Empire Theatre, Eden Court, 14 November 2007

Left to right - Thomas Oliemans, Adrian Dwyer, Karin Thyselius, Karen Cargill and Nicholas Folwell (photo Tas Kyprianou)

YOU MAY not think you like opera. You may think it is only for the poncy and the rich. Think again. In the interval of Rossini’s “Il barbiere di Siviglia”, I struck up a conversation with two Invernessian ladies, the elder of whom was a sprightly 91; this was their first ever experience of opera and they were loving every minute of it. So much so, they were already planning to come back and see more.

Just one example of how Scottish Opera is triumphantly succeeding in its mission to demystify opera, strip off the elitist tag and take it to new audiences everywhere. Their productions combine musical excellence with fun, zip, verve, brio, elan – call it what you will, it is evident from the first note that this is a company which loves what it does and, crucially, wants to share that enjoyment with their audience.

In other words, it’s high culture but it’s also great craic, demonstrating why Scotland, and the world, needs this particular, Scottish, opera company.

To achieve this, Sir Thomas Allen, opera star turned director, had chosen his singers well; not only were their voices terrific, but they could all act individually and, crucially, in ensemble; without this opera can, and too often does, turn into a succession of cardboard cutouts with audio effects.

Arbroath-born Karen Cargill, as heroine Rosina, is gifted with one of the loveliest voices you could ever hope to hear, warm and true, with a clear coloratura which paired well with the equally clear, unstrained tenor of Australian Adrian Dwyer, playing her suitor Count Almaviva.

If you don’t know the story, the Count’s attempts to woo Rosina are alternately frustrated by her guardian Dr Bartolo (Nicholas Folwell), who wants to marry her himself, and aided by the eponymous Figaro (Dutch singer Thomas Oliemans, making his UK operatic debut).

Some productions render this as panto or farce, but Allen’s more naturalistic, believable treatment worked brilliantly. Sung in the original Italian, the twists and turns of the plot were elucidated by surtitles and the expressive acting.

The staging was masterful, particularly in the big closing numbers to each act, where the chorus flung themselves into chairs, climbed on tables, draped themselves on the balcony staircase, stood on stilts or even began to juggle, to create a gloriously animated three dimensional tableau.

Throughtout the evening countless playful touches –  including a nun bicycling across the stage – were thrown artfully into the mix until the show resembled a big, rich, plum pudding, a delicious pre-Christmas treat for the Highlands; the audience polished off every crumb and applauded till their arms could take no more.

This was my first outing to the newly refurbished Eden Court – it is a triumph both front of house and behind the curtain, a building which now welcomes audience and performers alike. The main auditorium, never my favourite space, felt warmer, curvier, more comfortable, and the stage seemed much less remote.

It would be hard to find a better production than “Il barbiere” to illustrate exactly why the refurbishment represents money well spent.

Having enjoyed some of the stripped down productions that Scottish Opera and Eden Court in Exile have managed valiantly to tour round small Highland venues these past two years, it was a revelation to see the real thing with all the trimmings – everything from a full chorus and a beautifully designed set (Simon Higlett) with scenery disappearing into the flies to a proper orchestra and conductor (Derek Clark) in the orchestra pit.

Eden Court’s fancy new lighting rig was put through its paces by some wonderfully atmospheric designs by Mark Jonathan. It’s a cause for major celebration that at long last audiences in the Highlands will not have to make the long trek south to experience artistic productions at the very highest international standard

And “Il barbiere” was emphatically of that standard. If it is important for Scotland to win Olympic gold medals, it must be just as important for her to be represented by top quality national arts companies.

Let us hope that Minister for Culture Linda Fabiani will put her money where her mouth was in her address to the Scottish Parliament last week (see link below) and give Scottish opera enough funding to make redundant the eight pages of the programme thanking private donors for their essential help in funding the current season. Scotland deserves a properly funded Scottish Opera  – because we’re worth it.

(Scottish Opera perform Il barbiere di Siviglia again on 16 November at Eden Court, and Mozart’s Seraglio on 17 November)

© Jennie Macfie, 2007

Links

• Eden Court Theatre
• Scottish Opera
• Linda Fabiani’s address on Creative Scotland and Cultural Policy (scroll down document)