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Sheer skill and enjoyment here

17/03/2011

PUBLICATION: The Dominion Post
REVIEWED BY: John Button
WHERE: St James Theatre, Wellington, 16 March 2011

This production is the first full staging of a Handel opera in New Zealand, and even given that such “authentic” productions are common in Europe, this is one of the few that uses countertenors in the roles of both the brothers, Xerxes and Arsamene. More usually a female takes the role of Xerxes and a countertenor that of Arsamene, or vice-versa. Of course in Handel’s time both roles would have been taken by castrati, but these days countertenors just have to do. And in this case, with some small reservations, they do very well indeed.

Both Tobias Cole and William Purefoy have beautifully formed countertenor voices and all the technique needed. Both are accomplished actors, contributing to the finely drawn comedy and, like everyone else in the cast, subtle enough to prevent the comedic descending into farce.

In fact the production as a whole succeeds brilliantly, marvelously underpinned by the playing of the German early instrumental ensemble Lautten Compagney. They lift everything to a level that no modern instrument orchestra could match, with playing of great rhythmic certainty and a never overweighted attack. With the added piquancy of recorders, lute, theorbo and harpsichord, mercifully audible, they support singing that is always superbly stylish and even in quality.

Not one of the singers stands out above the rest, yet each offers singing of supreme confidence, and given the difficulty of much that Handel throws at them, the ease of execution, and the wonderful accuracy, is astonishing. At random one remembers the raging duets between Xerxes and Arsamene and Arsamene and Romilda and the temperament, both vocal and dramatic, of Tiffany Speight, Amy Wilkinson and Kristen Darragh and the sonorous bass, and nice sense of the comedic, from Martin Snell. In the buffo role of Elviro, Stephen Bennett has huge fun and the chorus is, as usual, vibrancy itself.

I loved the Moorish-styled set, and the wonderfully interactive lighting that reflects in a rainbow of colours the moods and emotions displayed on stage. I didn’t mind the costumes of Trelise Cooper. That they are a completely anachronistic mish-mash might worry some, but such is the sheer skill and enjoyment on display at the service of a great composer, that many brought up on The Messiah and The Water Music alone will be in for a delicious surprise.