Sydney’s Pinchgut Opera has previously staged Handel oratorios, starting with their very first outing Semele (the opera you have when you’re not having an opera) in 2002, and more recently Theodora and Athalia. This year, the main featured event is their first actual Handel opera proper, Rinaldo, to be followed next year by Giulio Cesare. As usual, the event took place in the City Recital Hall, which has excellent acoustics but has the drawback of no proscenium stage and associated machinery. The company has always succeeded in getting around this difficulty with imaginative theatrical and dramatic stagings and Rinaldo is no exception.
It is a pity however that, for whatever reason, the work was abbreviated. Two roles are completely missing: Eustazio, Goffredo’s brother and spiritual adviser, with one of his arias (“Siam prossimi”) being reallocated to Goffredo; and the Mago and his aria, along with what we might call incidental music. Rinaldo was deprived of three arias; the lack of “Cor ingrato” meant that, with Eustazio gone, he didn’t have to sing three in a row. Armida did not get to declare “Molto voglio” and Argante also lost an aria. It did make for a streamlined dramatic event.
The set is dominated by a stylised gothic arch, with an opening panel, steps, illuminated poles and little else, but the concise blocking (direction Louisa Muller, design Simone Romaniuk) and clever lighting (Verity Hampson) made up for anything more complicated. Costuming was modern rather than anything historical; for the Christians it was pretty utilitarian – black pants, white shirts and Kevlar vests, with Almirena sporting a red scarf which Armida used to indicate when she was masquerading as the former. Their magical opponents sported rather more chic silver-grey accoutrements, Argante in a tunic and Armida in a more glittery variant, and the two sirens in long slinky versions.
Muller moves the drama at a cracking pace, and there are some delightful theatrical effects and impressive entrances. The panel in the arch opens to reveal a flowery bower for the love duet between Rinaldo and Almirena, the abduction of the latter and the distraction of the heroes by the sirens are all well handled.
As usual, Pinchgut's musical values were excellent. Erin Helyard not only drew exemplary playing from the period instrument Orchestra of the Antipodes, but produced a sparkling harpsichord turn in the ritornello of “Vo’ far guerra”. Concertmaster Matthew Greco contributed virtuoso violin passages. We were graced with four Baroque trumpets, led by the excellent Leanne Sullivan. Armida’s “Ah, crudel” had a particularly soulful intro from bassoonist Simon Rickard.
There were no weak links in the outstanding cast. It is something of a shame that there were no real coloratura fireworks beyond some interpolated high notes, with no stunning cadenzas, of which I’m sure all the singers would have been capable. In the title role, English countertenor Jake Arditti was as convincing a lover as he was a warrior. His “Cara sposa” was heartfelt and affecting, “Venti turbini” furiously urgent and “Or la tromba” suitably rousing. As Almirena, Australian soprano Alexandra Oomens has a strong rich voice belying her small frame, and she managed to instil new life and feeling into “Lascia chi’o pianga”. The duet “Scherzano sul tuo” was a joyful delight. Goffredo was sung by American countertenor Randall Scotting, who has a nicely sweet tone with power when needed. After what sounded like some intonation insecurity early on, he soon steadied to produce rounded tone and a convincing portrayal of a father, as well as a leader.
On the opposing side, Emma Pearson’s Armida was more than a force to be reckoned with, both as a powerful soprano and terrifying sorceress. It’s a pity she lost one aria, but “Vo’ far guerra” was a tour de force. Her consort Argante was entertainingly portrayed by Adrian Tamburini with a powerful resonant bass, and their defiant duet “Al trionfo” was a showstopper (even if they lost the war). It wasn’t clear why he was intermittently flourishing a walking stick. As the two sirens, young sopranos Bonnie de la Hunty and Olivia Payne contributed to the scary fun and sang beautifully.
