Latest Stories

Reviews

A spirited yet somewhat muted performance

15/05/2010

PUBLICATION: The Opera Critic
REVIEWED BY: Michael Sinclair
WHERE: Aotea Centre, Auckland opening

Mozart's perennial favourite, Le nozze di Figaro, returns to The NBR New Zealand Opera repertoire after an absence of eight years in an inventive new production by the company's General Director, Aidan Lang. This is Lang's sixth production of the work and it shows: his attention to detail and sure footed directorial hand ensure an evening of many pleasures.

Robin Rawstorne's elegant sets place us firmly in Seville. The white panelled walls suggest the stucco of southern Spain, while the hot Mediterranean sun fills the various rooms of the castle at appropriate moments. The ingenious use of sliding panels allows for the differing scenes to be presented almost simultaneously as they slide on and off the stage, resulting in a seamless transition from one scene to the next. Eventually the stage opens out for the Countess's bedroom and similarly in the final act for the garden. The depiction of garden as something akin to the Guggenheim Museum (designed by Matisse?) is a little odd given that there is not a plant in sight.

Elizabeth Whiting's costumes are entirely in period and have been exquisitely crafted, including the extensive use of recycled denim (opera goes green!) particularly in the outfits for the chorus. The predominance of sombre shades consisting mainly of blue, beige, gray and black result in a rather muted stage picture, particularly against the backdrop of the white walls, although this is spiced up with the use of gaudy reds in the wedding scene.

Le nozze di Figaro is an ensemble piece and it is clear that Lang has worked hard with his relatively young cast to ensure a swift paced and convincingly acted performance. Wade Kernot is a benevolent Figaro aided by his warm, dark bass-baritone, although a little more suppleness in the voice would benefit his overall interpretation. His bride-to-be Susanna is played in effervescent fashion by Emma Pearson with oodles of personality as she manoeuvres the action. As their masters Riccardo Novaro is a tall, lean Count with a touch of menace both in demeanour and voice, while Nuccia Focile is a rich voiced Countess, although her voice hadn't quite warmed up for "Porgi Amor."

New Zealander Wendy Dawn Thompson is entirely believable as the lanky, adolescent Cherubino with a rich mezzo voice that has plenty of boyish charm about it. All the minor roles are expertly played: Richard Greager's obsequious Don Basilio, Gennadi Dubinsky's buffoonish Dr Bartolo, Helen Medlyn's waspish Marcellina, Derek Hill's finely sung Don Curzio and Richard Green's earthy Antonio all contribute strongly.

Despite high quality singing, carefully crafted characterisations and great ensemble work the sum of these parts did not quite add up to a glorious whole. The wide open spaces of the ASB Theatre with its notoriously bad acoustics are not an ideal venue for Mozart and deprived the performance of intimacy and sparkle. Lionel Friend drew decent playing from the Auckland Philharmonia without stamping any particularly strong authority on the score.

Nevertheless there is still much to enjoy in this Figaro and it was wonderful to hear up and coming New Zealand singers such as Wade Kernot and Wendy Dawn Thompson in leading roles at an early stage in their careers. Let's hope they return often.