Opera Otago is this country’s oldest opera company, but the costs of producing a fully staged opera annually have become prohibitive and Covid cancelled its last attempt in 2021.
Local opera lovers must travel north or go online to indulge in their passion. However, the company continues to produce small operatic events and last weekend "Intimate Opera" at The Dunedin Club was a huge success.
Three operatic stars, all of whom received early tuition in Dunedin, returned to entertain, giving two outstanding performances in a warm, intimate venue (with excellent food and wine) at The Dunedin Club.
Prolonged applause, standing ovations and "bravos" rewarded tenor Stephen Chambers (Landestheater Detmold in Germany), soprano Rebecca Ryan (Oamaru) and baritone Robert Tucker (Blenheim) for their selected operatic arias and ensembles, brilliantly accompanied by pianist Tom McGrath.
Every aria was a highlight and ensembles were overlaid with camaraderie and supreme interpretation.
A well-balanced programme of 16 items began with Handel and Mozart. Ryan sang Handel’s Piangero la mia sorte, moving between tables, totally relaxed with a finely ornamented da capo.
Tucker’s delivery of Deh, Vieni Alla Finestra by Mozart was exquisite, as he walked among the tables making eye contact and proffering a rose. Supreme face and body language matched his every note and outstanding vocal technique.
The love duet with Ryan, C’est Une Chanson D’amour, by Offenbach, was divine, but equally interpretative was his drunken fury in Mozart’s Finch’han Dal Vino.
Humour characterised Ryan’s The Doll’s Song (Offenbach) with a fun moment when McGrath produced a key to rewind the clockwork as the doll "died".
Chambers revealed a bright tenor timbre in Donizetti’s Una Furtiva Lagrima, Va pour Kleinzach by Offenbach and the all-time favourite duet with Tucker — Au Fond Du Temple Saint.
Lehar, Korngold, Bizet, more Offenbach and finally the drinking song from Verdi’s La Traviata completed outstanding entertainment.
Encore, s’il vous plait!
Review by Elizabeth Bouman
