The Stage

Admeto, re di Tessaglia

Published Friday 4 September 2009 at 12:10 by William McEvoy

Gottlingen International Handel Festival’s production of Handel’s complex opera of divided love is directed by Doris Dorrie with great panache and inventiveness, even if some of her choices seem purposely parodic or mocking of the genre.

Visually splendid, with beautiful and vivid light washes, evocative scenes in woods and striking dancers performing the roles of deer like sylvan spirits, the production is a feast for the eye. But young men playing sheep, despite the humour this adds, look out of place and Hercules padded as a sumo wrestler is simply juvenile. A further irritant is the presence throughout of solo dancer Tadashi Endo, who is like an intruder from another production, wandering on stage, loping about and generally looking out of place.

The real star of the show though is the uniformly brilliant singing from all the principals. Counter tenor Tim Mead is in impressive voice as Admeto, the king torn between his love for Alceste (Marie Arnet) and Antigona (Kirsten Blaise), both of whom sing with precision and clarity.

In spite of his ridiculous costume, William Berger delivers the part of Ercole (Hercules) beautifully and the other singers offer excellent support. What is particularly impressive is the singers’ ability to perform, to act, to lie down, as they create those beautiful sounds with their voices.

And Handel’s music, already captivating, is performed superbly and with unerring precision by the Festspiel/Orchester Gottinggen, conducted by Nicholas McGegan.