That the first night of Opera Holland Park’s Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball) went ahead at all was a small miracle, given the tenor lead, Rafael Rojas, was suffering from a chest infection, and that a replacement was found with only a few hours to spare.
In the event Rojas mimed the role of Gustavo, while the courageous David Rendall gamely sang from the pit. But two singers to one role caused negligible confusion, compared to certain elements of Martin Lloyd-Evans’s new production.
The character names swap between those of the opera’s Swedish and American versions (despite clearly being set in the USA), and the role of Oscar is de-trousered - a woman playing a woman (instead of a woman playing a man, although her character’s name oddly remains Oscar). The fortune-teller Ulrica has become the star of a reality TV show - cue a roving cameraman and boom operator - destroying the darkly atmospheric music of Act I, Scene II, and there’s a novel approach to chronology when the murderous Renato receives an invitation for that evening’s ball, while on the far side of the screen behind him, guests have been arriving for some time. But the broad setting within the White House, and Act II’s gallows scene - transferred to a rundown, hoodie-infested alley - hold some appeal.
Peter Robinson’s direction of the City of London Sinfonia is solid but unexciting, but David Rendall gives a remarkably assured performance given the circumstances. Olafur Sigurdarson as the loyal-turned-murderous Renato gives his all but occasionally sounds tired. The highlight of the production is Amanda Echalaz’s Amelia. Hers is a tangibly powerful voice, capable of wide-ranging emotions - something the production as a whole has a habit of smothering.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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