BUXTON FESTIVAL 2007
Mozart Le Nozze di Figaro: Performed by The Classical Opera Company.
The Opera House, Buxton, July 8^th 2007

 

The Classical Opera Company was founded in 1997 by conductor and Artistic Director Ian Page, and is devoted to the performing the works of Mozart and his contemporaries. The Company claims credit for seeking out and nurturing young singers, and in the diversity of nationality of the cast in this Figaro they certainly cast their net wide with principals from New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden alongside those from the UK.

This was an updated version sung in Italian with the benefit of surtitles. If Buxton chose to play its own Roberto Devereux straight, focusing on the essentials of the plot and without any producer baggage, this was not the case with the Classical Opera Company. Fine to update, and the Countess and Susanna looked lovely in high heels and knee length frocks, but why the bath in the act 2 set in the Countess’s apartment? I know that modern social mores allow for a sexual laxity and flaunting unknown even in Mozart’s time, but I hardly imagine a modern day aristo lady taking a bath whilst her maid’s paramour is roaming the room, let alone a hot-blooded adolescent as well! Such silliness is uncalled for, as was the gardener unnecessarily packing the cupboard, in which Susanna had earlier secreted herself during the Count’s search, with extraneous garden materials in act 4. This was annoyingly intrusive as the basic three-sided set with multiple doors was very effectively used in that act to first portray and then bring forward the garden. where the planning of the Count’s humiliation is brought to fruition and which is difficult to bring off convincingly. I gather such incongruous goings on fall under the general heading of producer concept; baggage is the term I prefer and it’s about time they grew out of it, particularly when it conflicts with the story and the music. Director Jo Davies and designer Alex Lowde need to rethink such aspects of this production. This need is highlighted when many other aspects of the production are so well thought out and acted by the singers. Examples are the interactions between the participants when Marcellina recognises Figaro as her son and introduces Bartolo as his father, and during the trio after Susanna emerges from the cupboard, to the Count and his wife’s amazement, and which are handled so well.

Although the acting throughout was convincing, the quality of the singing was variable. By far the best combination came from the firm voiced Ronan Collett as Count Almaviva. His stage movement, vocal expression and characterisation were of a very high quality. Markus Schwartz as Figaro would not have competed as a revolutionary counter to this Count. His stage persona did not help, nor did his Italian. Is there perhaps something in the Swedish language that deprives natives of that country of naturally ravishing or inflecting a musical phrase in Italian? I can think of admired international names with the same failing. James Gowe, doubling up, lacked the bass sonority for Bartolo and looked rather young- he was better as Antonio. Christopher Lemmings, also doubling up as Basilio and Curzio was at a distinct disadvantage in modern dress in trying to create the creepy music master. Nonetheless his singing was fine. Of the women, Sally Harrison was a firm voiced and appropriately mature looking Marcellina, whilst Betsabée Haas sang prettily as Barbarina - like Marcellina she got her act 4 aria. Rebecca Ryan from New Zealand was a convincing Cherubino and sang both her arias with good tone, legato and expression. Anna Leese, also from New Zealand, as the Countess, and the Norwegian Silvia Moi were more variable vocally, with pitching and legato problems. They sang well in unison in act 3 but whilst Silvia Moi’s Susanna was feisty to the point of nearly inflicting serious damage on what she thought was to be Figaro’s honeymoon night with Marcellina, Anna Leese’s stage presence was bland. Neither singer did justice to their solo arias.

Ian Page’s conducting was variable in support of his young singers. A little more rhythm and tempo might have eased Silvia Moi’s Deh vieni as well as the Countess’s two arias. No sign of appoggiaturas;surely a little attempt should be made to get soloists to think along those lines, or are the conservatories of Europe and Australasia not in tune with best modern scholarship?Part of the Classical Opera Company’s credo is to give opportunity to young singers. There are few better places to learn and practise than in the likes of Matchem’s delightful and ideally sized theatre at Buxton, where there will be further performances on July 16^th and 20^th.

Robert J Farr (11-7-2007)

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