From l to r: Iestyn Davies, Patricia Bardon, Rosemary Joshua, Christine Rice, John Mark Ainsley, James Gower
I was strangely won over by Christopher Alden's production of Partenope by Handel. His concept of updating the action to the 1920s Parisian art world did seem to work even with the talk of war.... it was an intelligent, and sophisticated re-working of the opera. Even the fact that it was in English (a radical translation by Amanda Holden) did not detract from this charming comic opera - I might just change my opinion of operas in translation on the basis of this production.
The story of political upheaval in ancient Naples with a Queen who rules by toying with her subjects and risking the invasion of her city lends itself to salon world of Paris with it's Man Ray and Nancy Cunard figures and it's surreal and mercurial elements. The action can be easily transposed to this heady world with only a slight eschewing of the story.
Throughout the opera one is constantly reminded of photographs by Man Ray or Lee Miller, the surrealists like Andre Breton and Dali and that heady salon world. Indeed each scene was like a tableau of that world; at the start of the opera Emilio enters and takes a photograph of the audience - obviously our Man Ray character or a scene where our protagonists are playing cards with gas masks á la Lee Miller. I loved these little knowing touches, these nods to the surrealist life.
The story reads like some complex relationship puzzle. Partenope presides over her court/salon. She loves Arsace. Armindo loves Partenope in secret. Arsace's former love, Rosmira , arrives disguised as a man, Eurimene. Arsace recognises Rosmira but agrees to keep secret her identity. Armindo confides in Eurimene about his love for Partenope and Eurimene hatches a plan to make Arsace suffer, driven by her love, hate and rage at her abandonment. Emilio's marriage proposal to Partenope is rejected and he threatens war. Emilio's forces attack and he himself is captured by Arsace though Eurimene takes the credit. When Emilio refutes this claim Eurimene challenges Arsace to a dual. Armindo declares his love to Partenope but she still loves Arsace. Eurimene is forced to let 'his' true identity known when Arsace challenges Eurimene to dual bare-chested (made all the more interesting in the fact that is Christine Rice who plays Arsace that makes this challange). Arsace and Rosmira reunite and Partenope takes Armindo. Phew!
Rosemary Joshua's Partenope struck a Nancy Cunard note.... bangles and all.. wonderfully played. Perhaps a little weak at the start but by the second act her quality soprano rang true.
Rosemary Joshua, Christine Rice, John Mark Ainsley, James Gower
Patricia Bardon's Rosmira/Eurimene was wilfully playful, confused and enraged... she is determined to make Arsace suffer and keep him guessing... alternating between her love and rage. Outstanding performance and a joy to watch.
Patricia Bardon
Hats off for another great performance by the counter-tenor Iestyn Davies; the character of Armindo is so tense and unsure of himself - a real neurotic. Davies played it to great comic effect and I loved the aria where he talks about his love for Partenope - 'I'm her spaniel and her slave' (just shows that the translation can work remarkable well). Perhaps not such a strong vocal performance as his Otho in L'incoronazione Di Poppea but entertaining nonetheless.
The story of political upheaval in ancient Naples with a Queen who rules by toying with her subjects and risking the invasion of her city lends itself to salon world of Paris with it's Man Ray and Nancy Cunard figures and it's surreal and mercurial elements. The action can be easily transposed to this heady world with only a slight eschewing of the story.
Throughout the opera one is constantly reminded of photographs by Man Ray or Lee Miller, the surrealists like Andre Breton and Dali and that heady salon world. Indeed each scene was like a tableau of that world; at the start of the opera Emilio enters and takes a photograph of the audience - obviously our Man Ray character or a scene where our protagonists are playing cards with gas masks á la Lee Miller. I loved these little knowing touches, these nods to the surrealist life.
The story reads like some complex relationship puzzle. Partenope presides over her court/salon. She loves Arsace. Armindo loves Partenope in secret. Arsace's former love, Rosmira , arrives disguised as a man, Eurimene. Arsace recognises Rosmira but agrees to keep secret her identity. Armindo confides in Eurimene about his love for Partenope and Eurimene hatches a plan to make Arsace suffer, driven by her love, hate and rage at her abandonment. Emilio's marriage proposal to Partenope is rejected and he threatens war. Emilio's forces attack and he himself is captured by Arsace though Eurimene takes the credit. When Emilio refutes this claim Eurimene challenges Arsace to a dual. Armindo declares his love to Partenope but she still loves Arsace. Eurimene is forced to let 'his' true identity known when Arsace challenges Eurimene to dual bare-chested (made all the more interesting in the fact that is Christine Rice who plays Arsace that makes this challange). Arsace and Rosmira reunite and Partenope takes Armindo. Phew!
Rosemary Joshua's Partenope struck a Nancy Cunard note.... bangles and all.. wonderfully played. Perhaps a little weak at the start but by the second act her quality soprano rang true.
Rosemary Joshua, Christine Rice, John Mark Ainsley, James Gower
Patricia Bardon's Rosmira/Eurimene was wilfully playful, confused and enraged... she is determined to make Arsace suffer and keep him guessing... alternating between her love and rage. Outstanding performance and a joy to watch.
Patricia Bardon
Iestyn Davies
John Mark Ainsley's Emilio truly was the cornerstone for the production. I got the impression that the director tried to have JMA on stage as much as possible cutting a very believable Man Ray character. Each time this tenor sung I longed for more... pity Emilio did not have more arias to sing. I was deeply impressed and long to see JMA in other productions....
John Mark Ainsley
But truly the night belonged to Christine Rice playing Arsace. Each aria was keenly sung with her strong and sweet mezzo voice. True, she was gifted with some great arias that perhaps some of the other parts lacked but with each aria I was just bowled away by her beautiful quality of tone.
Christine Rice
Partenope - 18th October
Emilio John Mark Ainsley
Partenope Rosemary Joshua
Arsace Christine Rice
Armindo Iestyn Davies
Rosmira/Eurimene Patricia Bardon
Ormonte James Gower
Conductor Christian Curnyn
Director Christopher Alden
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