In the serene interior of Shoreditch Town Hall, previously home to dry meetings and papery mountains of administrative debris, a rather lovely production has been performed. As part of this year’s London Handel Festival, the Handel Opera Studio – advocates of dynamic stagings of the composer’s lesser-known works – have put together a “mythical” double-bill of the secular cantata Apollo e Dafne and the oratorio The Choice of Hercules, partnering with La Nuova Musica and dancers from the New English Ballet Theatre. Neither of the works were written to be staged, but the results are a banquet for the senses.
It’s the first work that translates best to the stage. Director Thomas Guthrie gives us a power-dressed Apollo, a master of the universe straight out of the City some 50 years ago, who, despite the various female secretaries, adjuncts and assistants who parade around him, is drawn to the long-skirted Dafne, immune to his charms and keen to work without being subjected to the lust of a randy C-suiter. It’s all very #MeToo and even without the dancers it works well. Dan D’Souza gives an Apollo oozing with self-delight and unbridled appetite, veering from nonchalance to lust in an instant. His is a robust baritone, clean in phrasing and mellifluous across the registers. D’Souza’s finest point was at the work’s finale when he dripped grief, regret and shame into his voice, confronting the consequences of his rapacious pursuit with no trace of the swagger left. Lauren Lodge-Campbell’s silvery soprano was an ideal juxtaposition as Dafne, gentle and expressive, though fizzling with outrage when necessary. Again, diction was clear and precise, with meaning given to every part of the text.
Valentino Zucchetti’s choreography was a whirl of delight: six dancers in grey unitards, studded with sparkles that catch beneath the light, gave a vivid performance, depicting the python, office flirtation, carriages, and the dynamic (both pleasant and unpleasant) between man and woman. A highlight – a wonderfully clever dance with bowler hats and unpleasantly green umbrellas – was tailor-made to elicit delighted smiles. Full use of the stage was made, including the balcony whence Dafne first made her impression on Apollo, and a gorgeous landscape painting, mostly covered, made an intriguing backdrop, suggesting a rich man’s treasure bought for show and carelessly concealed.
The Choice of Hercules is harder to make interesting. It’s a straightforward morality parable: does Hercules choose Pleasure and spend his life cavorting in cheery hedonism or does he plump for Virtue and live a life of esteem and reputation, albeit probably with less food, wine and sex? Our anti-Faust of course chooses the path of rectitude. Musically, it’s lovely, but dramatically it’s a bit stale. Guthrie and Zucchetti’s wheeze is to bring in a puppet, steered by two silent aides and one countertenor who bursts into song midway through the performance. It works up to a point, and the dancers remain engaging, but the music is leaned on heavily to compensate for the plot’s weaknesses. Fortunately, it’s another excellent performance. James Hall’s eloquent and delicate countertenor makes for an understated but moving Hercules, giving us the naive lack of assurance of a youth. Madison Nonoa showed a warm and velvety soprano with a sweet higher register, a beguiling voice for a role like Pleasure. Bethany Horak-Hallett’s firm mezzo sang Virtue with assurance, showing a good range and a nice colour at the lower end of the voice.
The musicians of La Nuova Musica under David Bates were on excellent form in both pieces, delivering a crisp and varnished sound throughout. The writing allows for some wonderful orchestra moments, particularly for violin and flute, and the ensemble was reinforced in the second piece by brass players who delivered some additional heft. The Handel Opera Studio is to be congratulated on such a rewarding enterprise.
