My final instalment of opera this calendar year (which feels very sad to say...) was Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana at 9pm on 21st October. After an astonishing first half to the evening (see my previous review) I was sure to brace myself for something which didn't quite manage to top 'Pagliacci'. Needless to say, this very much did. And more.
Mascagni's beautiful and extremely emotional score explores so many themes in so much depth as it is, and Karolina Sofulak's direction adds an incredible new layer to the proceedings. Wide open spaces where a crucifix takes centre stage really plays on the idea that this is an opera which primarily explores emotional concepts. At times, the lack of definition between settings on stage was a little confusing, but as an audience member this facilitated questions about what was conceptual or imagined, and what was real - and so was actually quite effective. The setting, a struggling Polish town rather than Italy in this production, not only works well but draws out so many complexities and themes in the opera that might not have otherwise been apparent. All of this, plus Charles Edwards' standout lighting which creates luscious sepia tones and sunsets/sunrises so beautifully means that this was not only a breathtaking piece to listen to but also to see.
Giselle Allen was phenomenal as Santuzza, her religious mania seeping into her relationship with Turiddu in a captivating way, and Phillip Rhodes (in his second performance of the night, too) was also extremely impressive as Alfio, especially and oddly enough during the famous orchestral Intermezzo in which so much emotion was portrayed with not a note sung. Rosalind Plowright here was just the right amount of foreboding and struggling, adding real gravitas.
The music was, of course, played expertly by the orchestra of Opera North (as I've not come to expect) under Tobias Ringborg. One particularly notable moment in which music, singers and set combined to create something deeply affecting was the scene of the church service in which the set moved subtly to bring the crucifix to the centre, with Turiddu and Santuzza representing Jesus and the Mary Magdalene. It was not only beautifully played and sung but incredibly emotively acted.
If Pagliacci acted as an ingenious summary of Opera North's creativity, Cavalleria Rusticana was them saying 'right, now look what we can do'. And it worked beautifully. In fact, I'd go as far as to say I've never seen anything quite so involving and moving. Bravo.
★★★★★
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