Classical and Jazz: Latest News > May 12
Published: 12 May, 2011
by SEBASTIAN TAYLOR
A RATHER strange story from the Book of Genesis known as “The Hospitality of Abraham” is the subject of a new one-hour, one-act opera called Clemency by James MacMillan at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Studio Theatre.
The story is about the visit of three mysterious strangers to the home of an aged couple, Abraham and Sarah, who offer them hospitality. It turns out the three men are on their way to reek vengeance on two towns for their crimes, notably injustice, xenophobia and lack of hospitality. Are they vigilantes? Are they angels sent by any angry God? Abraham and Sarah plead for clemency on behalf of the townspeople.
In James MacMillan’s hands, it’s an austere work, indeed almost a cantata for five voices rather than an opera. There’s vibrant support from an all-string orchestra, the Britten Sinfonia with two-dozen violins, violas, cellos and double basses. The five singers declaim over rhythmic strings driving the piece forward. Unfortunately, it was difficult to catch a single word, let alone sentences and arguments. So it was impossible to keep up development of the opera’s story-line without reference to the printed synopsis.
The fault can’t be due to the Linbury’s acoustics as you could hear just about every word in Terry Jones’s The Dog’s Tale at the same venue recently.
Equally, it’s most unlikely that each of the five singers has poor diction. So it’s sad to say that, greatly acclaimed though he is, James MacMillan may have to pay more attention to the balance of his compositions if he wants to get the words across.
• Clemency is at the Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House, tonight (Thursday) and Saturday. 7.45pm, from £10.20, 020 7304 4000, www.roh.org