (as it should be!). She Appears to have part-taken in the school spectacular in 2005 and 2006. Unless she was a guest artist, she would then have been 17 or 18 - although the clips of her singing on youtube are quite impressive for someone so young. The maturity and roundness of her voice now, is impressive particularly for a soprano in her mid to late twenties (Typically Aussies voices appear to be lyrical coloratura which later mature in to more rounded soprano).
The production itself was wonderful from the high ceilinged stark drab rooms with the bohemian's grand scale paintings on the walls, the rich and yet seedy café/ night club to the stark wintery scenes.
The café scene had some slinky half nude ladies in the background - very tastefully done, of course. Each time the kids (on stage, that is) marched through, the ladies would tastefully cover-up. My teenage son was with us, and he suddenly had an increased interest in proceedings. So much so that he requested the binoculars and hogged it for the rest of the café scene!
I suspect my son’s memory of the opera is limited to a 10 X magnified set of tits (or possibly several sets of them) witnessed through binoculars, and my wife, just the thought of getting his eyes off those tits, while I enjoyed the glory of the opera tits and all!
I’d love to have been a fly on the wall during the conversation at school the next day!! I suspect there might have been a sudden increased demand in concession tickets – Brooksie in the front row ogling his eyes out!!
Turandot
Finally, the outdoor Handa production of Turandot. Whilst not my favourite Puccini, I usually never get a choice on this one as my wife’s obsession with Nessun Dorma forces us to watch this one every time it is included in the season.
In general we enjoy the Handa outdoor productions, although on both previous occasions we had to contend with blistering wind and rain! The sets are usually outstanding and even the sound, although electronic, is produced well – often sounding more like a digital recording rather than a live performance. Add to that the backdrop of the opera house and the bridge and it presents a wonderful setting.
As usual, we got there early and have dinner. Often there is a menu and area for dining that are along with the theme of the opera. Unfortunately we weren’t early enough to get seating and so had to manage sitting on the floor and tucking into our supper.
This time the weather was brilliant. The set included a dragon along one side that was used dramatically through out the opera as a screen to project various images. And when the love stricken suitor rang the gong accepting the Ice princesses challenge, the dragon breathed fire and smoke! We had unfortunately selected seats on the opposite side to the dragon and our view of it’s head was obstructed!!
I always feel a sense of discomfort after this opera. The heroine Turandot is for a greater part of the opera, the villain – the ice maiden. But through the love of her suitor, she melts. But this happens at the very end of the opera and so, one doesn’t really have much time to warm up to her. Whilst the other female role in the opera, the self-less, and yet faithful and brave servant, Liu, who sings one of the more beautiful arias, demands my affection throughout most of the opera, even though her role is minor. So at the end one leaves the opera with a sense of conflict!
The three roles of Calaf, Turandot and Liu were sung beautifully by Riccardo Massi, Dragana Radakovic and Hyeseoung Kwon respectively. The dancing was well choreographed and the fire works after Nessun Dorma all blended in to a wonderful evening.
My son picked on the section of the opera where Turandot sings “three riddles one death” and Calaf responds “No, No three riddles and one love” and Turandot repeats her line as they build up inin volume, pitch and passion! As it is a time in his life where he contradicts his father many a time, he found it amusing to present what our next disagreement might sound like!
All things considered, this was a great season by Opera Australia. They simply need to get there pricing strategy sorted out. Having seen there recent accounts, it appears that the revenue from ticket sales is down on last year.
I look forward to the season of 2017!
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