The latest treasure to be given a southern hemisphere premiere by Pinchgut Opera is Vivaldi’s BAJAZET. Conductor Erin Helyard maintains momentum throughout this lengthy opera written in 1735 with his precise energy, and detailed gestures.
From a time before copyright and performing right laws, this pastiche, or ‘pasticcio’ opera has popular borrowed arias of the time inserted in between Vivaldi’s own music.
Pinchgut Opera’s accomplished early music cast embellish repeats in the large aria structures with fine ornamentation as they sing Giacomelli, Hasse, Broschi as well as Vivaldi’s music from previous works.
One of the most rewarding innovations of this production is its complete transformation of the regular City Recital Hall stage appearance. The set skews to the left rather than facing us straight on, with several layers and choices for entrances and exits in its design. Extremely well-directed action uses the space well during arias and recitatives, ensuring they are never static.
This story spans the course from a Turkish battle through time to an era of white drawing rooms, gramophones, glass cases, servants in long black gowns and men of title sporting riding boots and jodhpurs. The dark heart of the lascivious victor, Tamerlano, contrasts with such hues, as he mistreats the defeated royal family of the Ottoman Empire and even others allied to him.
The treatment of defeated prisoner Bajazet, his daughter, Asteria and their people is depicted on stage during the three movements of the orchestra’s opening Sinfonia, setting the calibre of acting to come.
Arguably the worst treated character in this story of punishment is Princess Irene. Once promised to marry Tamerlano, she is now replaced by the recent slave Asteria, whose youth has smitten Tamerlano.
Mezzo-soprano Helen Sherman delivers the pasticcio’s most famous aria of the despised bride, ‘Sposa son disprezzata’, from Giacomelli’s opera ‘Merope’. She sings with great control and well-structured levels of nuance.
Sara Macliver delights us in the role of Idaspe, friend to Tamerlano’s Greek ally, Prince Andronico. Andronico is the ally to whom Tamerlano now offloads the unwanted Irene as a spouse.
Macliver develops the layers of Idaspe’s character with dramatic skill and expressive, economical movement. Her early aria ‘Nasce rosa lusinghiera’, from another Vivaldi opera, is beautifully sung wisdom regarding fading physical beauty, with a measured use of rose props.
Countertenor Russell Harcourt plays Andronico, former lover of Asteria, with convincing poise. He is the most impressive amongst the entire cast with his ability to shape the complex filigree of vocal lines whilst always maintaining solid vocal projection.
Harcourt’s Act Two aria from a Hasse opera, ‘La sorte mia spietata’, which laments the loss of angry Asteria’s love, is just one example of his vocal and dramatic focus.
Baritone Hadleigh Adams brings a full tone and strong but defeated physicality to the stage as the prisoner Bajazet. He blends well with other cast members, as in the quartet ‘Si Crudel! Questo è l’amore’ which outlines conflicts between enemies at the end to the Act Two.
Emily Edmonds employs a diverse range of posturing, expression and gutsy anguish as Asteria, Tamerlano’s latest plaything and Bajazet’s daughter.
She is a fine ensemble actress on this stage. Her soprano arias are full of stamina and great range. These climax in her final scene’s outburst, ‘Svena, uccidi, abbati, attera’, in which she challenges Tamerlano’s power play, and resigns herself to more slavery.
Tamerlano is presented in a superb, skin-crawling characterisation by Christopher Lowrey.
Lowrey also triumphs on stage with the fluidity of his well-phrased countertenor voice. Recitative detail alone shimmers effortlessly, well synchronised with stage movements.
His furious Act Three aria towards Asteria, ‘Barbaro traditor’ soars exquisitely above the clear accompaniment. Like all cast members in this spectacle, Lowrey exploits for our enjoyment the extremities of emotion as written by Vivaldi and his contemporaries.
Pinchgut Opera’s production of BEJAZET continues at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place until Wednesday July 8.
Pinchgut Opera’s official website is http://pinchgutopera.com.au