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The Review - MUSIC - classical & jazz with TONY KIELY
Published: 15 November 2007

Aida love triangle in great shape

REVIEW
Aida
Colloseum

THE star of this sumptuous new Aida production at ENO is Zandra Rhodes, who has created a feast of ancient Egyptian colour for the eye, with ravishing women’s costumes and rich, gold-embellished robes for the men, brilliantly lit by Bruno Poet.
Massive sliding pyramid-shaped flats open up to give us superb stage pictures for the great triumphal scenes, with impressive onstage trumpeters, and cartwheeling acrobats and dancers (choreographed by Jonathan Lunn). They close to create intimate spaces in which the love triangle at the heart of the story is played out.
Director Jo Davies handles the great crowd scenes skilfully, but is less convincing with the dramatic nuances of the solos and duets of the four leading characters who are tearing each other apart in a web of frustrated love, suffering and national pride.
The most satisfying performances came from John Hudson as Radames and Brindley Sherratt’s Ramfis. Hudson cuts a convincing figure, singing with burnished Italianate tone and thrilling, expansive top notes, giving a formidable account of that cruel opening aria. Sherratt is in his metier, with a true Verdi bass.
Claire Rutter as Aida gives a fine performance, beautifully secure in the soft, high-lying phrases. Her voice has the warm quality needed, but she lacks breadth of tone and emotion.
American Jane Dutton as Princess Amneris lacks real voluptuous mezzo richness. Iain Paterson is an energetic Amonasro and veteran Gwynne Howell is the Pharaoh.
Aside from a few ragged edges in ensemble, and in the soft passages, conductor Edward Gardner draws some splendid singing and playing from the ENO Orchestra and Chorus, rising magnificently to the great climaxes.
HELEN LAWRENCE

• Aida is at the London Colliseum on November 8, 10, 13, 16, 22, 24, 27, 29 and December 4 and 7. There will also be a sign-language performance on November 16 at 5.30pm.
Call 0870 145 0200 or visit www.eno.org

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