2021 – Two Melbourne Operas and a Musical

Rheingold

I can’t quite believe I didn’t blog about Melbourne Opera’s first instalment of its much anticipated and exciting Ring Cycle when it was performed last year. Anxiety about covid lockdowns? A sore arm? Either way, a mystery!

We saw Rheingold, performed at the Regent on 7 February. We had seats up near the front in what is a terrific auditorium. As usual the production was first rate. I can’t believe I didn’t blog about it! Especially given that it is just the first instalment of the whole Ring Cycle. I was reminded of it when we attended the second instalment, Die Walkure, this month – nearly exactly a year later.

Here is a Man in Chair blogpost that includes pictures showing the set – spare and clever as usual – and cast – all up to the task in hand, some at relatively short notice given the difficulties of staging this sort of thing in the middle of a covid pandemic.

I didn’t know until now that Warwick Fyffe had originally been intended to play Wotan. I thought Eddie Muliamaseal’i looked the part, although as Simon Parris says in his post he was sometimes a little overwhelmed by the orchestra. He certainly had the stature and stage presence to portray Wotan at his most majestic. His real life wife, Sarah Sweeting was terrific as Wotan’s imperious but vulnerable wife, Fricka.

All of the reviews congratulated Simon Meadows in the role of Alberich and his singing and acting was fine, but I found his height a little discombobulating. Alberich is meant to be small and fat – Meadows is very tall and thin. I know that shouldn’t matter but it did for me a bit.

Loge in my (limited) experience seems to be a role that is easy to make memorable. Nearly all of those I’ve seen have been terrific and he has that one beautiful aria about searching for someone who has spurned the love of women. James Egglestone, done up like a carnival magician, certainly made the most of it. He was terrific. As was Lee Abrahmsen in the far more difficult, and much smaller role of Freya. She is always wonderful and was here.

The giants were also good. Often these two are made to look ridiculous but here the costumes were great with singing and acting to match. I love poor Fasolt. I also love Erda; another character who is more often than not portrayed badly in the design department. I’ve seen black costumed bag lady, half naked earth mother and wheel-chair bound patient. Here she was resplendent in sparkling white with an odd head-dress. I thought her costume inconsistent with the broken clay baked face projected on the screen behind her. Which I thought better reflected the character.

The Rhinemaidens were lovely – another group that can be treated badly by designers. No cavorting over impossibly steep platforms here. Thank goodness. They had pretty flowing costumes and their swimming through the Rhine was indicated by them swinging on little circles. The whole impression enhanced by the addition of two acrobatic performers in the same costumes swinging on polls back and forth above them. All very clever.

As always with a Melbourne Opera production thanks to Director Suzanne Chaundy. I think her designs are fantastic. No unnecessary movements; just clear as clear story telling and giving the singers the space to excel. And for the music to take precedence where necessary. Terrific.

Macbeth

Our second Melbourne Opera production last year was at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 20 May 2021. When we returned to this venue last week I couldn’t for the life of me remember what we’d seen there last. Although I did know we’d seen an opera! And thought it probably one by Melbourne Opera but couldn’t think which one. I had a vague notion it may have starred Helena Dix but we’d seen Norma ages ago. However after a bit of online sleuthing so it proved to be.

It takes quite a lot to get me out to see a non-Wagner opera these days. But the double act of Melbourne Opera and Helena Dix – triple act if you include Shakespeare – did the trick. This production of Verdi’s Macbeth, which I’d never seen, was something different. It was directed by Bruce Beresford and marred – as ever with most directors but especially those not usually associated with operas – by two much busyness on stage. In addition to chorus members, both young and old, there were lots of supernumaries! So instead of three witches we had a whole chorus; and instead of three murderers of Banquo we had a multitude. I don’t understand why opera directors feel the need to fill the stage with movement. The music can speak for itself.

Helena Dix was, as usual, magnificent. It was worth seeing the production for her performance alone. I’ve now seen her three times – As Elizabeth I, Norma and now Lady Macbeth. She is amazing; singing the whole range of notes from high to low seemingly effortlessly. In this production even more amazing given it comes after she contracted Covid and was so badly affected she thought it might end her career. She had to build up her lungs from scratch. A journey she shared on twitter – often, after the worst I suppose – very humorously. In addition to her singing I love the way she moves on stage and uses her hands and facial expressions to give depth to her characterisations. Always worth seeing.

She was ably assisted by all of the principles. Simon Meadows looked better as Macbeth than Alberich! The scenes with just the two of them were very affecting. Terrific costumes in the main although there was a short stint of Helena in a very unbecoming brown number. It didn’t last long. The rest of her outfits were wonderful. And Macbeth looked suitably kingly. His descent into further bloodiness was all very convincing.

The staging of all of the set pieces – the conspiring between Lord and Lady, the outcome of the bloody murder – Lady Macbeth’s hands covered in blood, the appearance of Banquo at the feast, the desperate hand washing – was all done well.

This Man in Chair blogpost jogged my memory. Great overview of the opera, the staging and the performances. And great pictures that show costumes and sets.

Moulin Rouge

This one is more recent. I was pleased we got to see it at a time when covid outbreaks were causing shows to be cancelled all over the place. Including Moulin Rouge the week after we saw it – midway through the audience was asked to leave the theatre as a member of the production team had tested positive.

We went on 22 December 2021. I loved the movie, so much I went across to Readings immediately after seeing it to buy the soundtrack and we have the DVD of the movie as well. So I was very keen to see it as soon as I heard it was coming to Melbourne.

I’ve also been watching little videos posted by Baz Luhrmann on Instagram talking about how they filmed some scenes. He’s been doing it about a lot of his work, notably the movie Romeo & Juliet and they are fascinating. I think he’s so creative! He is also generous, saying in a piece in the program: When it came to bringing Moulin Rouge the movie to the stage, I knew I wasn’t the right person to interpret something I made years ago. Because, in fact, there’s a whole generation of younger artists who have a purer relationship with the work than I do. He felt he would be too protective of the choices he’s made years ago and that is the antithesis of art. Any good story needs to be interpreted in different places, in different ways, for different times.

I went with Meredith to the movie so she came with us to the show and so did Eleanor. Here they are – all masked up! Alongside Joe and I, me wearing my Paris jewels, he channeling the Duke!

The Regent looked a treat. Here’s our view of the stage.

The sides of the theatre were all done up as well; with famous props from the movie – windmill and elephant – so we could think we really were at the Moulin Rouge.

And there were people in costume wandering around the vicinity of the stage – all adding colour and movement and anticipation!

I had read some reviews prior to going which said that whilst the show had plenty of energy, fantastic sets and costumes and amazing dancing, it lacked heart and I’d stealed myself for that. But I didn’t feel that at all. Our leading man, Christian was performed by the principal cover, Maxwell Simon. He reminded me of Ewen MacGregor in the film and was terrific. Satine played by Alinta Chidzey didn’t remind me of Nicole Kidman (this photo is from the programme as are the others of the cast.

But there was plenty of chemistry between Christian and Satine to ensure the doomed love story moved the audience. As well as in Satine’s relationships with her fellow workers, especially Harry. I was moved!

Simon Burke was terrific as Harold Zidler – although making me feel old remembering The Devil’s Playground all those years ago! It’s a hard role to play without making it arch and he moved easily between exuberance to maudlin as required.

The two other standouts for me were Andrew Cook as the Duke and Tim Omaji as Toulouse-Lautrec (thankfully for him, not playing the character on his knees).

The singing and dancing was spectacular as were the costumes and sets. There were snippets of lots more songs than in the movie – all of them more recent (Lady Gaga, Beyonce et al – I think) and therefore unknown to me!

The whole cast was amazingly energetic right to the end, when, with the audience on its feet, tinsel and coloured paper shapes were blasted over our heads. A great night out.

It’s on until the 29th of April so you still have time to see it. Here’s another entertaining and informative Man in Chair blogpost that may convince you better than I to go. Mr. Parris, like me found the show full of heart!