THE
POWER OF PATERNAL LOVE
Barber
Opera at the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham (April 15) *****
Though ventilation issues mean the Barber Institute
auditorium is out of action, thus necessitating the use of the not quite so charming
Crescent Theatre as performance venue, it was so heartening to welcome the
return of the Barber Opera to its legendary values underlying its founding over
60 years ago by the great Anthony Lewis.
My beloved Prof’s mission then
was to blow the dust off little-known examples of baroque opera, presenting them
to the highest standards, and this production of Alessandro Stradella’s La Forza dell’Amor Paterno could not have
ticked more boxes. It was premiered to enormous acclaim in Genoa in 1678, but
then vanished from view, resurfacing to researchers only in 1927, and here
receiving its first airing in modern times.
The bare bones of the story are
simply that the ageing king Seleuco has been betrothed to the young princess
Stratonica. Unfortunately his son Antioco has already fallen in love with a
portrait of the princess, and upon her arrival for the nuptials, she proceeds
to fall in love with the young prince. We are privy to the gradual unravelling
of this love-triangle, with Seleuco eventually securing his son’s happiness by
renouncing his own claims upon the princess.
There is far more to it than
that, though, as the opera is an amazingly up-to-date exploration of
psychological motivation and manipulation, all delivered through an
exhilaratingly free-flowing sequence of recitative, arioso, fully-fledged
display arias and the occasional duo. The opera was composed too early to be
hamstrung by the drearily predictable structure of entrance, da capo arias, and
exits which shackled opera a generation later,; instead it burgeons with
memorable melody, well-shaped sequences and remarkably natural word-rhythms,
with director Christopher Cowell’s translation here sitting so easily upon the
notes and sung with impressive clarity
of diction by all concerned
His direction is always engaging,
hinting at a kind of glossy magazine interest in the comings and goings of the
royal personages. Anna Reid’s costume designs satirise the fashion fads of
today, casting the chic elegance of Stratonica into effective relief; Reid’s
set is simple and versatile, suggesting an art-gallery setting in and out of
which the action unfolds. Matthew Cater’s lighting designs create effective
atmospheres.
The nine singers are well-chosen
and mainly youthful, recently emerged from college. Lara Marie Muller is
compelling in the gruelling role of Antioco, as much demanding physically as
well as vocally. Her extended mad scene is a triumph of dramatic resource.
Galina Averina’s Stratonica began somewhat small of voice, but soon flowered
into well-projected delivery. Paul Hopwood was Seleuco, communicative and
sympathetic.
Among the other parts, Joanna
Harries brought much personality as Lucinda, and male soprano Andy Shen Liu sang
with arresting brightness of tone as Eurindo. Helen Stanley’s man-eating Rubia
revealed a range of timbre and a comic gift which promises much for the future.
Andrew Kirkman’s conducting kept
things moving fluently, the tiny Music and Amicable Society Orchestra creating
an arresting range of continuo colours to complement all the dramatic activity.
And one footnote in praise of the
programme-book, a joy to handle, wittily informative, and with printing so easy
on the eye – and plenty of white space upon which to scribble notes!
Christopher Morley