The curtain fell on another Royal Opera season this weekend, giving the Jette Parker Young Artists an opportunity to flex their artistic muscles in the annual main stage show. Whilst able to monitor progress in smaller roles through the season, these fully staged ‘opening acts’ of Donizetti’s La favorite and Mozart’s Così fan tutte allow one to see and hear these talented singers in sharper focus. This end of term school report reveals lovely singing, fine comic acting, a few examples of questionable direction and a bold prediction of stardom.
If you want to have your operatic head seriously messed with, imagine the following: Così fan tutte staged on the Act I/IV set of John Copley’s soon-to-be-mothballed La bohème, which closed with a double performance on Saturday afternoon and evening. Throw in Don Alfonso sporting frock coat, wig and cane, looking for all the world like Baron Scarpia, and the mash-up of references had my head spinning. Greg Eldridge and the cast seemed to relish the situation; Mimì’s bonnet and Marcello’s painting smock were among the garments tried on by Ferrando and Guglielmo when dressing up as ‘Albanians’. Copley’s set is a tricky one to navigate, yet Eldridge made good use of its different levels. He was on less secure footing in the Overture, during which a busy café scene (Momus?) was clumsily established via less than convincing chorus members (whose presence was entirely redundant in Così as the Act I chorus was cut). Eldridge also overplayed the comic business by other characters during arias – distracting attention from the singer.
The cast was solid, if not all participants were entirely at home in Mozart – the toughest of taskmasters when it comes to vocal purity. Kiandra Howarth’s feisty Fiordiligi was a highlight; her “Come scoglio” displayed excellent tone and superb top notes, although lower notes lacked weight. Rachel Kelly’s Dorabella was similarly delightful, “Smanie implacabile” revealing a warm, supple mezzo. Dušica Bijelić wasn’t as sparky a Despina as I’d hoped for – there was plenty of wily character, but she was vocally subdued.
Of the men, Ashley Riches impressed as Don Alfonso, his dark baritone crisply delivered. While the ladies gazed at the portraits of their recently departed lovers, Alfonso also opened a locket – perhaps of the lady who had caused such bitter cynicism in him? If so, it was a nice touch. David Butt Philip, a natural comedian, sang a stylish, well-paced “Un aura amoroso”. He lacks some of the lyric light touch needed for Mozart and he will sing heavier repertoire soon – Rodolfo beckons (at ENO). Michel de Souza occasionally sounded woolly in his lower register as Guglielmo, but mustered a solid “Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo” (Mozart’s original aria, often replaced by the shorter “Non siate ritrosi”). Michele Gamba paced the Welsh National Opera Orchestra well, taut rhythms and lively pacing to the fore.