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Garsington Opera 2008 : Stravinksy, The Rake's Progress. Soloists, Harpsichord Continuo, Nicholas Bosworth, Garsington Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Martin André (conductor) Garsington Manor, Oxfordshire  21. 6.2008. (BK)

Cast:

Tom Rakewell - Robert Murray
Anne Trulove - Sinéad Campbell
Father Trulove - Stephen Richardson
Mother Goose - Phyllis Cannan
Nick Shadow - Christopher Purves
Baba the Turk -Susan Bickley
Sellem, the Auctioneer - Christopher Gillett
Madhouse Keeper - Martin Lamb

Production:

Director - Olivia Fuchs
Sets and Costume - Nikki Turner
Movement - Clare Whistler
Lighting - Bruno Poet

 

Tom Rakewell and Anne Trulove

From the moment that Christopher Purves - dressed  in top hat and tails - stepped  through the curtains of Garsington's picture frame proscenium, to stand silently for a few seconds smiling sardonically at the audience,  it was obvious that this Rake would be something special. Olivia Fuchs'  brilliant production is confident and sure-footed, using every inch of the small stage space and nearby gardens  in  a totally coherent presentation of Tom Rakewell's downfall. Complete with  a fine set of principals and magnificent direction of the large and youthful chorus, Tom's seduction by Nick Shadow and subsequent decline is marvellously portrayed; right from the opening master-stroke through to the epilogue warning that the devil finds work for idle hands. It is pacy, very funny and terribly sad by turns, a modern morality tale about super-rich celebrity.

Shadow is assisted by Magritte-inspired bowler hatted and pinstriped city figures, made up to look like characters from A Clockword Orange. As Tom leaves Anne Trulove for London, he is lured to a brothel full of Goths and Punks. He binge-drinks, fornicates, sniffs coke, spends his money recklessly and then marries Baba the Turk for the tabloid publicity and more funds.

 

Baba the Turk makes her entrance

Tom  is up for anything in this production, revelling in his excesses until the tab needs picking up and Anne - spurned like some footballer's ex-WAG -endures his behaviour with sadness  but  is  believably still there for him at the end. Baba herself - splendidly sung by Susan Bickley -  is surprisingly sympathetic and resigned to her lot; she is  'easily assimilated' like The Old Lady in Candide.  

Star of this  show however, is Christopher Purves as Nick Shadow who acts and sings the role as if born to it. His is a superb performance, totally demonic at the core but more than solicitous towards Tom and  even kindly on the surface. This is how any  self-respecting devil should be; the arch-deceiver whose victims remain almost grateful to him.

There are no weak performances here. Robert Murray is a brash, bull-headed  and  lively Rakewell in very good voice after a slightly shaky start and Sinéad Campbell's Anne is sweet voiced, charming and pretty yet full of gritty fortitude. Well supported by the other principals, this cast and the excellent chorus worked smoothly with Martin André and his orchestra to provide an evening of exceptional quality.

Bill Kenny

Pictures © Johan Persson

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