SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

SEEN AND HEARD UK OPERA REVIEW

Janáček, The Cunning Little Vixen: (sung in English):  Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Sir Charles Mackerras 19.3.2010 (CC)

 

Vixen Sharp-Ears – Emma Matthews

Gamekeeper – Christopher Maltman

Fox – Elisabeth Meister

Schoolmaster/Mosquito – Robin Leggate

Gamekeeper’s Wife/Owl – Madeleine Shaw

Priest/Badger – Jeremy White

Harašta – Matthew Rose

Innkeeper’s Wife – Elisabeth Sikora

Pásek – Alasdair Elliott

Pepík – Simona Mihai

Frantík – Elizabeth Cragg

Rooster/Jay – Deborah Peake-Jones

Dachshund – Gerald Thompson

Forester’s Wife – Madeleine Shaw

Cricket – Peter Shafran

Caterpillar – Talo Hanson, Korey Knight

Young Vixen – Eleanor Burke

Blue Dragonfly – Tom Sapsford

Spirit of the Vixen – Lyn Routledge

Chief Hen – Glenys Groves

Woodpecker – Amanda Floyd

Hare – Marnie Carr

Emma Matthews as Vixen Sharp-Ears

 

I don’t see why this was sung in English. The Royal Opera House, perhaps, perceives Czech as a language so obscure that no-one would ever wish to hear an opera sung in this tongue and so we have a translation into a language, English, which sounds nothing like the original. Janáček’s setting of his own language is legendary in its expertise – and surtitles are ever-available these days (as they were, indeed here, in a celebration of the Royal Opera House’s confidence in its own singers’ diction). Acceptable though the translation was (Yvetta Graff and Robert Jones, adapted by Sir Simon Rattle), it still sounded just wrong. I hate to take issue with such a great proponent of Janáček’s music as the conductor, Sir Charles Mackerras, but I for one would have infinitely preferred to revel in the glories of the Czech language. I don’t understand, either, why they elected to begin the performance at 8pm, making for a 1015pm finish when one included the (surely unnecessary) interval.

There was a last-minute cancellation, too, which led to some rejigging of the intended cast. Jette Parker Young British Artist Elisabeth Meister replaced an unwell Emma Bell (appendicitis) in the role of the Fox. Meister was billed as the Rooster and the Jay, whose roles were in turn taken by Deborah Peake-Jones. The resultant performance, while by no means a life-changing event, was given its excellence by the marvellous Mackerras, whose grasp of every sonority, of every line of the orchestral score was beyond complaint. Perhaps only the very end of the opera, with its final crescendo somewhat underwhelming, was disappointing. A pity, as earlier in the Third Act, Mackerras managed to generate tremendous drama; his way with the music’s wit was, similarly, astonishing. This was, in fact, Mackerras’ first Vixen with the Royal Opera.

The production is that by Bill Bryden (first seen in 1990). The idea of animal masks on singing humans seemed to link the whole experience with the musical The Lion King, except that Janáček’s music is, of course, in a completely different league. There is much magic here, as well as much imagination. We easily enter into this fairy-tale world, a world laden with messages that transcend any hint of this being an opera for children. A great wheel represents the turning of the seasons. Figures fly through the air in visual spectaculars.

Christopher Maltman underlined his high-standing reputation in today’s singing pantheon by delivering a tremendous Forester whose character grew tremendously and inexorably during the course of the evening. His Vixen was Emma Matthews. Her voice was, unfortunately, a little small for the ROH (she was drowned out on several occasions), but there is no doubting her intelligence or her musicality. Her impassioned singing in the second act was by far her brightest contribution. Emma Meister stepped up to the mark beautifully as the Fox. A shame Matthew Rose’s Poacher (Harašta) sounded distinctly jaded at the opening of the final act. Robin Leggate was excellent as Schoolmaster and Mosquito.

There is no doubting the entertainment value of this Vixen; neither is there any doubting Mackerras’ peerless knowledge of the score. He inspired the ROH orchestra to great things. Just a pity the slightly uneven casting led to a somewhat bumpy ride.

Colin Clarke

Picture © Johan Persson