Above: Warwick Fyfe as Sancho Panza with ensemble members. Featured image: Elena Maximova with cast as Dulcinea (La Belle Dulcinee). Photo credit: Prudence Upton

Massenet’s setting of the Don Quixote tale and legend brings to Sydney a new production for Opera Australia and a unique version of this popular story. Here, themes of the deluded ‘knight’ from La Mancha as an outsider and the fatal pains of love unrequited are brought to the fore in the place of excessive ridicule of the title character. The results are charming, elegant and atmospheric. This opera explores human emotion alongside the comedy.

Massenet’s lush subtlety is suitably realised in the singing of principals and ensemble alike. Conductor Guillaume Tourniaire and the Opera Australia Orchestra imbue even the comic and stranger moments of the legend with smooth lyricism and an exquisite musical clarity. Production values are high, with costuming, sets, lighting effects and group staging all contributing to an entertainment of great communicative success.

Consistent with previous productions in this Opera Australia season, quality choreography, this time by Tomás Dietz, repeatedly grabs the attention of the audience . As it complements the musical interpretation, this choreography ensures the visual impact is stunning.

This production element joins lavish, innovative costume and set design by Missy West and Ralph Funicello respectively as used by San Diego Opera for its 2009 production. Massenet’s elegant offering of episodes from a play inspired by Cervantes’ classic novel is beautifully lit to highlight the protagonists’ emotional struggles.

‘Tilting at windmills’ by the deluded ‘knight’ Don Quixote has rarely been depicted in such a beautiful manner on the stage. The death of this hapless hero is also as atmospheric as Massenet’s score thanks to evocative set design and serious, well-lit verismo vignettes, as designed by Chad R Jung.

As well as a believable and sensitive revealing of humanity, this version of the Quixote story still retains traditional aspects of the ridiculous and inimitable quirky comedy.  Moments of the persecution of atypical personalities are offset to a smaller degree than usual by comedy antics.

In the opening night production, the role of Don Quichotte was played in slick  caricature  by Shane Lowrencev. Moments of tender singing and an impressive dramatic range are required in this telling of the legendary tale and in the hands and voice of this performer are delivered with knife-edge contrast.

Lowrencev never faltered with such shifts. His defeated lovesick death scene followed jaunty comedy, being portrayed with measured gesture, utterance and control.  The beautiful cello solo accompaniment in this part of Act V is an elevated is an elevated expressive highlight.

As sidekick Sancho Panza, Warwick Fyfe is a comic timing expert
whose deft and unhurried performance always has effective interaction with the rest of the principals and cast.

This opera opens with a colourful depiction of Spain complete with exciting dance sequences. As the opera progresses, the languorous and party atmospheres continue featuring poignantly expressive dancing. Elena Maximova emerges from an excited crowd to prove herself in successive appearances to be an asset to this production in the role of La Belle Dulcinée.

This character  is a more refined version than the story’s original rougher diamond Dulcinea. Maximova’s capable acting, sultry vocal delivery, blatant nonchalance at her suitors and casual approach to life is quite a seamless realisation of the transformed Dulcinea.

Don Quichotte plays at the Dame Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House until March 28.