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Admittedly the words ‘opera’ and ‘new-music’ are enough to scare off the best of us. The potential for pretence, fat ladies, warbling, and a show that drags on for about as long as it would take to write the essay that’s due first thing tomorrow, seems all too great. But this performance proved that opera doesn't always live up to its preconceptions. It was wacky and playful without dumbing down the story’s dark surrealism, and stunningly virtuosic without being at all pretentious. The opera was commissioned to appeal to children, although quite how a ten year old is supposed to sit still through the full 2 hours and 50 minutes I’m not quite sure...
The story collides with your unconscious in a fertile way, and just demands to be made musical.
‘Make me, make me!’ – The enchantment of this story evidently captured composer Jonathan Dove’s imagination just as it did Gepetto’s when a Pinocchio’s voice cried out to him from a log on his worktop. With its fairy-tale concept and bizarre twists and turns it’s a wonder that Dove was the first to spot this operatic gem. Comic characterisation, a magnificent set, first class acting, a witty score and special effects make this show a feast for the senses.
Jonathan Dove and Alasdair Middleton’s creation is based on Carlo Collodi’s original book and captures the dark soul of the work that Disney largely bypassed. In a surreal world in which characters seem to die and come back to life at will, Pinocchio (Victoria Simmonds) embarks on treacherous journey, and after burning his feet, being conned and hanged by assassins, losing all his money, sampling the not-so-delightful delights of ‘Funland’ and being swallowed by a monster fish he finally learns that life’s not all fun and games, and, yes, becomes ‘a real boy!’
The set, costumes and special effects alone would probably have been enough to keep you entertained for a good hour or two, and made me feel more like I was in the West End than 20 minutes away from home. A wooden box formed the constant backdrop serving multiple purposes like Gepetto’s workshop and the home of the blue fairy as well as being a constant reminder of Pinocchio’s frustration and desire to break out of his wooden frame and become ‘real’.
‘Brrrrrrrr, tick, tick, tick!’ – the stratospheric shrieks of Jiminy Cricket who acts as Pinocchio’s conscience, and one of many of the opera’s wacky characters, the music, gestures and striking costumes of each one brilliantly capturing their spirit. Victoria Simmonds was brilliantly stubborn boyish and awkward, Jiminy Cricket sharp, funny and strickingly virtuosic, the sly fox and cat twosome were sinister and the blue fairy was radiant and had by far the most amazing pair of fairy wings I’ve ever seen. But my favourite has to be the completely random and hilarious Ape-Judge who descended onto the stage from time to time swinging his knuckles to the beat of the bass drum, furry sideburns flailing.
Middleton’s libretto is modest and allows the dark warnings about greed, deceit, and dishonesty to speak for themselves, and you engage with the show on as playful or as soul-searching a level as you choose. Dove’s skilful setting of Middleton’s text that obeys the nuances and subtleties of each word and phrase meant that the text always came across crystal clear and allowed you to absorb the touching music that illustrates the depth of Collodi’s story.
The show boasts a full symphony orchestra in its pit that brought the piece to life. Sparse and unusual combinations of instruments like Xylophone and Double Bass were pitched against the full orchestral potential, and when on occasion the orchestra joined together with a stage full of opera singers belting the effect was really quite scary!
For me, the success of this production is down to the balance achieved between the supernatural drama and virtuosity of the classics and something much fresher. The work neither lacks the drama or magical fantasy of the operatic classics, nor suffers from the heavy melodrama that can make opera tiresome. And the charming old-world-y theatrical concept with corsets a plenty you definitely won’t feel cheated out of a bit of extravagance or a bosom (or twenty). This opera takes ‘new music’ in a direction that allows wit, theatrical drama, depth and a good amount of silliness to flourish, without the hollow cerebral pretence that modern classical music can sometimes be tarnished with.
Opera North, one of the country’s finest, multi award winning opera companies is right on our doorstep, and is committed to challenging preconceptions of opera. They’re even making it cheaper for us students by offering deals like a tenner for a ticket and two free drinks, or a fiver on the day, promising to give you the best possible seats – a luxury which would have cost you a small fortune in days gone by. And of course, with your fill of culture for the month you can enjoy an inebriated night out in Leeds guiltlessly...
The Adventures of Pinocchio, by Jonathan Dove (music) and Alisdair Middleton (libretto) is now touring: 5th Feb Nottingham, 12th Feb The Lowry, Manchester, 19th Feb Belfast, 26th Feb Sadlers Wells, London, 4th March Newcastle, and all of those shows have student deals too. Next season includes new productions of Shakespeare's Macbeth (Verdi), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Britten) and Romeo and Juliette (Gounod). Tickets are £7.50 for best available seats for students. For more information check out Opera North's mini-site.
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