This was a one off event which added a certain frisson to proceedings. WNO were unable to bring a full production of Puccini's trilogy of contrasting short operas and so opted to present them in concert form.
It was clear that a certain proportion of the audience had not fully realised that it was a concert presentation as there was much chatter in the intervals about how different their expectations were to what was actually on stage in the New Theatre.
The first two operas, Il Tabarro and Suor Angelica, were both presented on an empty stage with no costumes or props. This did, of course, place the emphasis more clearly on the inherent drama of the singing and orchestral accompaniment.
For the final piece, Puccini's great comic gem Gianni Schicchi, the stage was filled with furniture, props, costumed and a more fully realised performance. It was immediately clear that this is what the audience wanted to see. Even just a few items of costume and a couple of props would have elevated the first two pieces whilst still retaining the stripped back concert style; given that the company has access to these resources, it felt like a missed opportunity to enhance the evening.
Thankfully the orchestral playing and vocal performances were of such quality that one can overlook the inconsistent approach to the staging. The vocal star of the night was Natalya Romaniw. She was the emotional core of the first two operas. Her soprano is both rich in tone and blessed with a gleaming top. She brought her characters fully to life even without costume. Her closing moments of Suor Angelica, an opera that fully celebrates the female voice, was the vocal highlight of the night.
Dario Solari showed his adaptability and versatility with his brooding presence in Il Tabarro and comic flair in Gianni Schicchi. His baritone is like a grand red wine - round, complex and pleasing.
One
of the great strengths of the casting is the presence of singers with
long international careers already under their belt. The fact that they
want to return to WNO in supporting roles is testament to this great
company. It is always a pleasure to see performers of the calibre of
Anne Mason, Yvonne Howard and Mark Le Brocq. Their experience and
natural stage craft made their contributions all the more telling.
In many ways, the real stars of the evening were the orchestra and their conductor Alexander Joel. These scores are not easy - full of ever shifting tempi and mood. They gave a performance of this music that would rival any you would encounter in the great opera houses of the world.
Oxford is very lucky to be part of their tours. We can only hope that continues to be the case for years to come.