Il Trovatore

The West Australian Opera's Il Trovatore is a co-production with the State Opera of South Australia and Opera Queensland. Directed by the late Elke Neidhardt, this production is set during the Spanish Civil war of the 1930s rather than Verdi's original setting of the fifteenth century Spanish Civil War. The reimagining brings the story closer to our own experience, and perhaps even grittier than the very sad, demise heavy original.

Musically beautiful, the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Joseph Colaneri, plays superbly.

The show opens with the beautiful tones of David Parkin as Ferrando, soon joined by the gorgeously voiced male members of the West Australian Opera Chorus (led by Joseph Nolan) - the women are equally talented.  Ferrando provides some beautifully related exposition and we are immediately caught in the rather complex love triangle that is at the heart of Il Trovatore.

Jennifer Rowley is lovely as the heroine Leonora, with a captivating voice (Fiona Campbell plays her sweet companion). Brothers (unknown to them) and rivals (in many ways) Count di Luna and Manrico are played respectively by James Clayton and Rosario La Spina. They are worthy nemeses and deliver excellent performances. Audience favourite was Elizabeth Campbell, as Azucena, the mother (of sorts) of Manrico, in a wonderfully characterised and sung performance. Good support came from Mark Alderson and Matthew Lester.

Despite the setting of a crumbling town, worn out by war, the sets (by Michael Scott-Mitchell) and costuming (Judith Hoddinot) feel lavish and appropriately 'operatic". The movement of sets and transitions between scenes has an artwork of its own.

This is a beautifully finished, wonderfully performed production with a wonderful sense of story. It is well worth seeing.

Kimberley Shaw

Photographer: James Rogers