Madama Butterfly from a pontoon on Sydney Harbour in autumn.

Opera in the open air.  Madama Butterfly at Mrs Macquaries Chair. Friday 21st March (equinox). "Handa Opera"

 

Cio-cio-san - Hiromi Omura

Suzuki - Anna Yun

Pinkerton - Georgy Vasiliev

Sharpless - Michael Honeyman

Goro - Graeme Macfarlane

Bonze - Gennadi Dubinsky

c. B. Castles-Onion

d. Alex Olle (La Fura dels Baus)

Sets Alfons Flores

Costumes Lluc Castells

 

For the third year in a row the opera company has pulled off a seemingly impossible coup by holding back the weather (at least for opening night) and presenting a classy performance of a classic opera to a large and appreciative audience under the stars and in full view of Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. 

 

Personally I have problems with using public gardens and foreshores for such elitist events (A reserve tickets were $300 each).  I also have problems with hearing trained opera singers using microphones in such open-air shows.  But like other things in life I have suppressed these guilty and critical feelings and got with the swing.  In case of rain I am lucky enough to live within walking distance.  And I sat in seats which cost about $100 and extremely good value. 

 

Like Carmen and La Traviata before it, I enjoyed almost every aspect of the night, notably the opera itself.  The singing was superb and production creditable and clever.  Again, aspects grated on me - like Astroturf which I have always disliked … choosing singers based on their racial originals also goes against the grain (a list of actors had mostly Asian names while the sopranos playing Cio-cio-san were Japanese and Korean).  Notwithstanding this, the vocals were of a very high standard from all main and subsidiary characters. I always wait for the two tenor high points, Dovunque al mondo and Addio, fiorito asil and was not disappointed.  The soprano did everything except the optional D flat finishing her first act entrance. 

 

The production takes place on an enormous hillock of fake lawn surmounted by a palisade of fake bamboo.  Behind this an enormous fake full moon bobbed up and down hooked from a real but temporary crane gantry.  There was some beauty to it all and behind the thatch of bamboo Sydney’s skyline was the final back-drop cyclorama.  The orchestra was housed beneath the hillock, unseen until the curtain calls. 

 

Instead of a house, the opening characters are examining the unfolded scale plans of a proposed house.  This made the end of act one difficult as the matrimonial couple walk off into the blissful yonder, and a bedroom which is under construction or worse, not yet built at all.  But rather than saving on costs, act two takes place in a wholly new set with both a demountable Japanese house plus an elevated outhouse.  The purpose of the latter was not clear to this ignorant audience member, but there were goings on apace.  If a servant quarters it would vie for the world’s best placed servant quarters! 

 

There was a large blow-up sphere mid-harbour to the north which glowed at varying intensities.  It looked rather odd, remaining as it did on the horizon and one might assume it represented a setting sun.  Other special effects included a 30 second burst of wedding fireworks from half a dozen smaller unseen pontoons out in Farm Cove, the bay between us and the Opera House.

 

The bonze arrived by motor launch while most other stage entrances and exits were by common Sydney livery taxis which drove up on the path in front - naf in my book and about as Japanese as the pizza served in the dining venues.   The blanket advertising implied that saki and sushi would be staples but I could not find them. 

 

An extraordinary event not to be missed if you are into that sort of thing - and you have the spare cash to spend on it.  But opera it ain't. 

 

Notes by Andrew Byrne ..

 

Our butterfly collection (off topic but fun): http://schraderbutterflies.blogspot.com/

 

 

Eugene Onegin at the Sydney Opera House

Wednesday 20^th March 2014 Sydney Opera House.

Eugene Onegin - [Yevegeny Onyegin] - Tchaikovsky

 

Tatyana - Nicole Car

Onegin - Dalibor Jenis

Olga - Sian Pendry

Madame Larina - Domenica Matthews

Lensky - James Egglestone

M. Triquet - Sam Roberts-Smith

Prince Gremin - Konstantin Gorny

c. Guillaume Tourniaire,

 

This opera is a must-see … yet I attended one of the last performances.  A tasteful, clever production is peopled by serious singers in a gutsy and profound opera with a maudlin start, partying middle and an ending which is unhappy for three of its main players.  And this is what opera is made of … or it should be. 

 

It was not initially clear who the real ‘star’ was, so balanced were the singers.  However, on reading Mr Jenis’s biography it is likely that he was the one raising the standard … he is slated for Nabucco in Berlin, Figaro in Paris, Escamillo and Renato in Verona, Yeletsky in Bratislava (his home town), Don Giovanni, Roderigo, Macbeth, Di Luna and more besides in just one year.  Such a ‘star’ in the title role brings out the best in everyone else and should sell seats (and subscriptions for next year).  The voices were large, accurate and exciting with the exception of Monsieur Triquet (who is meant to be delicate and effete). 

 

In the title role Slovakian baritone Mr Jenis sings solidly and his acting is credible, made all the more challenging with a ‘double’ shadowing much of his stage action.  His party trick is the sustained high note which he uses with great aplomb, but not to excess.  If you have got it, why not flaunt it?  Goose bumps all round, yet the audience gave no rapturous ovations during the performance, saving appreciation to the end.  

 

As Lensky Mr Egglestone coloured his long and difficult aria elegantly, starting out almost inaudibly piano (‘Kuda … kuda’) yet rising to a major fortissimo, knowing his risk of being dead in minutes in the duel.  And we saw his body on stage for the remainder of the opera, one rather odd aspect of an otherwise sympathetic and tasteful staging.  At least it avoided the indignity of dragging a corpse off stage. 

 

Ms Car sang superbly, possessed of a large and pleasing voice.  Tatyana’s long letter scene (Onegin also has a ‘letter scene’ at the end of the opera) kept the tension between her modesty and impetuousness.  Simultaneously the written word was cleverly projected onto billowing curtains while Tatyana and her ‘double’ vied for the pen and paper (one might quibble at the quill and absent ink well - maybe it was a pencil). 

 

Russian bass Konstantin Gorny sang Gremin’s haunting aria with dignity and seismic style.  It is rare to hear a true bass and it is always a pleasure when it is as schooled as this.  That he is young and handsome is no odder than mature sopranos playing youthful roles.  

 

The action unfolded within three large openings in a panelled palace interior.  Large bi-fold doors or curtains at times revealed autumn woods, garden scene, dancing or a snow storm. 

 

Apart from myself, I noted at least two other gents in the audience wearing a strawberry shirt and light blue jacket.  Perhaps the gents’ style centre of Sydney has returned to Bennelong Point! 

 

A nice touch, after mention of Samuel Richardson novels by the sisters, was an ever-present pile of books on stage.  A screwed up letter was also left on stage for several scenes, finally accompanied by its reply, much too delayed to be meaningful. 

 

The production’s unique moment for me was in the duel when Onegin’s ‘double’ ran to try to stop the bullets which nevertheless hit their mark as Lensky dropped to the ground. 

 

The chorus was first class, only one member remaining from the old days, Dr Robert Mitchell, whose ‘corporate memory’ must be invaluable to this company.  Supporting cast members were all also excellent. 

 

The Sydney Onegin was a co-production with London and Turin directed by Kasper Holten with sets by Mia Stensgaard with costumes by Katrina Lindsay.
There is the well know magnificent waltz for the ball scene … and the piece for Gremin’s reception performed presto with clarity and equipoise … from a consummate orchestra with competent maestro at the helm. 

 

In my side circle seat I was part of a near capacity house.  Yet as usual there were about 50 restricted view seats unoccupied.  These should have been given to music students, each of whom would have had a unique experience in the theatre to savour for the rest of their lives.  ‘Empty seats are a curse on the management of a theatrical company’ (W. Shakespeare, Globe Theatre board minutes, London, 1596 TIC). 

 

Notes by Andrew Byrne ..

 

Opera blog: http://andrewsopera.blogspot.com/

 

'Turco in Italia' at the Sydney Opera House.

The Turk in Italy - Rossini - Sydney Opera House.  Wed 22^nd January 2014

Sydney opera fans should not miss this rare outing of a minor Rossini gem.  Il Turco in Italia was mounted for Callas, Sills, Caballe and Bartoli but has never entered the general repertoire.  This ‘Turco’ is a fun romp for audience and artists alike … however putting opera singers into swimsuits can have its down-side too (see below). 

Turco is probably avoided by opera companies because of serious competition, especially Rossini’s own manifold works. Turco is thirteenth of his forty operas and came on the heels of the very successful L’Italiana in Algeria. Yet despite much early acclaim for these works, only Barber of Seville remained in the repertory until the 1950s. 

It is said that Rossini was sitting up in his bed composing and a page of his music dropped to the floor.  Rather than going to the trouble of retrieving it, the story goes that he stayed in his bed and just wrote another page of new music to replace it.  And so flowed the melodies in Il Turco in Italia … the listener will have to decide how these tunes compare with La Cenerentola, Semiramide or Il Barbiere di Siviglia.  There is a charming sextet to end the first act.  One of the male arias seems to have been borrowed from the Barber of Seville … or maybe it was the other way around. 

The overture is a glorious and memorable piece of novel orchestration, full of melodic invention, rhythm and style.  Yet the production took attention away from this concert masterpiece by presenting a plethora of beach-bum fuss on stage, a comedy routine which led to applause and laughter interrupting the music.  This magnificent sinfonia should have been showcased … maybe even played again (‘Sam’) for the second act!  The work is long, however, and if Die Zauberflaute warranted editing so too might Turco. 

The translation was very loose, often slap-stick and frankly crude at times.  The laughs sometimes came before the actual gags due to the titles being visible … but this comes with the territory and nobody would want to return to the pre-titles days. 

In his operas Rossini uses various ‘tricks’ such as a tapping baton, rolling ‘R’ concerted ending and in this opera we have a narrator, Prosdocimo, who is writing a play and using the opera’s events as inspiration (or plagiarism).  And the playwright here is Samuel Dundas, using great flair and energy.  And he doubles as barman, sommelier and waiter. 

Emma Matthews was the star and one can see why other divas have moved to bring this work out of its long obscurity.  Ms Matthews does the coquettish thing as Fiorilla and flies into the coloratura stratosphere regularly both on her own and in concert. 

Contrary to Turkish mores this production takes place at Geronio’s cocktail bar on a southern Italian beach resort.  Just about everything that could happen at such a bar does happen.  Wooing and surrender, jealous fights, undressing, mistaken identities, etc.  There is even a kitchen blender, perhaps for Halal fruit cocktails - as well as to shred banknotes offered by the Turk to Geronio to purchase his young wife.  The Geronio couple live upstairs, glamorous Fiorilla (Emma Matthews) with her older portly husband, ably played by Conal Coad.  The latter is a fine singer but is perhaps over-exposed in Sydney of late.  Lover-boy Turk Selim Pasha is played by Italian Paolo Bordogna who is yet another bass-baritone who is more baritone than bass - but more than adequate for the part.  His devilish sexy persona would be at home on Broadway as it is in the opera theatre. 

As the paramour muse Narciso we heard Brasilian tenor Luciano Botelho.  He sang with accuracy and poise, having a natural ‘dry’ tenor voice, hitting some risky high notes, most of which paid off.  The opera had a great deal of dressing and undressing on stage, including a hilarious aria by Narciso sung in a beach changing box as he morphed into a Memphis man (see below). 

Zaida is played by Anna Dowsley, a capable young Australia mezzo-soprano.  She is not (?yet) ideal for the role which needs a more mature mezzo voice to contrast with Emma Matthews as well as to be a believable partner to a Pasha. 

Breaking with operatic tradition, most of the cast was chosen for appearances first and voice second.  There were only two singers of a certain imposing stature in this show, one a male principal singer, the other a Rubenesque chorus member (at the bar and not in swimming costume).  Experience tells us that larger singers often have the better voices, so where does that leave the listener?  Frustratingly we may have been deprived of what the opera audience craves most: big beautiful vocalism, for the sake of a director‘s peccadillo.  One of the best singers of our day, Stephanie Blythe, would have been eliminated on this basis.  Yet wherever she sings the house is usually sold out as she delights audiences at the Met and elsewhere. 

The Turco denouement has the characters dressing up for a masked ball in which the lovers are meant to catch each other out.  Starting with Narciso in the bathing shed, all the men dress as Elvis Presley while the ladies wear Marilyn Monroe get-ups to the enormous mirth of the audience.  Conal Coad posed as Selim Pasha despite being double the girth of his Eastern rival!  But this IS opera, after all!  Crazy stories, fat ladies singing into the night, etcetera. 

This brought us to the vocal high point of the evening, a magnificent performance by Ms Matthews who reads a divorce letter from Geronio and then laments her ostracism (premature as it happens) from the society of her husband and the world she is used to … while the other lovers reunited, prepare to sail back to Turkey.  In her five-minute solo, Ms Matthews’ accuracy and control were sublime, and at the excited response from the audience well justified.  The fact that she sang this only two nights before (Wednesday then Friday) makes the feat all the more impressive.  However, it does not do the management much credit, since the vocal cords of a singer are like the feet of a marathon runner and they need more than one day to recover after use.  And it is upon those cords that the opera company and this opera’s success or otherwise depends. 

While I am pleased to have seen it, Turco pales next to William Tell or Semiramide.  Nevertheless, the Sydney audience gave an enormous ovation to the well rehearsed curtain call à la Broadway.  The company might have done a greater opera with a similar cast, yet I confess such comparisons are risky.  Let the reader judge, hopefully after hearing the whole opera, whether it was worth the effort. 

The evening had not one but two patrons being our state AND federal vice regal representatives, plus an extraordinary array of VIPs, lawyers, medical people, business folk, etc.  I spoke so some subscribers who were surprised to learn that their tickets were for opening night.  Such seats used to be unobtainable without a long wait and/or a large donation to the company.  But the company’s subscriptions have dwindled from about fifteen operas to less than ten … and lots of performances of musical comedies … which are now the company’s stock in trade rather than grand opera.  But I go on.  At least we still HAVE an opera company, even if much of what it does is ABC (Aida, Boheme and Carmen). 

Comments by Andrew Byrne

Andrew's blog http://ajbtravels.blogspot.com/

 

Magic Flute at Sydney Opera House. Worth a trip, for sure! "Boring bits removed"

The Magic Flute - WA Mozart (1756-1791)  Sydney Opera House Fri 10^th Jan 2014

Written in the last months of Mozart’s short life, Die Zauberflöte is one of the great works for the operatic stage.  A moralist love story involving Masonic rituals and themes it is quite long and has been the subject of many cuts.  And this cut-down version is successful, as one I saw at Glyndebourne many years ago which replaced the dialogue with sign language and titles.  That said, to cut the famous portrait aria in half seems over-the-top, like cutting Shakespeare or Holy Scriptures.  More about this condensed version below.

Unlike most of his works, Mozart chose some of the highest and some of the lowest parts for the voice in Magic Flute.  It was written for an enthusiastic impresario who was also an amateur singer, taking the part of the bird catcher Papageno himself, here sung and acted admirably again by Andrew Jones. 

One vocal surprise was Sarastro, leader of the Brotherhood, ably played by African American bass Morris Robinson.  He has a modest but pleasant upper register but several booming basso notes, all except for that one last note which only Kurt Moll seems to be able to sing these days (aged 75 and still singing well).  Mr Robinson’s elegant presence and dignity was matched by his musicianship. 

The Queen of Night was Milica Ilic who got absolutely all of the notes and most of the high-tension drama.  John Longmuir is one of those rare tenors who can sing Tamino’s taxing vocals yet there is less beauty, poise and regal presence to his performance as there might be.  Pamina was sung more than adequately by Taryn Fiebig.  Kanen Breen made a brilliantly wicked Monostatos. 

It was a night of catching up with old friends including a neglected (by me) Godchild who has grown into a beautiful young woman (and who coincidentally majored in playing the flute!).  It would not be January in Sydney without Geoffrey Robertson QC in the first night crowd.  Meantime, some of Sydney’s top barristers are probably frequenting Covent Garden!  Governor Marie Bashir was Patron of Honour.  At interval Bronwyn Bishop MP related some Neanderthal views on addiction issues and was good enough to spend five minutes telling me how to do my job better … which would be amusing except that some in her party are now making retrograde decisions which will impinge negatively on Australian public health for years to come in my estimation.  What a shame they cannot look dispassionately on the use of alcohol and other drugs by fellow citizens … and resist the strong influence of the all-powerful drinks and tobacco lobby. 

The opera was well received and there was even a little audience participation with a child responding ‘one’, ‘two’, ‘three’ to Papageno’s whistle calls (or was it a “plant”?).  I would not be doing the pedantic reviewer’s job if I did not mention the line in the opera about the flute being hewn out of mature oak when in fact the flute used was silver metal like all modern instruments.  Less forgivable was a deafening premature thunder clap in the middle of Sarastro’s aria; also the three Royal ladies (sung brilliantly by Ms’s Ede, Pendry and D. Matthews) were trapped momentarily in a perspex Tardis time warp as a certain circular curtain refused to release them. 

Now for the really critical part: The program states incorrectly that this is “from the original production of The Magic Flute by the Metropolitan Opera, New York.”  In fact it is closer to the later Children’s version of that production (which had no intermission) and, as above, is substantially cut-down.  This was not mentioned in the season brochure, nor on the evening cast list and synopsis.  A long-time subscriber friend told me he was not going as “The Flute is just so long” … yet he would have been pleasantly surprised that it is not a late night and most of his avowed ‘favourite arias’ were included.  Others, like three German students sitting in front of me, might be expecting an extra half hour or so of Mozart and Schikaneder and be sorely disappointed.  “Honesty is the best policy” would be my advice (not that the company seems to take advice). 

This issue is yet another sign of poor management by Australia’s national opera company which has lost its way over a decade now.  After re-reading a speech given by the artistic director from 2011 it is a wonder the company is in business at all ( http://opera.org.au/discover/features/lyndon_terracini_pgh_address ).  It contains many contradictions and seems confused and accusatory.  Terracini fails to demonstrate any real insight into the art form … and his attempt to rationalise the ethnic diversity in opera is frankly embarrassing, presuming that there is just one Asian way of dying on stage as if Asia was a single country.  I am not so vain to think that I am part of “the club” which he repeatedly refers to as if it were his mortal enemy.  Impresarios always have to try to please many different factions. 

Despite all this, Magic Flute is a delightful operatic outing and highly recommended for anyone who has not yet seen the Taymor version of this masterpiece.  There are 25 performances up to mid-March.  Two casts allow back-to-back performances, something that is not done very often, but once worked well for Aida in Sydney.  It depends critically on the quality and versatility of the singers.  One only hopes that the second cast, performing just hours later on the Saturday matinee, were as good as for opening night.  This reviewer is not up to both, sorry to say.   

Nor did I attend the season opening a week earlier as it was yet another re-run of La Boheme with singers who we had mostly heard before recently.  The Boheme may have been ideal for first time opera goers.  But in his speech, Mr Terracini lectures old-timers that we should not complain at re-runs of the great works since they are indeed great works (same as this Flute production from 2 years ago).  Yet he fails to mention that once upon a time these re-runs regularly presented some of the greatest names in world opera.  Luciano Pavarotti was in one such re-run on this very stage and in La Boheme.  By contrast, it is intriguing and smacks of a contractual error that world class baritone Giorgio Caoduro is playing the role of Marcello in Sydney.  While it is a crucial role in Boheme, many Australian baritones could have sung it adequately … so for a top international star to perform a role without as much as one aria seems wrong headed.  Caoduro sings Figaro, Enrico, Belcore and other top roles all around the world according to his web page.  There is also the risk that he may out class the other singers on the stage.  Just another sign of the lack of balance and judgment one might hope for in mature opera casting. 

In short it seems that much of what the company does these days is “side shows” rather than core grand opera.  “Opera on the Harbour” is a side show using amplified singing which is not opera in my book (same for the Domain opera - but at least that is free and a one-off).  Likewise ‘Opera on the Beach’.  About half of the season now seems to be musical theatre, of little relevance to the art of grand opera either.  While it is certainly grand opera, The Ring in Melbourne was wonderful for southerners but can hardly be considered a benefit to Sydney-siders.  Would they do Il Trittico in both cities to ‘make up’?  I don’t think so. 

Is it too late to resurrect a true, high quality opera company?  Or has management pushed their public and their artists beyond the point of no return?  They have certainly lost much of their subscriber base.  Do they employ any resident great opera singers?  And their grand opera output is almost unrecognisable both in quality and quantity from the many decades of marvellous, varied, international standard opera in Sydney, Melbourne and beyond. 

Notes by Andrew Byrne ..

Sumptuous Traviata sizzles at season’s end.

La Traviata Thursday 22^nd August 2013 Sydney Opera House. 

Dear Colleagues,

My last opera for the Sydney winter season was La Traviata.  (I am NOT going to South Pacific although I am sure it will be excellent).  A knowledgeable friend had contended that Emma Matthews had a small voice so I made a point of sitting towards the rear of the theatre (back seats of Loge Y - and they only cost $44 each).  Ms Matthews’ voice filled the hall perfectly well and her delivery was faultless.  She injected sex appeal [sic], impishness, vulnerability and despondency as required by the drama.  She also used a phenomenally difficult coloratura at the end of Act I and lasted the distance to a tragic demise in Act III. 

By contrast the tenor playing Alfredo was barely adequate.  Martin Buckingham was promoted from the opera chorus and despite a valiant effort was clearly in difficulties from the start.  I recall Vinson Cole calling this part a 'killer role'.  If only Mr Buckingham had not attempted two unwritten high notes he may have got away with it.  He cracked on an optional high note in the off-stage section at the end of Act I.  Then in Act II he then sang a fine 'De miei bollenti spiriti' but attempted the optional high note at the end of the cabaletta which was strangulated, curtailed and ugly. 

I was a little surprised that the company chose Shane Lowrencev as Baron Duphol who plays the close guardian of Violetta in the party scene.  Having been cast in major principal roles he was now reduced to this comprimario part, which he sings perfectly well.  However, it was hard to overlook the singular difference in height between the diminutive soprano and Mr Lowrencev who must measure near 2 metres.

Along with the soprano and marvellous production by Elijah Moshinsky, another strength of the evening was the velvet baritone singing of Jose Carbo as father Germont.  He looked and sounded every bit the part and it is surprising that we don’t hear him more often in our opera seasons.  He should just be signed up on a serious retainer but the company just does not do that any more. 

Patrick Lange conducted a professional orchestra with traditional tempi and not drawing attention unnecessarily to either himself or his band.  The opera chorus also sang and acted well in the cramped conditions of the Sydney opera stage. 

Another good night at the opera.  We are privileged indeed to have an opera company at all in far off Australia although it is depressing to think that the seasons are now so depleted from the ‘golden years’ of the 1980s, 90s and so on.  And not much changes with the new season announcement, sad to say.  To learn that Carmen is featured would make many subscribers groan so often have we seen this opera.  Some of the main drawcards are not actually opera performances at all.  There is a Sunday evening concert by German tenor Jonas Kaufman (top seats are $350).  Yet we will be denied Mr Kaufman’s great attribute, being his intense stage presence and acting in an opera.  Even at his absolute prime Luciano Pavarotti sang three performances (of La Boheme) with our opera company.  Likewise dozens of the world’s top singers.  Other "side-shows" for 2014 include ‘Opera on the Beach’, ‘Opera on the Harbour’ and ‘The King and I’.  So the company moves further and further away from the Mission Statement which was on their web site when Mr Terracini became the head honcho. 

Comments by Andrew Byrne ..

 

Don Pasquale comes to Sydney Opera House.

Don Pasquale. Sydney Opera House Wed 7^th August 2013. 

Don Pasquale - Conal Coad

Dr Malatesta - Samuel Dundas
Ernesto - Ji-Min Park
Norina - Rachelle Durkin
c. Guillaume Tourniaire p. Roger Hodgman
 

Dear Colleagues,

This Don Pasquale opened with a sepia-like scrim projection with a vintage movie promotion.  While perhaps of some meaning to those ‘in the know’, this seemed of little bearing to the chocolate-box production we were about to enjoy. 

The stage was a charming house and street exterior which rotated to an equally charming if dated domestic interior.  This was transformed to a super-contemporary setting after the intervention of the ‘modern’ young wife in the second act, part of the plot to drive the rich old philanderer mad and make him renounce his decision to re-marry, thereby disinheriting his nephew Ernesto. 

The work’s most famous tune, first played on the ‘cello in the overture, should be a gift to the tenor.  Com’e gentil was a delight with Korean tenor Ji-Min Park putting sensitivity before panache in the aria, producing a non-falsetto and legato ending.  He was the real star of the night in my book. 

Likewise, Norina’s aria is a spin for the coloratura … and Ms Durkin is up to it.  Her voice is capable and well projected, yet it lacks the innate beauty of the finest of the genre.  She was exemplary as one of the ugly sisters in the Met’s Cenerentola in New York. 

Like the changed domestic décor in Act II, so we also see the transformation of Mr Coad from house clothing to formal attire for the wedding then the inevitable hangover in which he is bestraggled again.  Mr Coad has an impressive voice and comic presence - with a facility to fit fiddly syllables into his patter, no more than in the duet with baritone ‘Cheti, cheti mantinente’. 

Mr Dundas as Dr Malatesta (Italian for ‘headache’) sings and acts with style and flair as the scheming, unethical doctor on house call.  Yet his command of proceedings is not as unanswerable as it might be. 

Don Pasquale contains many other memorable melodies, taxing and beautiful arias, choruses and a brilliant overture, to boot.  We have waited far too long for this classic comedy of the Bel Canto genre.  Yet we have the Elixir of Love next season, a reflection of the narrow repertoire the company now follows. 

Despite my misgivings about the company’s longevity this was altogether a most enjoyable night at the opera - head spinning with tunes and good spirits at the end of the night and, unlike the other season offerings, nary a body on stage! 

 

The opera company has now proven that it can put on consistently good quality opera having done Forza del Destino, Tosca, La Traviata and Don Pasquale in the first months of the winter season.  But at the risk of repeating myself, once upon a time a winter season had much more than this.  In September the ‘opera’ company becomes a light musical theatre company for two months during which mostly opera was traditionally performed.  This was made necessary due to an exodus of subscribers responding to years of poor quality opera and in an effort to keep the company afloat financially.  They did the wonderful musical South Pacific two years running in over 100 performances, demonstrating my point about a true grand opera company which served the public and opera communities for so long. 
 

Some of my readers have asked about Carmen on the pontoon on Sydney Harbour.  Again, despite misgivings, I attended this event for the second year running and had a simply marvellous time taking in the crowds, evening air, stars, city views and lastly, the music, vocals and drama.  It is more like a fun fair than the opera house.  I did not stay for the whole opera so will not give a critique of the performance, which seemed to be of a high quality for what I saw and heard.  Furthermore, I did not pay the big bucks for the extremely expensive centre seats.  Like the old dry cleaning maxim ‘all care but no responsibility’. 

Handa Opera on the Harbour has now had two years of favourable weather (only one night rescheduled if my information is correct).  Furthermore, the temperature and wind levels were favourable as if some genie were looking after the event.  It is only a matter of time before there is a season disaster due to bad weather to which Sydney can be prone.  While it was a lovely distraction, in the face of rain, high winds or cold, one may well question why not use the charming little opera house nearby.  And why are we hearing amplified opera singers whose arduous lifetime training is to sing without microphones?  There was certainly no amplification when opera started in the Arena di Verona in 1913. 

Comments by Andrew Byrne ..

 

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Our butterfly collection: http://schraderbutterflies.blogspot.com/

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