Review: Welsh National Opera: Opera Favourites

Opera comes to Plymouth!

Treasure the visits of Welsh National Opera to Plymouth. They have just announced that the current grim financial climate for the arts means they have had to cut (some) planned performances in Bristol and Llandudno – a loss for both communities.

Fortunately, here in Devon, we have the pleasure of a new venture from this much loved and appreciated company. Opera Favourites is a beautifully shaped programme of some of the more familiar highlights from the opera world. Would purists grumble at the lack of a meaty “whole work”, complaining that they were being offered musical lollipops? Or would it serve as a more relaxing night of indulgence for fans while offering a possible “gateway into opera” for novices?

Well there was a packed house for this first performance and at the end, audience members were on their feet cheering. So yes. A resounding success. 

Why? Well, quite simply, it works - and it works tremendously well.

Happily out of the orchestra pit, we have a full orchestra of more than 60 musicians on stage and seeing them play is often mesmerising in itself. Added to that, one of the much lauded strengths of WNO, the more than 30 strong chorus, is also in full relaxed view.

Yes, you will recognise many of the pieces that had been used in Hollywood movies (Room With a View and The Godfather) and even television adverts.

Some of these are highly placed in the Classic FM Hall of Fame; others might be less familiar: The opening of Verdi’s Otello, one of Britten’s Storm Interludes from Peter Grimes or Verdi’s Don Carlo duet È Lui Desso!

The voices of the Chorus are well used with highlights including  Tchaikovsky’s Waltz from Eugene Onegin and Puccini’s Humming Chorus from Madam Butterfly.

Soloists Emily Christina Loftus, Helen Jarmany, James Cleverton and Adam Gilbert all take naturally to the spotlight, moving moods from melancholy to joy. They make for a well-balanced quartet as well in Verdi’s Bella Figlia from Rigoletto. Conducting duties were split with Frederick Brown for the first half and Edmund Whitehead for the second.

We are used to screens with translations from the Italian/ French/ Russian in performances these days. We didn’t get that here. Did it matter? Less so here than in a full production although there were places where it might have aided understanding.

Oh – extra applause for the theatre and WNO for the matinee earlier in the day when there was a packed house for a special schools event. Well done also to the teachers for taking advantage of this chance to build cultural capital for their pupils and help encourage new audiences for the future.

Opera fans have a treat at the Exeter Northcott at the end of May with English Touring Opera with The Rake’s Progress and Manon Lescaut and we can look forward to the return of Welsh National Opera in October when there will be a repeat of this lovely concert as well as Rigoletto and Gianni Schicci/ Angelica in a double bill. Relish the opportunity to see this quality company live.