THE NEW ZEALAND OPERA SOCIETY

Leslie Austin, President of the New Zealand Opera Society, looks back on the opera year to date.

I applaud Canterbury Opera for their A Little Night Music. To be honest I do not like Sondheim - for me his music is uninspiring and there are far too many words. This, though, was excellently cast.

Canterbury Opera's brave effort to bring off Verdi’s La Forza del destino did not work as well as it should have vocally, but I had no problem with the production apart from a few little stage details I could have done without. The orchestra as ever was lacking, and it was thanks to Brian Castles-Onion’s conducting that a number of things sounded better than they were.

I have read some reports from people who were either confused or didn’t like the playing of the overture as an interlude after the first Act. Well, I can tell these people it is done like that more often than they may think, and for me it does make the transition of time more easily understood in this often cumbersome work. I recall seeing a production some years ago of the original St. Petersburg version at the Komische Oper in East Berlin, and they played the Overture after Act I.

Canterbury Opera is a ray of sunshine in its choice of operas, and long may it flourish. I can’t wait for their Le Comte Ory, to say nothing of waiting to hear what they will come up with for 2005.

NBR New Zealand Opera’s production of Rigoletto was one of the finest sung I have heard, and that’s a lot. In fact I have never before heard such an even cast with all the three main roles sung by singers of such even vocal quality.

Hawke’s Bay Opera’s La Bohème was another production I enjoyed, while some reviewers were somewhat critical of their Rodolfo, Spencer Silby. I enjoyed his singing, particular his sensitivity in portraying the character. That he used much pianissimo is to his credit: Rodolfo is not Calaf.

Emma Sloman sang well, but I found her somewhat detached as Mimi. Maybe I have been spoilt by other singers in this role. Musetta: well, she was there. All the other roles were well done, with Joseph Christensen excelling in his two cameo parts. If I am to mention one other it would be Philip Rhodes as Marcello, and I look forward to hearing him in this role again.

The sets will travel well when this production goes to Wanganui next year, but with a new cast and conductor. David Taylor did wonders with his orchestra, and his knowledge and experience as a Puccinian showed. Much credit for the well drilled chorus must, I’m sure, go to David Vine who did much of the preparatory work.

Opera is in a pretty healthy state in New Zealand these days and I encourage those who say, ‘not another Rigoletto, La Bohème or Carmen!’, to starve themselves for a week and with money saved buy a ticket. That these works are being performed throughout the world, over a 100 years after they were composed, is simply because they are good - no, great! Each time they are heard is a refreshing experience.