This was a “rare chance to enjoy — Handel’s dramatic skills as a composer.” (Ken Longworth.) It was also an opportunity to admire the skills of Opera Hunter’s singers and musicians in the highly specialised genre of Baroque opera. Presented in English there was a universally high standard of musicianship from the chorus through to all principals. Male alto Steven McLean gave an excellent vocal and dramatic account of Caesar, soprano Jennifer Barnes, at 6 weeks notice after Karen Walmsley had an accident, sang Cleopatra with a masterly assurance, and baritone Michael Saunders was a superb Ptolemy, bristling with spite and malice while dashing off fiendishly difficult arias with absolute ease.
Joanna Andrew and Paul Morris as Cornelia and her son Sextus portrayed the betrayed Roman characters at the Egyptian court with pathos and heroism. Morris’s vengeance aria displayed mind boggling vocal gymnastics at breakneck speed!
James Bonnefin brought an effective simpering and snide quality to Achillus and David Capewell’s beautiful vocal tone and speaking voice were outstanding in the role of Nirenus.
Jason King as director brought fresh eyes and new ideas to the production highlighting the universal conditions of love, lust, greed, power and betrayal. As a director he is very calm, patient and shows great insight into the possibilities of character development and dramatic possibilities in the text. However, as an opera director his first source of inspiration is the music. King is a virtual “one man band” responsible for design and construction of set, lighting, costume design, poster design, updating the text, program design. This is one very talented young man!
Conductor Susan Hart shows a deep empathy for singers. A fine soprano herself, she understands implicitly the capabilities of her singers pushing them to seemingly impossible speeds and extracts fine performances from them. Always aware of the Baroque style, her interpretation of Handel was tasteful, musical, and dramatic. She has an innate awareness of the dance rhythms in the score adding a rhythmic edge where appropriate.
The Opera Hunter orchestra led by Ann Hartsuyker was a well drilled and well prepared entity. It managed the many difficulties of texture, clarity and style very well.
Bravo Opera Hunter!
Mercia Buck