The Carnival – A Circus Opera

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect at a “Circus Opera” and my experience with Carnival left me a bit bemused. The venue was a Prahran night club. We waited over an hour for the show to start and found there were two thirty minute halves with a forty minute interval. The venue wanted to make sure of plenty of sales.

But the venue was full and the audience did quieten for the show. We were given a synopsis, but it didn’t help understand what was happening. Partly this was due to the inadequate sound system, and partly the decision to feature a soprano. Words are difficult to understand in a high register.

The all female cast featured a pianist, violinist, soprano and four circus acrobats. The acrobats/contortionists were superb. Operating solo or in pairs, they would strike different poses while suspended on strips of silk from the ceiling, or balancing on a chair. One incorporated a strip-tease and there was a fire-eater. Their strength and flexibility was amazing and the audience was impressed.

The violinist and pianist were excellent and the music very accessible. The soprano had a beautiful voice when singing softly, but tended to stridency on loud passages. The lyrics, those I could hear, were repetitive and I couldn’t follow any plot that may have existed. Having her sing while the acrobats were performing exacerbated the problem as the audience warmly acknowledged the extreme poses.

It was a frustrating, but entertaining evening. If I’d come expecting a circus rather than an opera I would have left fulfilled. There are three more performances on Friday nights in May.

Graham Ford

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