Der Rosenkavalier, ENO, Coliseum, review

The danger in any performance of Der Rosenkavalier is that all the Viennese whipped cream which swells both Strauss’ score and Hofmannsthal’s text can end up giving one indigestion. The opera is too long for any comedy, the inspiration sags terribly in the middle and at times there’s a smugness behind its artful rococo pastiche which is almost repellent.

But English National Opera’s terrific revival of David McVicar’s production avoids all these pitfalls: anchored in a visually elegant staging and Edward Gardner’s cannily judged conducting, the piece for once doesn’t seem overblown or too clever by half.

True, I don’t think McVicar makes enough of the class consciousness that makes this the most snobbish opera ever written: the set is basically the same for the Marschallin’s Pompadour boudoir, the bling of Faninal’s reception room and the greasy-spoon suburban caff, and the various social divides between them aren’t explored or even registered. But McVicar allows the intrigue to unfold with exemplary clarity and keeps character and wit on the right side of mugging and farce. This Rosenkavalier never sinks to empty showing-off.

Gardner’s approach is complementary: after an excessively tumultuous prelude suggesting that Octavian and the Marschallin want to get their copulation over with as soon as possible, he managed the trick of maintaining a measured dramatic pulse while honouring the score’s astonishing complexity of instrumental detail. The orchestral playing may not have been immaculate, but one felt a unity of purpose throughout.

Amanda Roocroft’s soprano lacks the silvery sheen that Strauss had in mind for the Marschallin, and some shrill hard tone curdled the opening of the final trio. Verbal clarity will never be her strongest card, either, and she doesn’t capture the element of aristocratic hauteur which restrains the woman from making a fool of herself. But hers is a very likeable Marschallin, and the melancholy musings in the first act were sung with captivating warmth and sincerity.

It would be hard to better Sarah Connolly’s beautifully sung and breezily boyish Octavian, and John Tomlinson’s bluff, red-faced Squire Western of a Baron Ochs was spot on too – always the country gent, never the roaring buffoon.

Sophie Bevan made Sophie an eager little minx and a splendid supporting cast including Madeleine Shaw, Adrian Thompson and Jennifer Rhys-Davies was marred only by Gwyn Hughes-Jones’ coarse singing of the Italian Tenor’s gorgeous aria. This is ENO at its best.

Until Feb 27. Tickets: 0871 911 0200