Panache, precision and impeccable diction. Donizetti at its best
Presented by: State Opera South Australia
Reviewed: 8 November 2024
The restaging of John Copley’s 80’s production of Lucia is a brave, and triumphant, choice for State Opera of South Australia. It is grand opera on a grand scale and the reworking of the original set by Henry Borden of a baronial Scottish Castle is a foreboding and enigmatic space to work this sensitive revival in, artfully redirected by Laura Hansford. It has a feel of danger from the moment the curtain goes up and Donn Byrnes predominantly Game of Thrones lighting (before that show was ever thought of) brought so cleverly up to date by Mark Oakley, shows off the brilliantly reworked costumes by Tracey Richardson in all their glory – and there’s a lot of it. Hansford has been true to Copley’s vision from the 80’s and injected just a little more confident energy into the gender imbalance so indicative of the era it was set in. This Lucia has a bit of strong energy running underneath her downtrodden existence.
From the first scene when the male chorus attacked the opening music with panache, precision and impeccable diction we knew we were in for some impressive vocal work. Then Morgan Pearse let Enrico loose on the audience, ably assisted By Pelham Andrews obsequious Raimondo and Jiacheng Ding’s alert and attentive Captain and we were treated to some world class work as the story was put into full swing.
Pearse has a glorious instrument that was used to its full advantage all night. He can act, sing and tell a story. It was a glorious performance that carried him relentlessly through the work.
The introduction of Emma Pearson into the mix was worth the wait. This was a performance full of powerful emotion that grew in dynamic and energy through the story. It must have been a great weight to carry into your first show when the performance was crafted around someone else in the original. But make no mistake Ms Pearson is here to stay and this performance will establish her as a dramatic soprano who can deliver. She can act and boy can this woman sing. Her mad scene was a lesson in control. Her coloratura fireworks were extraordinary and her courageous approach left us with our hearts in our mouths. I will not forget this mad scene in a hurry; glorious work!
And then there was Alok Kumar as Edgardo, another extraordinary voice from the world stage. He has the ability to hold you in the palm of his hand and the range of emotional access in his vocal work goes the full gamut. His vocal dexterity is a masterclass for the tenor voice. He complements and drives Pearse with his relentless and passionate interpretation of the role. The magnetism of Pearse and Kumar is inspiring and heartbreaking.
Arturo (Iain Henderson) and Alisa (Samantha Rubenhold) are, along with Jiacheng Ding, (a Captain) three up and coming singers to watch. Three glorious voices that will continue to get better with the opportunity to play against the strong operatic voices of the other principals.
I have to mention the State Opera Chorus once more. They are always a joy to hear and see. This ensemble of singers brought a life and energy onto the stage that would have made John Copley dance with delight. Don’t ask me how I know, I just do. The vocal dexterity and clarity of voice and tone was its usual world class standard. Anthony Hunt certainly knows how to get this bunch across the line. Superb work. And they can act, put on a pretty good show of dancing and add constantly to the story.
Finally the orchestra. Adelaide Symphony Orchestra continues to add work of the highest calibre to every State Opera of South Australia production. From the first ominous kettle drums to the final note they were vital, alive and sensitive to the action of the opera. Lucia Marin’s conducting impeccable. Her understanding of the level of energy required for each scene was copybook and she is a conductor who understands tempo – heaven.
I could go into technical detail about the glorious arias, the beautiful duets, the exquisite sextet, the soulful cavatina, the subtle, and constantly moving attention to detail of this talented cast. But I think you should go and see for yourself how a grand opera can be brought to life in a traditional and enduring environment, originally created by a director who carries with him today the legacy of being an operatic genius, and restaged by one of the rising stars in opera direction. Donizetti was a musical genius who married drama and music seamlessly. Thank you Laura Hansford and State Opera of South Australia for breathing life back into this incredible story of love, loss and redemption. We really need a bit of nostalgia in our lives right now and this opera is glorious.
Reviewed by Adrian Barnes
Photo credit: Andrew Beveridge
Venue: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Season: 8 – 16 November, 2024
Duration: 2h 50m (including 2x20min intervals)
Tickets:
Premium: $189
A Reserve: Adult $149, Concession* $134
B Reserve: Adult $119, Concession* $104
C Reserve: Adult $79, Concession* $71
Book 6 tickets and save $20 per ticket
Under 30 $35
RAA Member save 10%
*Concession pricing includes seniors cards, all pension cards and full-time student card holders
Bookings: https://stateopera.com.au/productions/lucia-di-lammermoor/
Suitability: Trigger warnings – depictions of emotional abuse, mental illness and suicide. Smoke effects.
More News
