La Cenerentola

CitiOpera evolved from Melbourne City Opera, following a changing of the guard, but this was the first production I have encountered since. Things didn’t look too promising with the orchestra on the floor with the audience and a pocket-handkerchief stage.

Then the overture started and I was immediately impressed. Under artistic director Trevor Jones it was tight and in tune and there was a lovely sweep to the music. Then, when the opera started, I found I could hear all the voices, and the orchestra was never out of control, which can so easily happen without an orchestra pit.

And the production!

This was a magnificent, surreal, re-imagining of this opera. Set in the present day, with many characters taking selfies on their phones, there was a timelessness about the simple staging. The Prince, and his valet when impersonating him, wore a “Game of Thrones” T-shirt. Alidoro, the philosopher and former tutor of the Prince, was a cross-dresser in ugg boots and silver Warwick Capper shorts.

The ugly sisters were not made to look ugly. That came from their behaviour, but in the Palace scene they wore outrageous outfits made of cleaning gloves and balloons. Cinderella wore a gown with flashing lights. The chorus became the Palace Cleaning Detail, with mops in hand.

American Kristen Leich, now settled in Australia, was magnificent in the title role. A lovely warm mezzo, she easily coped with the fiendish coloratura, and the popular “Non Piu Mesta” at the end was a triumph. As her Prince, Henry Choo was undaunted by the high tessitura and demanding coloratura, and the two made an excellent couple.

The experienced Adrian McEniery dominated in the role of Don Magnifico while Michael Lampard was a strong Dandini, the Prince’s valet. Matthew Thomas was a nonchalant cross-dresser, without camping the role of Alidoro. Carolina Biasoli and Genevieve Dickson were excellent as the step-sisters.

The direction was excellent, with some entrances through the audience, and use made of an upstairs balcony, particularly for Alidoro to observe proceedings.

If you only go to one opera a year, make sure this is the one.

Graham Ford