Notwithstanding the colourful costumes, this production of A Midsummer Night's Dream has inert, unimaginative and superficial staging

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A Midsummer Night's Dream           London Coliseum Until Thu

Rating:

In some ways, A Midsummer Night’s Dream was Benjamin Britten’s most personal opera, one that set the seal on his relationship with his partner Peter Pears. 

Britten and Pears, in a huge hurry, and with intense concentration, fashioned the libretto together, skilfully trimming Shakespeare’s play to reflect the fact that singing a line takes twice as long as speaking it.

For this piece, Britten wrote some of his most ravishing music, especially for the orchestra: the wind rustling through the leaves in the enchanted wood, where the entire piece is set, is invariably totally magical. And this is where most directors get it wrong.

 English National Opera’s last production, by Christopher Alden in 2011, was an appalling example of directorial egomania.

This elderly take from Robert Carsen is undeniably prettier, but in truth misses the target by a similarly wide margin. Above: Soraya Mafi as Tytania with Joshua Bloom as Bottom

English National Opera’s last production, by Christopher Alden in 2011, was an appalling example of directorial egomania. It was set in an ugly prep school playground and had strong paedophilic undercurrents. No wonder even ENO deemed it unrevivable.

This elderly take from Robert Carsen is undeniably prettier, but in truth misses the target by a similarly wide margin. It first appeared in 1991 and was taken up by ENO in 1995, last appearing at the Coliseum in 2004. Instead of an ugly playground you get a huge green bed in Act I, and a lot of smaller beds in Act II. Notwithstanding the colourful costumes, this is an inert, unimaginative and superficial staging. Especially when compared to Peter Hall’s celebrated Glyndebourne production, where the atmosphere of the enchanted wood was completely captured.

Notwithstanding the colourful costumes, this is an inert, unimaginative and superficial staging. Above: Christopher Ainslie as Oberon and Miltos Yerolemou as Puck

The evening is partially redeemed by the singing of a young British cast.  Above: Clare Presland as Hermia and Eleanor Dennis as Helena

After its first night, Pears was in tears: ‘If only Ben could have seen this,’ he cried. Pears was unlikely to have been as impressed by either of the above.

The evening is partially redeemed by the singing of a young British cast, stiffened by a team of experienced ‘rude mechanicals’, led by Joshua Bloom’s charismatic Bottom. Christopher Ainslie’s Oberon stands out, as does Soraya Mafi’s Tytania. The rest are charming enough, but a bit overwhelmed by the size of the Coli. Indeed the whole piece, composed for the reopening in 1960 of Aldeburgh’s Jubilee Hall, which seated a mere 316 people, is more of a chamber opera, better suited to a smaller space.

Carsen’s one good idea was to cast Puck as an adult. Miltos Yerolemou’s acrobatics belie his dumpy frame. His charisma – and clear diction – steals this so-so show from under everybody else’s noses.

Gianni Schicchi

Rating:

Il Tabarro 

Rating:

English Touring Opera, Hackney Empire, London

On tour until Jun 2

I have been following English Touring Opera for years now, and have never heard anything better from them than this Gianni Schicchi. Puccini’s one-acter, taken from Dante’s Divine Comedy, tells the tale of the awful Donati family, who gather at the bedside of their deceased uncle Buoso in keen anticipation of loadsamoney. Only to find he’s left it all to the monks. They send for the local rogue, Schicchi, who at their behest happily forges a new will, and then keeps most of Buoso’s fortune for himself.

I have been following English Touring Opera for years now, and have never heard anything better from them than this Gianni Schicchi

What is arguably the greatest of all operatic comedies really sparkles here thanks to the idiomatic conducting of Michael Rosewell, the excellent playing from his hand-picked orchestra, Liam Steel’s sophisticated direction and a strong cast.

Andrew Slater is a straight-forward, no-frills Schicchi; Galina Averina, who gets to sing Oh My Beloved Father, is a charming Lauretta; the tenor Luciano Botelho is an ardent Rinuccio, Lauretta’s intended; and a team of ETO stalwarts excels as the rest of the benighted family.

Neil Irish’s art nouveau, Puccini-period sets and costumes look delightful. Not to be missed.

Its stablemate on tour, Il Tabarro, directed by James Conway, is a very different piece. One where the bullying barge-owner Michele (Craig Smith) ends up murdering the handsome young stevedore Luigi (Charne Rochford), who has been having an affair with Michele’s wife Giorgetta (Sarah-Jane Lewis impressive, below with Smith).

Conway loves this piece, and his direction is compelling. Smith is maybe too long in the tooth to be entirely credible as the hulking barge-owner. But with Rosewell so persuasive in the pit, bringing out every detail of Puccini’s brilliant score, this too is a credit to the company, which produces high-quality work on a shoestring.

ETO plays 20 venues on tour, also offering The Marriage Of Figaro and an evening of ‘Fireworks’ from Rossini. 

english touring opera.org.uk