Opera Review: Orlando - Welsh National Opera at Wales Millennium Centre ✭✭✭✭✭
ORLANDO
George
Frideric Handel
WELSH NATIONAL OPERA at
WMC
Review by Sebastian Petit
4th October 2015: Handel’s
“Orlando” is less frequently performed than his core works but is considered by
many to be one of his greatest masterpieces. The title role is one of the
finest examples of the parts written for Senesino. In the wrong hands, however,
Orlando can be a turgid evening of drama - the recent Covent Garden production
is just one example where I found myself praying for a swift conclusion. On
paper Harry Fehr’s conceit of
setting the opera in a hospital for shell shocked servicemen did not sound
promising and the reviews from when the production was new at Scottish Opera
were not positive. However, for whatever reasons, the production, once
transposed to Cardiff struck me as one of the most convincing rethinking of a
Handel opera that I have experienced. Every aspect from the simple, elegant
designs, excellent lighting and the superbly detailed character direction
worked. Much of this must be ascribed to the creative team’s complete trust of
the materiel. I have rarely come across a Handel staging which felt so
completely unconstrained by the potential straightjacket of the opera seria structure. The wholly
naturalistic and convincing acting from all the principals was a tribute to
both them and the detailed direction of every scene. Only some clumsy
semaphoring from a few of the supernumeraries detracted from the overall
success of the evening.
All of this would count for nought if WNO had not brought the highest musical standards to the table as well. Fortunately, they engaged the early music specialist Rinaldo Alessandrini who brilliantly conducted a reduced WNO ensemble and elicited a pit sound that was exciting, transparent and wholly free from the sort of po-faced authenticity that can blight performances of Handel.
In
addition, it would be hard to imagine a better cast fielded anywhere today.
Leading the field was Lawrence Zazzo’s
astonishing Orlando. Although already familiar with Zazzo from broadcast and
recording this was the first time I have experienced him live. He must be
optimum casting for this and the other Senesino roles at the moment. Not only
is the voice supremely flexible and evenly produced with a complete lack of the
dreaded countertenor “hoot” but he has an extraordinary upper range that is
both exciting and beautiful. Added to this he is a first rate actor who really
uses the music to motivate as opposed to layering his performance on top.
Visually he perfectly accords with Fehr’s vision of the pin-up pilot with his
tousled blond hair and square-jawed Dan Dare looks. A marvellous performance.
Zazzo was lucky to be paired with two first-rate sopranos. Rebecca Evans Angelica at first came over a shallow and self-centred but, as the evening progressed, her character attained depth and tragic intensity. Her big scenas in Act 2 and 3 were marvels of sustained singing and concentrated emotion.
The
lighter role of Dorinda was portrayed by the marvellous Fflur Wyn. It has been a good year for Wyn: she was an excellent
Jemmy in “Guillaume Tell” last year and followed it with highly praised
performances of Alice and Lakmé at OHP this summer. Her performance as Dorinda
was even stronger combining pearly vocalism with a hugely appealing portrayal
of the unlucky-in-love nurse. Someone needs to engage Wyn for Susanna or
Zerlina without delay.
Robin
Blaze was spot on casting as Medoro with both voice and manner providing an apt
contrast to Zazzo. I thoroughly enjoyed his slightly shifty, easily led
characterisation of the man who is always placed in the reactive position.
Inevitably
reducing the magician Zoroastro to a slightly unscrupulous doctor weakened an
already hazy character. Daniel Grice, who had more than a little of Downton
Abbey’s Doctor Clarkson about him, did what he could but occasionally struggled
with the unusually wide vocal range.
These
few cavils apart, this was a really strong evening and eloquently made the case
for this wonderful opera.
