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Clive Timms, conductor Martinu's 1937 radio opera Comedy on the Bridge, billed as witty and ironic, was leaden and unfunny in this production sung in English. Its music relies on militaristic parody, ending with a victory march, after over-the-top explosions which did credit to Guildhall's student pyrotechnicians. On this showing, it seemed to be bottom drawer Martinu, not worth reviving - some people averred that it is better in Czech; I have not heard the Supraphon recording. Béatrice et Bénédict, after Much Ado about Nothing is a tantalising near masterpiece, almost impossible to bring off completely, but well done in London by WNO in 2001. Berlioz's music contains set numbers which are priceless pearls, and they were given very creditably after an overture which augured ill, relentlessly noisy and lacking shadings within degrees of forte. As the events unfolded, the Guildhall Scool orchestra showed itself, however, well able to cope idiomatically with exquisite subtleties in this treasurable score. As usual at the Guildhall, this double bill runs for a week, with two student casts. At the first night, Katie van Kooten and Julie Pasturaud duetted euphoniously and supported Joana Thomé da Silva in the great trio; all good singers if not yet of star quality. Manolis Papadakis, a winning comic actor, took over the baton for the broad humour of the Somarone interlude. Outstanding, and a main reason why we would want not to have missed this mixed evening, was the Benedict, Young-Hoon Heo's a name to remember and a tenor to watch - an attractive ringing tone and a personable actor, always in precise, split second synchrony with the orchestra. Berlioz unfortunately let him down with little to do in the second act. The staging of both pieces was dominated by a (? new) acquisition, a revolve with steps which they sent round and round to no obvious purpose. The steps did double service as Martinu's bridge and to provide 'vertical interest' in the Berlioz. That seemed to be the intention, but it reminded me instead of the steps in the hospital physiotherapy gym in which I was recently taught how to get up and down stairs on one good leg after having broken the other. There are long stretches of spoken dialogue, tedious if you cannot understand it (and some of it less than exciting even if you can !) not cut (nor omitted as in the LSO Live CD). The French diction, sung and spoken, was creditable and the production must have been valuable for young opera singers preparing for international careers. But, for the Guildhall's loyal public, Béatrice et Bénédict inevitably raised once again the hoary chestnut of sur-titles, which the Guildhall School has resisted, although that battle has generally been lost, partly because of the ubiquity of translations on DVD. For its audiences (generally sold out for each short run) help is needed at the Guildhall, so MusicalPointers ventures an impertinent lateral thought. Holland Park Opera needs to replace its surtitle system which is unsuitable for their open tented summertime venue, but would be perfectly satisfactory in the Guildhall's Theatre. How about the two companies getting together and collaborating to discuss costing possibilities? And who knows, it might even lead an invitation for one of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama productions (which usually bear comparison with any in London) to be adapted and seen by a wider audience in Holland Park? An excellent recording of the music of Béatrice et Bénédict (without spoken dialogue) is available from LSO Live (LSO 0004 CD) or, now for Christmas, in a bargain box of all Colin Davis's new recordings of Berlioz with the LSO.
Bohuslav Martinu
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Martinu Comedy on the Bridge
