Suor Angelica

Suor Angelica
By Puccini. Harbour City Opera. Paddington Uniting Church. September 25 & 26, 2013.

It’s not very often that you’re privileged with the opportunity to sit within metres of (whathave to be) some of Australia’s finest voices. Harbour City Opera utilised the rustic and intimate setting of Paddington Uniting Church to let the story of Suor Angelica, a sister who has lived seven years in a convent without word from the family who banished her, thrive. Before seeing the show I was not familiar with Suor Angelica and so read a synopsis which, I admit, had me fearing the story was very flat and rather unexciting. However, this company more than ever proved to me that it’s all in the performance rather than in the story.

Andy Morton, the director, clearly had a great vision for this one act opera. His cast were incredibly tight and well-moved - particularly impressive as the show was only playing for two nights. This is also a credit to the musical director, Sharolyn Kimmorly.

The entire ensemble carried the opera with their spectacular voices, exuding professionalism. There were some stand-outs amongst the minor leading roles: Eva Kong as Suor Genevieve brought a playful and bright element into an otherwise sombre storyline. With a cheekiness and smile to die for, it was virtually impossible to take ones eyes away from Kong when she inhabited the stage. Adele Johnston bore an incredibly powerful voice that resonated strongly with her intimidating role as the Abbess.

Sarah Court as La zia Principessa was sensational, overpowering when she sang but blending perfectly in duet.

Always gripping the audience’s attentions was of course Suor Angelica herself, Sarah Ann Walker. Her ability to travel from optimism, to disappointment, to absolute anguish, demonstrated acting at its best. Her voice, unfaltering, transformed me into a quivering, goose-bumping mess during ‘Senza Mamma’. When I come to see further productions put on by Harbour City Opera, I will feel cheated if I do not get the opportunity to listen to and watch this superb talent again.

The church was a great choice of venue which allowed the audience to feel that they were in the story themselves, so close to the performers that their emotions could virtually be felt bouncing off them, and onto everybody else in the hall. No large opera house setting could possibly have produced the impact that I was overcome with throughout the entire performance on Thursday night.

The only real issue I held with the lay-out inside the hall was the positioning of the screens in relation to the audience. The stage was rectangular and occupied the middle of the room, with three blocks of chairs for the audience to sit around it. Though I was fortunate enough to sit front row in the block facing the front, I often looked over at audience members sitting to the side of the stage, who had to crane their necks to read the screens (and understand what was taking place in the opera), rather than watch the performers. However, this really is the only fault I can and will attribute to the show.

Sally Alrich-Smythe

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