Mozart's Requiem

Wednesday, 8 April 2009

Religion has sneakily brought me back to church - by offering itself as an alternative venue for the performing arts. Last Christmas it was Handel's Messiah at St Andrew's, and this Easter it is the Gothic revival glamour of St George's Cathedral, staging two performances of Mozart's Requiem with the West Australian Ballet.

I guess it should make sense really - the Passion plays, the pulpit, the preachers - what is the congregation of church but another example of an audience searching for greater meaning or understanding in life?

Choreographed by Natalie Weir, the WA Ballet presented a mostly abstract, but none the less sombre and spiritual dance to Lacrimosa, a beautiful piece interwoven throughout Mozart's Requiem.

I'd forgotten how much I'd missed seeing the high classical style of ballet live; and the shapes, movements and lines of the dancers were of such pure beauty to me that it was as if they were in a dream.

While the sight lines for the "stage" were imperfect - the Great Crossing of the Cathedral was were the bulk of the performance was detailed and the large columns blocked some of the sections - overall, the audience still managed to see much of the narrative and there were large plasma screen monitors set up to provide a more intimate insight during various pietas between the lead dancers or a full stage overview of the corps de ballet.

The dancers were ably supported by soloists from the WA Opera, with backing from the St George's Cathedral Consort under the reverent musical direction of Joseph Nolan. Stewart Smith showcased his organist skills for the short 60 minute+ running time, with flourishes provided by two trumpeters and a timpanist completing the musicians.

With no obligation to pay for the performance witnessed, I nonetheless gave generously towards the event upon my exit; both for the guilt of being a self confessed lapsed Catholic, and for the spiritual and theatrical enjoyment that I had gained from this devout start to the Easter season.

The Marriage of Figaro

Saturday, 28 March 2009

Light, frothy and as mind twisting as an alcopop, Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro is an effervescent treat; it's mainstream familiarity not deterring the serious opera goer, rather it gives them a chance to enjoy the genius composer's prankster wit as we all laugh at the upstairs/ downstairs shenanigans within a country estate outside Seville.

I won't belabour the plot, suffice to say there are mistaken identities galore, boys dressed as girls (though that role is actually played by a girl dressed as a boy...who then has to masquerade as a girl - more Victor/ Victoria confusion!), romantic triangles, quadrangles and possibly even a pentacle; but a happy ending is assured; long lost families are found and true love truimphs.

The pace and performances were brisk and humourous with James Clayton skipping through his title role and Sara Macliver proving a fiesty foil as Susanna, Figaro's true love eager to outwit the Il Conte d'Almaviva (Luke Gabbedy), their philandering aristocratic employer, who is determined to wear down her protestations.

Stuart Liang was a hoot as Don Basilio/ Don Curzio, his round moonface alternatively bulging with bluster or sly with machinations and he, Marcellina (Sarah-Janet Dougiamas) and Bartolo (Conal Coad) provided much laughter and gossip in the opening act.

I loved the way the stage was dressed, the heavy curtains of light rust providing both set and cover in Act 1 and they reminded me of the layers upon layers of female courtly dress - under which just about all the males in the cast were eager to get to! There were touches of anachronistic modernity admist the props - a 50s style hair dryer, an ironing board and iron which were humourously affected, however I found the audience room columns in Act 3 rather squat and ugly and so out of place with the lighter colours employed in the rest of the sets.

The WA Symphony Orchestra ably supported the players on stage, but the WA Opera Chorus were practically a blip on the scene, mainly utilised in the audience room and apparently not even worthy of a bow as only the principals and supporting cast got the chance to receive applause from the audience. Ah well...

But the show itself was delightful, and an enjoyable evening of champagne fun.