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"Thoughtful and penetrating" production comes to NZ
19/07/2010
"Down to the last detail, Albery's production is thoughtful and penetrating, the evening absorbed by the enthralled audience in pin-drop silence." [The Independent, UK]
Verdi's Macbeth is one of the greatest operas Shakespeare's work has inspired, and in the hands of Tim Albery - one of the world's top opera directors - the result is "a fast, vivid, bloody and energetic Macbeth that grabs and keeps the audience's attention" [Telegraph, UK]. The NBR New Zealand Opera's Genesis Energy season of Macbeth, opening in Auckland on 18 September and Wellington on 9 October, is a restaging of Tim Albery's award-winning production, created for Opera North in the UK in 2008.
Tim Albery is the operatic master of getting straight to the point. "I go for extreme narrative clarity," he says. "I tend to pare things right back and Macbeth has a very simple narrative thrust. What I like about it is it's just so savage and brutal. It doesn't mess about. No long overtures. Verdi just gets on with it.
"And," he adds, "in order to get to the heart of the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, I've kept things simple which allows the audience to really zone in on these people and experience the strong sense of tragedy."
Macbeth is the classic tale of ambition, corruption and bloody revenge. Truthful to the play, it illustrates with shocking clarity the trail of death and destruction caused by an unbridled lust for power, and its tragic dénouement - this is an example of enthralling, hard-hitting operatic drama at its very best.
Aidan Lang, General Director of The NBR New Zealand Opera, says Albery has a modern aesthetic sense which is reflected in this production. "It's quite austere visually," he says. "It's backed up with a sound dramaturgy and is completely truthful and honest to the text. Tim gets intense performances from his singers and as an audience member you'll be drawn into this production and taken on a powerful emotional rollercoaster."
As with the original Opera North production, which won the prestigious "Opera 2008" Manchester Evening News Theatre Award, Italian soprano Antonia Cifrone sings Lady Macbeth, a role for which she was universally lauded. The title role is filled by thrilling Romanian baritone Michele Kalmandi. New Zealand-born Jud Arthur, whose resounding bass is well known to local audiences, sings Banquo, and returning following his exciting portrayal of Lensky in 2009's Eugene Onegin, Russian tenor Roman Shulackoff is Macduff.
MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by The NBR New Zealand Opera - 19 July 2010
Media enquiries: Caroline Nelson, ParadisePR Ltd
E. caroline.nelson@paradise.net.nz
M. 021 244 1299
Did you know?
An English translation of the opera is projected on surtitles above the stage during our performances.
Early opera resembled the atmosphere of a race course - chatting, food, laughter and loud comments were the norm.
If you are 25 years old or under you can purchase $25 tickets at the venue box office before any performance.
The world's longest opera is Wagner's The Ring Cycle, lasting over 14 hours plus intervals. That's 18 hours at the theatre.
The world's longest applause lasted for 1 hour and 20 minutes as a standing ovation. The opera: Otello starring Placido Domingo.
On average, an opera will last between 2 and 3 hours, with one interval in a two act show, and two in a three act show. Operettas and musicals tend to be shorter.
NZO has launched an Opera Social Club - no joining fees, no club membership, everyone is welcome.
