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Chris Merritt as Tichon, and Janice Watson in the title role |
This atmospheric Russian revival goes down a storm
REVIEW: KATYA KABANOVA
Royal Opera House
IT is largely thanks to Sir Charles Mackerras’s passionate advocacy that Janacek eventually found a place in the international repertory.
He conducted the UK premiere of Katya Kabanova in 1951 at Sadler’s Wells, the first of the composer’s operas to be seen in Britain.
Trevor Nunn’s 1994 Covent Garden staging, controversial when it was first seen, has been revived several times.
Surprisingly, this is the first time Mackerras has conducted it there. His superb reading, always allowing space for the seething emotions to register, was given a great ovation at this revival
Janacek’s penetrating examination of the claustrophobia and sexual guilt of Russian provincial life is based on Ostrovsky’s original play The Storm.
The great gloomy all-purpose set designed by Maria Bjornson, lit by Patrizia Collins, provides the necessary atmosphere, relieved by the appearance of two fine horses for the husband’s fateful journey, and the staging of the storm itself.
The strength of the score is in the orchestral rather than the vocal writing, but it is strongly cast with every role, down to the smallest parts, effectively contributing to a splendid ensemble performance, rehearsed by Andrew Sinclair.
In the title role, Janice Watson convincingly conveys the character’s desperation and suffering as a neglected wife and tormented daughter-in-law. She sings expressively – her warm voice sometimes appropriately sharp- edged.
Kurt Streit sings well as her lover, Boris, and successfully suggests both his attractiveness and lack of moral fibre as he eventually leaves her to her despair. Felicity Palmer is thrillingly trumpet-voiced as the cruel, implacable mother-in-law Kabanicha – a superbly chilling portrayal.
Her downtrodden son, Katya’s husband Tichon, torn between a desire to respond to Katya and fear of his mother’s perpetual disapproval, is sympathetically drawn by Chris Merritt.
Linda Tuvas, and Toby Spence, Kazakhstani bass Oleg Bryjak, and Jeremy White all contribute memorably in supporting roles.
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