Reviews

An Irresistible First

24/03/2011

PUBLICATION: Music and Vision Daily
REVIEWED BY: Howard Smith
WHERE: St James Theatre, Wellington, 19 March 2011

Xerxes I of Persia (born 519 BC, died 465 BC), also known as Xerxes the Great, was the fourth Zoroastrian king of kings of the Persian Empire. More than 2,200 years later Handel wrote Xerxes, a droll eighteenth century take on love's stratagems and sibling rivalry in the Royal household of 5th century BC Ancient Persia; largely today's troubled lands of Iran and Afghanistan.

Indeed Handel is a clear winner in this opera; his capacity for a comedy of absurd foibles on stage and musical wit in the orchestral pit has few equals and dependable Handelian invention results in music of unalloyed pleasure. The more so in the company of superlative baroque guest ensemble Lautten Compagney, Berlin, under its co-founder director, Wolfgang Katschner.

Throughout Xerxes' final Wellington performance, the last in an Auckland/Wellington eight night season, the capacity audience was clearly 'bowled over' by the effervescent NBR New Zealand Opera (Victoria Opera, Melbourne) co-production; a first fully staged Handel opera for 'Kiwi' music lovers.

Outstanding English countertenor William Purefoy brought impeccable dramatic artistry to Romilda's true love: Xerxes' brother Arsamene; most notably his rueful 'Quella che tutta fe per me languia d'amore' proved a vocally poignant highpoint.

Handel's opera seria (Xerxes) came belatedly into the repertoire as first intended in the autumnal decades of last century, and The NBR New Zealand Opera acted boldly in creating an eye-catching, bona fide musical production with a globally recognized costumier, two superb countertenors, the acclaimed baroque orchestra and bedazzling soprano lead.

A champagne performance with flawless Handelian runs gave Australian soprano Tiffany Speight's ravishing Romilda a degree of authority in conveying both outright love and scathing disdain.

At the same time Freemantle soprano Amy Wilkinson, in Cooper's low-cut, gold encrusted shocking turquoise, was a standout as Atalanta, Romilda's sister, an utterly feisty sidelined woman.

The king's fiancée Amastre, German-based Auckland mezzo-soprano Kristen Darragh, the epitome of wily feminine subterfuge, shadowed the sibling pair in male guise as the confusion gradually unraveled; truly a performance of glowing ease.

Sydney's lively lyric bass Stephen Bennett (as Elviro, servant to Arsamene) nailed comic vignettes as an Eliza Doolittle style flower girl and a drunken layabout. In broadening the comedy he met with rounds of richly deserved audience approval.

Martin Snell, formerly a resident New Zealand bass at Theater St Gallen in Switzerland played Romilda's father General Ariodate; convincing in military bearing, vocal mettle, and his unexpected frisky caper - executed with disarming agility.

The NBR New Zealand Opera's daring 2011 foray into Handel opera paid off for, beyond all question, local audiences embraced an irresistible first; worlds beyond the Royal Fireworks and seasonal Messiahs.

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Did you know?

Early opera resembled the atmosphere of a race course - chatting, food, laughter and loud comments were the norm.

During all our opera performances an English translation of the libretto is projected on screens above the stage, so you can easily follow the story.

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.

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