However I saw the opening night of the Opera Shots on 8 April, produced by ROH2 in the Linbury Studio Theater at the Royal Opera House. It was a program of two one act operas, an adaptation of The Tell-Tale Heart and The Doctor's Tale. I left feeling uplifted and quite joyous, but I think it has more to do with the more successful second piece, The Doctor's Tale, rather than the evening as a whole. The performances and direction, the production value, as seems consistent with all the new operas I have reviewed recently, were fantastic. Producers understand the need to make good theater with opera, very excited and creative things happening in London! There was also a wonderful use of video to compliment both productions.Musically, as is more the subject of the blog, it was a more accessible evening than I have recently seen as well. That is not always a good thing... but I digress.
Stuart Copeland's The Tell-Tale Heart was the more disappointing work, I think its failure is more along the lines of its subject. To adapt a story by Edgar Allen Poe and not give it more depth than it has was a mistake. Poe tells a story incredibly well, but, even though they are engrossing, have no greater depth. (i.e. more manner than substance) I am afraid this rather spunky and energetic adaptation adds nothing of great significance besides a yet further obsessive quality of the music on top of the obsessive quality of the story. The libretto is quite fun and when it could be heard over the pounding of the orchestra was quite good. The piece just does not contain any substance, therefore no power to stay with us as we leave. No impact upon our lives as an audience, and if we take the time to make an opera, why not try to make that impression? Otherwise it is a diversion in the same vein as musical theater. The music pounded its point home, the actor/singer/narrator (Poe) was a wonderful invention and convincingly done by Richard Suart, but there was no depth, or back-story that came from the music, or the libretto to make us care or enrich the story. Funny that in the director's note he mentions Freud and Jung and how Poe lived prior to their research... but what stops us from including that now? Making it deeper than the source material actually is? Because ultimately all the elements for success were there for the piece, fun music, a good libretto, fine performers, but it just lacked depth.
The Doctor's Tale was a delight, and although perhaps a more frivolous subject had more substance than any of the new operas in London this season. The music by Ann Dudley, while following mostly conventional forms and uses memorable tunes, is beautiful, inventive and fun. It tells the story in a wonderful whimsical way that adds depth to the characters and really pulls us into a rather incredulous story about a dog who is a very good doctor and all the trouble that comes his way for practicing medicine. The libretto by Terry Jones, who also directed, was extremely fun and witty, He understood the form well and was very musical adding to its form and gaiety. The words were understandable (congrats singers!) and the jokes well set by Ms Dudley and not over done so they landed upon the audience with enough time for them to understand and laugh. Including the wonderfully fun lament "Put Down" and of course the gag with the telephone call, hilarious! Even though the piece was not about anything important it has such joy, that its subject, although nonsensical, suffuses us with it and satisfies us and gives us something to take home. It has more substance than that of A Dogs Heart and Anna Nicole combined. It was told in a skillful way by librettist and composer to increase that joy and communicate it in a way that was also pleasing. Leaving the theater I felt lighter and smiled easily and when I think about the performance, I feel that way again. http://www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pid=15108
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