For the 2009 Haydn tricentenary RAM has mounted La Fedelta premiata to "mixed reviews", which seems to be the fate of Haydn as operatic composer ! I saw the first cast and loved it all, taking in my stride Alessandro Talevi's updating to the contemporary world of TV's "reality" Big Brother show... Although sight is said to take primacy over hearing, with Trevor Pinnock's superb advocacy of this fine score and the expert and responsive RAM orchestra, there was no risk of that in Alessandro Talevi's adaptation of the action, even though some of the allusions passed by "RAM's octogenarian supporters" ! (The Times). The cast was mostly good to excellent, the singers were personable to watch and well managed on stage, the small chorus made a fine effect from the back of the auditorium, and the surtitled English adaptation of the libretto (efficiently projected - in contrast with those for Il mondo della luna) was just sufficient to keep us on the rails. Royal Academy Opera Conductor – Iain Ledingham Director – Alessandro Talevi
Amaranta – Meeta Raval Nerina – Caroline MacPhie Celia – Fu Quian Diana – Natalia Brezinska Lindoro _ Lei Shao Fileno – Thomas Hobbs Perrucchetto – Gerard Collett Melibeo – George Humphreys
It is generally agreed that opera was not Joseph Haydn’s strongest suite, nevertheless there is a good deal to be admired in the beauty of his orchestral craftsmanship and his ability to build up a sequence of ensembles to crown each act.
A few years ago RAO staged his Il mondo della luna, directed by Robert Chevara, which proved an event of considerable charm and wit with, as described by Robert Thickness writing for The Times “a proper Haydnesque feel-good glow”.
For La fedelta premiata director Alessandro Talevi abandoned the intended pastoral setting inhabited by nymphs and shepherds, beasts of the forest, satyrs and a sea monster, to replace them with a “Big Brother” house where the threats came from Russell Brand look-alikes, cardboard effigies of Margaret Thatcher and Ann Widdecombe (these two at least drew the only discernible laughter of the evening) and a couple of remote controlled spiders. In taking this approach it must certainly be acknowledged that he achieved a result that was every bit as tasteless as the TV show he was mirroring.
As the evening progressed I found myself increasingly inclined to follow the advice of Geoff Brown, also writing for The Times, to shut my eyes to the action and concentrate on the high quality singing and orchestral playing.
The incisive soprano of Meeta Raval, contrasted well with the lighter voice of Caroline MacPhie and the strong and very distinctive mezzo of Fu Quian. The richness of Gerard Collett’s baritone (standing in for Vytautas Vepstas), George Humphreys, singing with perhaps the best sense of period style, Thomas Hobbs with a tenor of significant promise that I look forward to hearing again, and some pleasantly lyrical moments from Lei Shao were all a pleasure to hear.
The orchestra was in the safest of hands with Iain Ledingham on the rostrum. An evening of musical delight accompanied by a staging that seemed both irrelevant and uninteresting.
Serena Fenwick
Photo credit Mark Whitehouse |