Directed by
Tobias Cole - Musical Direction by Brett Weymark
Designed by
Imogen Keen - Lighting designed by Cynthia Jolley-Rogers
Choreographed
by Belynda Buck - Presented by Handel in the Theatre
The
Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre, 28TH and 29th October 2017,
Reviewed by
Bill Stephens
If the
standard achieved by this production of Handel’s first oratorio, “Esther” is
anything to go by, then Tobias Cole’s ambitions for his fledgling baroque opera
company, Handel in the Theatre, may well prove achievable. Cole has harnessed
impressive resources, including some very fine voices, to achieve a cohesive
and entertaining account of this esoteric work.
Originally
composed by Handel as a masque in 1718, and then heavily revised into a full oratorio in
1732, “Esther” tells the story of an orphan, Esther (Janet Todd) who is selected
by the King of Persia (Tobias Cole) to become his wife, unaware of her Jewish
heritage. On the advice of his Prime
Minister, Haman (David Greco) the king has embarked on a plan to exterminate
the Jews. When Esther hears of this from Mordecai (Sally-Anne Russell) she
risks certain death by entering the Kings private chambers, unannounced, to
plead with him to abandon his plan.
Baroque
operas are generally quite static. The long heavily ornamented and repetitive
vocal solos can become testing for contemporary audiences. Aware of this, Cole added
some innovative touches to embellish his production. The protagonists, Mordecai
and Haman, were introduced to the audience at the beginning of the opera with a
masque-style interlude. Elsewhere he incorporated choreographed movement for
his vocal ensemble to heighten the drama and add visual interest. He also
included a second vocal ensemble, which he positioned, together with trumpeters,
in the balconies surrounding the audience, creating a thrilling sonic tour de
force for the stirring “Zadoc the Priest”, which commenced the second act.
The
professionalism of the four leading characters with their fine singing,
excellent diction and firm grasp of the stylised acting style, provided a firm
anchor for the production. Janet Todd
was an appealing Esther, acting with conviction, and singing her complex solos
and duets with confidence and authority. The warm mezzo-soprano of Sally-Anne
Russell’s Mordecai, together with David Greco’s sonorous baritone for his glowering
Haman, contrasting strikingly with Tobias Cole’s counter-tenor as the King,
provided a fascinating aural palette for their various characterisations.
Keren
Dalzell, Alison Richardson and Charles Hudson each contributed vocal highlights,
while Marcel Cole provided a beautifully sustained elegant presence as the King’s
attendant.
Commanding
the musical resources, Brett Weymark achieved an excellent balance between singers
and orchestra, drawing superb sound from the orchestra and disciplined singing
from both ensembles to embellish the excellence of his principal singers.
The
attractive setting and costumes, designed by Imogen Keen and realised by Cate
Clelland, together with Cynthia Jolley-Rogers accomplished lighting design,
provided an eye-pleasing environment for a production which has set a significantly
high benchmark for this emerging, highly specialised, opera company.
This review also appears in Australian Arts Review. www.artsreview.com