Opera UK at the Bloomsbury Theatre

20th October 2006

Hairy McMungo would just like to say that he has seen this performance. This is not a mcmungo. Every so often, Hairy does like to write reviews of performances he has physically attended. Attending them psychically is always enjoyable but sometimes Hairy McMungo likes to be surprised when he attends. Hairy was actually surprised to be attending this performance at all. He was planning on seeing the ENO’s Jenufa but when he received an e-mail from a Scotsman inviting him to see Simon Boccanegra he felt he could not refuse. Of course if Hairy had bought a ticket for Jenufa he would have had to have sold it but he hadn’t.

There were things about this production that Hairy McMungo didn’t like and he was very tempted to give it just the three stars but there were also many things that were worth the price of the ticket. Hairy understands that Opera UK have a very small budget and he’s not sure he would have spent more than them if it was his production, even if he had been in a healthier financial position. So he won’t comment too unkindly on Cleo Pettitt’s sets or the costumes by Mia Flodquist, Anni Liljegren and soprano Scheherazade Pesante, who designed her own.

Hairy McMungo has only seen this opera once. That was at the ROH and Hairy had no idea what was going on. Opera UK’s production, directed by Tim Heath gave him slightly more of an idea but Hairy suspects that this is an opera you have to see several times.

The singing was mostly of a high standard and the Orchestra of Opera UK always sounded good, so Hairy McMungo could not help but enjoy himself. Loic Guguen gave a powerful performance as Simon Boccanegra and carried himself like a true Scottish leader. As it happened there was (to Hairy’s knowledge) only one true Scotsman on the stage, the brilliant Ronald Nairne singing Fiesco. He is one of those rare basses (and Hairy is not just saying this because of his nationality) who can sing in tune and produce low notes without a crumbling effect. Ronald is not the only one of these, although quite possibly the only one who can sing Verdi but there is always room for several more, particularly one from Hairy’s own beautiful country. Ronald not only sang well but his final scene in particular was movingly acted.

Kevin McRae is not a Scotsman but Hairy is sure there must be some Scottish blood in him with a name like that and his performance as Pietro grabbed Hairy’s attention even before he knew what his name was. Dominic Barrad also sang well as Paolo and Hairy was also impressed by Gediminas Varna who sang the role of Gabriele Adorno. Although Hairy does sing tenor roles, the Verdi ones (apart from, for obvious reasons, Macduff and Malcolm) have not attracted him because they are jessies and Hairy McMungo doesn’t think he could be a convincing jessie if he tried. But judging from Varna’s performance, Adorno isn’t one either. Scheherazade Pesante has a big voice and lots of enthusiasm in her acting but Hairy isn’t sure she’s ready for Amelia yet.

HAIRY McMUNGO

primi-divi at hotmail.co.uk