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Charpentier Medea
Director David McVicar Cast headed by Sarah Connolly ENO at the Coliseum February 15 2013 ENO's re-working of repertoire operas inevitably divides opinion, so it is a pleasure to be able to enthuse about both La Traviata and the British première of Medea within the month ! French baroque opera (this one is late 17th C) are apparently death to opera companies, their audiences (& the critics) often finding them tedious. Charpentier's Medea apparently lasted for less than a dozen performances at its French première and this is its first staging in UK - and a very good one. In the light, entertaining Prologue and first Act, the dance element (always substantial in this genre) is beautifully conceived and extremely witty and gymnastic, as it mixes in with the romantic agonies of the protagonists; an excellent take on the excesses of dance input in the original productions of French Baroque Opera, here set in the 1940s. Later, dance becomes part of the dark visions of Medea the sorceress. She brings magic to bear on her revenge against her unfaithful Jason and his paramour, Orontes, who were to take over their children in loco parentis. Orontes, in a theatrical coup, had arrived on stage in a full sized 2nd WW fighter plane... The involved plot* of this long and complicated opera chronicles the build up of Sarah Connolly's wonderful Medea towards the gruesome completion of this take on the ancient Grecian myth. Jason is no longer the hero of the Golden Fleece. He is pictured in the middle stages of a marriage from which romance had faded and cast by McVicar as far from a typical romantic operatic tenor. Politics has featured in his pursuit of the younger glamorous Creusa, the daughter of King Creon, with whom an incestuous relationship is hinted. There is a scene towards the end featuring Creon in a dream of frustrated lust, with mocking young women dancers representing Creuza. Creuza is finally destroyed in the nastiest of ways by Medea, who is heading towards her ultimate revenge against Jason, the killing of their children as the final catastrophe in an opera which had begun as a comedy. Charpentier’s gorgeous score is conducted by the experienced specialist Christian Curnyn, with the ENO chorus making important contributions. But the ENO orchestra (spiced with a few early music instrumentalists) sounded muted from the rear stalls (and were invisible) so I've booked to see it again from high Meanwhile, it has prompted a return to William Christie's famous recording with the loved and lamented Lorraine Hunt; CDs which Christie gave to Connolly, recommending her to take on the role. The ENO English version is being recorded by BBC Radio 3 "for future broadcasting". Look out for it and try to get hold of a copy of the ENO programme, or its Act by Act synopsis, first. Peter Grahame Woolf *The whole thing is set in 1940s wartime, with Creon as head of a French army, Jason a Royal Navy Captain, and the airmen American. Jason is needed to help fight for Corinth, and Creon is only too happy to banish Medea, offer Jason his daughter Creusa as a bride, and ignore Orontes, Prince of Argos who expects to wed her. The interests of Orontes and Medea naturally coincide, but Creusa being in love with Jason, firmly rejects Orontes, and Medea, as her name implies (it’s related to the Greek verb μηδομαι meaning cunningly plan or contrive), decides to exact vengeance on Jason.The whole thing is set in 1940s wartime, with Creon as head of a French army, Jason a Royal Navy Captain, and the airmen American. Jason is needed to help fight for Corinth, and Creon is only too happy to banish Medea, offer Jason his daughter Creusa as a bride, and ignore Orontes, Prince of Argos who expects to wed her. The interests of Orontes and Medea naturally coincide, but Creusa being in love with Jason, firmly rejects Orontes, and Medea, as her name implies (it’s related to the Greek verb μηδομαι meaning cunningly plan or contrive), decides to exact vengeance on Jason. [Mark Ronan] The best review I've found is operacreep.wordpress Hear David McVicar and Sarah Connelly (sic) discussing Medea with Edward Seckerson Photos ,Tristram Kenton & Clive Barda
Seen again from a cheap seat high above in the gallery, this great production was better in every way. The sound was fine, in contast with that from the first night £100 back stalls press tickts. The voices came up ideally; one or two about which we'd had doubts sounded better thanfirst time. Connolly, in perfect voice and with telling body language, was even more memorable from far below. The orchestra was fine and resonant, not least the important small group of historic instruments which support the main recitativo passages and take the brunt of the narrative; I could really appreciate the quality of Curnyn's musical direction. But, completely unexpectedly, the view of the whole stage from above, with its highly reflective polished floor, gave a transformed view of McVicar's brilliant deployment of the large cast of singing actors and dancers, and that is what will stay inthe memory for longest. Many details completely missed from below take one's attention, it all adding up to a theatrical experience unsurpassed at any opera I remember. The downside is the appalling leg-room, with only a few seats suitable for the long-legged members of a population which is growing in stature as well as longevity; a historical defect of the Coliseum, but one shared with - of all places - the revamped Wigmore Hall some years back. That is where the main camera should be placed for the hoped for DVD which this production needs - the BBC R3 sound recording promised would be no more than a stop-gap to have Sarah Collolly's assuption of the part preserved. But to follow it, one would need the texts in Christie's recording to hold the attention... Whereas with the essential DVD to preserve this ENO landmark, subtitles in language of one's choice would complete enjoyment and appreciation. If the opportunity seems to have missed in this short premiere run, no doubt it will be taken at ENO's revival of one of their very greatest productions, or its presentation abroad, with McVicar in charge of course. These thoughts cannot be mine alone. Another small observation, which illustrates the division between haves and have nots in UK, was that there were very few programmes to be seen up there with the galleryites; they were far too expensive... This matinee experience was another example of something which has preoccupied me increasingly recently. Live musical experience can be radically different according to the venue's acoustics and exacty where one sits, so much so that I am inclined to think that critics ought to declare that piece of information in cases when it might affect their opinions, some of which, ineviably, is subjective. I have recently tackled this issue at Hackney Empire, South Bank, and Conway Hall...PGW
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Libretto Thomas Corneille (sung in English)
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