Photo: Zan Wimberley
Malouf’s novel Fly Away Peter deserves a rich, sweeping adaptation for the stage, which unfortunately is not found in this opera directed by Imara Savage. With a jarring, difficult score by Elliot Gyger and a libretto by Pierce Wilcox that lacks poetry, this work needs a level of vision and skill to lift it, which unfortunately isn’t present in this production.
The story follows a young birdwatcher, Jim Saddler (Mitchell Riley), who establishes a bird sanctuary with photographer Imogen (Jessica Aszodi) and landowner Ashley (Brenton Spiteri). Saddler is soon swept up into the chaos of World War I, enlisting in the army and making his way to the Western Front, where the horrors of war naturally take their toll.
A serious problem is that two thirds of the small cast are unable to find any poetry or cadence in the libretto. Riley is, unfortunately, unconvincing as Jim. His baritone struggles with the awkward intervals of the musical arrangement, and the intimate venue shows up his lack of acting prowess. Aszodi is similarly limited. Only Spiteri is able to make the music (for want of a better word) sing.
Perhaps the biggest failing here is that the production feels like a paint-by-numbers approach to creating art. A famous Australian novel to draw on? Check. A strange, monolithic set design? Check. A melodic score and repetitive libretto? Check. Symbolic props, moved about the stage in a symbolic fashion? Check.
Fly Away Peter feels too much like Capital A Art, created for the sake of being Art, rather than coming from any organic search for beauty or meaning. Sadly, this Art is no replacement for the real deal.
Rating: 2 stars out of 5
Fly Away Peter
Music by Elliot Gyger
Libretto by Pierce Wilcox after David Malouf
Conductor: Jack Symonds
Director: Imara Savage
Set & Costume Design: Elizabeth Gadsby
Lighting Design: Verity Hampson
Movement Director: Lucas Jervies
Singers: Mitchell Riley, Jessica Aszodi, Brenton Spiteri
Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio
21-24 October
Melbourne Festival
www.festival.melbourne
8-25 October 2015
