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Thais

Published Monday 2 July 2007 at 11:20 by George Hall

Massenet’s opera of the clash of sex and religion returns to Covent Garden for the first time in 80 years, though sadly only in a couple of concert performances.

As Grange Park showed last year, it’s well worth staging. But there’s a lot to enjoy, even if the ironic tale of the fanatical fourth-century monk who converts a courtesan to Christ, falling in love with her in the process, then losing her to an ecstatic death, needs a slap-up production to make its impact.

Andrew Davis’ conducting is too circumspect, missing out on the frank hedonism and both the emotional and spiritual extremism of the score.

Renee Fleming delights her fans in the title-role. It shows her at her best, with impeccable tone, easy vocal command and some long, liquid lines. Yet there’s a dramatic limitation; she’s only halfway there in her exploration of the character and text. But she looks a dream.

Standing in for Thomas Hampson, Simone Alberghini is disappointing as Athanael. His voice is monochrome and he never suggests the demeanour of this screwed-up religious fanatic.

The evening’s finest performance comes from Joseph Calleja as Nicias. It’s not a long role but he makes it a star turn with immaculate singing and a fine suggestion of the wealthy young playboy who just wants to have fun.

Robert Lloyd is in tepid voice as Palemon, leader of Athanael’s desert-dwelling religious sect, and it’s a lukewarm evening as a whole, although along the right lines.

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