Over the years, Opera North has done us sterling service in putting on Strauss’ operas. The Company still managed semi-staged offerings of the sensational, flagitious tales embodied in both Elektra and Salomé, even when it had no theatre in which to perform.
This co-production, with Gothenburg Opera, of the delicious Ariadne Auf Naxos is the latest addition to its admirable list.
In a scenario reminiscent of Michael Frayn’s hilarious Noises Off, our first Act concerns preparations for two sequential, yet very contrasting entertainments in a rich man’s soirée: an Italian vaudeville dance comedy, complete with clowns, preceded by a most serious-minded German romantic opera based on Bacchus’ rescue of Ariadne from her abandonment on the desert island of Naxos. Each cast eyes the other with utter contempt, but their separate plans are thrown into turmoil with the imperious announcement that, in order to facilitate a closing fireworks display at a reasonable hour, both stagings must be performed simultaneously. This incongruous match will constitute our second Act.
Amidst an unedifying clamber for the now-limited limelight, our evening’s heroine emerges in the form of Zerbinetta, the comedy troupe’s leading lady. Rather than yearn for a lonely death on her rock, she advises her prima donna counterpart, perhaps this heartbroken Ariadne should pick herself up and find another lover. In the meantime, their enforced, hastily-scrambled union in adversity can flow seamlessly with an improvised slapstick dance routine aimed at cheering her up. Right on cue, for the closing scene, the god Bacchus descends, courtesy of a cherry-picker chariot, to sweep our Ariadne off her feet.
Strauss’ music is glorious: two love-scenes, a priceless comedic dance sequence and some ingenious barbed interplay amongst the conflicting characters.
There is nothing light-hearted about some of the composer’s vocal demands, especially for the three principal females. Strauss had the likes of Maria Jeritza, Lotte Lehmann and Elisabeth Schumann at his disposal for the opera’s earliest accounts. Here, Elizabeth Llewellyn, as Ariadne, sings her sequence of heart-breaking laments Wo war ich? (“Where was I?”), Ein Schönes War (“There was something beautiful”) and Es Gibt Ein Reich (“There is a realm”) with a noble, touching emotion. Settled, recumbent on her rock, she may be, but these arias demand the utmost stamina and control.
Also making a first ON appearance, the trouser-rôled Composer of Hannah Hipp gives us her lush and lyrical Sein Wir Wieder Gut (“Let Us Be Friends Again”), Strauss’ unashamed, resolute belief in the great art of Music, with suitably rapt fervour.
Most difficult of all, is Zerbinetta’s Groẞmächtige Prinzessin (“High and Mighty Princess”), a daring – certainly for 1912 – female manifesto that a woman takes responsibility for her own life and should not be expected to give herself entirely to just one man. This twelve-minute musical soliloquy, alternating the satirical and lyrical, transforms her from a coquettish, burlesque figure into feminist philosophical prophet. Fickle man can leave women broken-hearted, but cannot women actively seek new love for themselves?
Finally unearthed is an abiding unifying quest for the two women, so socially and artistically separated. Jennifer France, who is also singing Zerbinetta for Garsington Opera this season, takes on the taxing, elaborate, florid writing, parody and lyricism, with both spirit and subtlety.
Her comedic companions, Alex Banfield‘s Scaramouche, Adrian Dwyer‘s Brighella, John Savournin’s Truffaldino and Dominic Sedgwick‘s Harlequin combine superbly for their complex, improvised buffoonery, clearly well-choreographed interplay brought off beautifully.
Likewise, Ariadne’s attendant sea-nymphs – Daisy Brown, Amy Freston and Laura Kelly-McInroy – fittingly blend harmoniously together. There is further strong support from Daniel Norman‘s tetchy Dancing Master and Dean Robinson’s soothing Music Master.
Another Company debutant, Ric Furman, singing the part of Ariadne’s saviour, Bacchus, is a towering Wagnerian heldentenor, very much a Tristan in the making. Confined by the plot to the opera’s very last scene, his climactic duet with Ariadne is as brilliantly coruscating and explosive as any firework display likely to follow.
George Souglides‘ Act I set accommodates a busy backstage hub of musicians, lighting and sound engineers, make-up artists, actors, divas and clowns, management arguments and theatrical tantrums. This contrasts with the wide expanse of tragic solitude, the isolated island for the drama’s Act II.
Opera North’s Principal Guest Conductor, Antony Hermus, keeps the orchestra as a faithful musical spotlight and commentary on the storyline’s involved, finely-gradated shifts of feeling, yet still allowing the voices to shine through.
Conductor Antony Hermus, Director Rodula Gaitanou, Set and Costume Designer George Souglides, Lighting Designer Simon Corder, Choreographer Victoria Newlyn.
Sung in German, English and Italian with English titles.
Further performances at Leeds Grand Theatre: Tuesday 21 February, Friday 24 February and Wednesday 01 Mar, all at 7pm. Then touring Salford Quays, Nottingham and Newcastle until 24 March 2023.
All photography by Richard H Smith.
Cover photograph: Laura Kelly-McInroy as Dresser, Elizabeth Llewellyn as Prima Donna, Dean Robinson as Music Master, Jennifer France as Zerbinetta, Adrian Dwyer as Brighella, Alex Banfield as Scarmuccio, Simon Grange as Truffaldino (double) and Daniel Norman as Dancing Master.
