Last Updated on November 8, 2023
Have they awoken a sleeping beauty?
Ottorino Respighi is hardly a household name for opera. More well known for his orchestral tone poems such as the Fountains and Pines of Rome, Respighi’s operatic output languishes outside of the canon. Guildhall school of music and drama are determined to buck that trend, staging a double bill of Respighi’s works. They are showing “Maria Egiziaca” and “La bella dormente nel bosco”. Respighi was renowned in his life for his orchestration (according to his wife Elsa he even orchestrated part of Puccini’s Girl of the Golden West) and the light touch seems perfect for Guildhall school’s orchestra. Both pieces were directed by Victoria Newlyn.
Maria Egiziaca will not be a familiar name or story unless you are an Italian catholic. Its outmoded biblical message of sin, purgatorial desert purification and ultimate salvation is underpinned with wonderfully devoted music. Respighi blended archaic Gregorian chant, harpsichord recitative and early 20th century harmonies to produce spine tingling music which had me weeping with joy.
Dominic Wheeler’s conducting was the driving force behind the piece. While at times he overpowered the singers, the music sounded striking and impactful. Set designer Laura Jane Stanfield has combined the fairy tale, religious and Egyptian elements to create a classy deep teal combination. The show is supplemented with projected video by Jonathan Strutt.
On opening night Maria was played by Vladyslava Ionascu-Yakovenko. Yakovenko sang with sharp, piercing clarity. Her climactic moments of religious clarity were incredibly moving. Alaric Green made a sympathetic pairing as the Zealot who condemns and later blesses Maria, his rich deep bass voice wasn’t lacking but his higher notes don’t have the same quality of timbre. Steven van der Linden has an excellent musical quality to his tenor and made an engaging sailor.
The second part of the double bill was “La bella dormente nel bosco” or “Sleeping Beauty” in English. Everyone will be familiar with this classic tale of the tyrannical king who denies his people the ability to spin their own thread, subjecting them to vastly inflated prices for imported clothing from abroad. Sat comfortably in his own golden luxuriance he does this in a futile attempt to stop one girl from going into a coma.
La bella dormente was written by Respighi as piece for marionette theatre and it shows. The simplistic story and childlike tale of fairies and princesses is reflected in the airy and insubstantial music. Dominic Wheeler conducting again held nothing back, but this is at most a pantomime. Devoid of the passion of Maria Egiziaca it feels like a light diversion.
The set was updated with floral accoutrements and fairytale forest creature for sleeping Beauty. Lighting designer Jake Wiltshire shone here as he switched the lights colours and intensity for the magical battles between good and bad fairies.
La Bella Dormente has a large vocal cast. Yolisa Ngwexana made a standout performance as La Fata azzura (the good fairy). Her bright, nimble coloratura was delightful and screamed Queen of the Night potential. Steven van der Linden again made a good impression singing in a faux American accent as Mister Dollar. Ana-Carmen Balestra was a clear and pleasant princess, though she spent most of her time frozen for hundreds of years reading one book (presumably Proust). Jonah Halton as an Indiana Jones prince April lacked presence and felt like a side character in his own solo.
The chorus was brilliant throughout both pieces, colourful with great dynamic range.
Between the two shows, there is something for everyone in this unorthodox pairing. Respighi rarely comes up so this may be the first chance for years to tick him off a list. School show or not this production lacks none of the quality or presentation expected on a main stage.
Silk Street,
Barbican,
London,
EC2Y 8DT
Photos Credit: David Monteith-Hodge/Photographise.
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