Argonauts. Photo credit: Keith Saunders.
Pinchgut and director Chas Rader-Shieber have pulled out all the stops with this sensational staging of Cavalli’s Giasone. Under the musical direction of Erin Helyard, Pinchgut have cut and adjusted the score a little and with magnificent playing by the Orchestra of the Antipodes and a cast of skilled singers, the overall result was sublime.
Helyard conducted energetically from the keyboard of the small upright organ. This production required two harpsichords and a theorbo among other period instruments, leading to the production of a rich, elegant sound.
Based on the story of Jason (the eponymous Giasone) and the Golden Fleece and his bewitchment by Medea, the show includes some lowbrow humour, plus high drama and tension, a bit of magic and a complicated love tangle/triangle.
It has deceptively simple staging – a few chairs, layers of curtains, a couple of doors and included some witty sight gags. But the simplicity of the staging is offset by the attention grabbing sailors.
The Golden Fleece and its collection and the Argonauts are, in this version, in effect tangential to the story and there are no children to Medea mentioned. First performed in 1649 in Venice, Cavalli’s opera was the sell-out popular opera ticket of the 17th century and no wonder if it was staged as the equivalent of this.
Fabulous counter tenor David Hansen as Giasone (Jason ) has an entrance to remember, both visually and vocally, wearing nothing but his golden plumed helmet and strategically placed bubbles in the bath. And what a glorious voice – an absolutely splendid performance throughout this long, demanding show. Tall, dark and handsome, no wonder he has the women swooning. He oozes confidence throughout.
However, Giasone is actually a far from admirable character and doesn’t gain the Fleece through his own powers. He instead uses Medea’s summoning of the supernatural. There is some wonderfully effective staging and lighting at this point. Hansen has an almost impossibly high countertenor, which is brightly burnished and pours out like melted chocolate. So he manages to command our empathy, even though his treatment of both Queens is horrid, and he is very moving in Giasone’s 11th-hour change of heart towards the end.
Sopranos Celeste Lazarenko (Medea) and Miriam Allan (Isifile) are a riveting pair of catlike enemies, here representing lust vs faithfulness. Medea (soprano Celeste Lazarenko) was tall, elegant and commanding in a slinky red ruffled dress. She gave an impassioned performance; powerful and hypnotic. The duets with Giasone were exquisite and her ‘sleep’ aria glorious, her demon summoning imposing.
Egeo, in love with Medea, was achingly sung by Andrew Goodwin in a passionate, magnificent performance of hidden inner radiance and smoothness nobly sung. Christopher Saunders was marvellous in the ‘comic’ role of limping, stuttering Demo, Egeo’s servant.
Poor, wronged Isisfile was exquisitely sung by Miriam Allan , with prominent clarity and focus. Her Act 1 lament was superb as was her aria in Act 2 expecting death.
Adrian McEniery makes a charmingly frumpy cross-dressing ‘nurse’/companion Delfa (including matching handbag and hairy legs) and sings wonderfully. Nicholas Dinopoulos as Ercole (Hercules) was tremendous, flirting with Alinda, and gets to deliver the line that he only kills one queen a day.
A most exciting production staged brilliantly and ravishingly sung. Next year Pinchgut are doing two productions, not just one, for the first time – book now.
4.5 Stars
Giasone by Francesco Cavalli
City Recital Hall Angel Place
5- 9 December 2013
