Handel: Deidamia

Colourful interpretation of a lesser Handel
There has been some terrific work done in recent years in terms of critical editions, in the development and playing of period instruments and through inventive stage productions, all of which have gone some way to revive even the most obscure of Handel's operas and help restore the composer's reputation to the place it deserves. There was however a reason why Baroque opera seria went out of fashion, consigning all but a few of Handel's operas to obscurity for several hundred years. They can be frightfully dull. Even Handel, towards the end of career, moved away from the overly restrictive conventions of the form in preference for the oratorio, but even his late operas show a diminishing of interest and invention. Written in 1741, Handel's last opera, Deidamia only ran for three performances and it is not the most involving work by the composer in its subject or treatment. On the other hand, it's still Handel, and with a little involvement and invention, even the driest of Handel's...

Can "Opera Seria" Be Done Seriously?
Or the separate but related question: SHOULD Opera Seria be done seriously? It's a serious question. What's at stake is whether the Music is sufficient in itself, or whether three hours of Opera Seria must inevitably be, as Keris Nine declares, boring. Unless, that is, the listening mind is cleverly distracted from the music by zany stage business. The impresarios and stage directors of Deidamia at the Nederlandse Opera had no qualms about combining zaniness with "historically informed" musicianship. The zaniness isn't quite as convincing, for me at least, as the music. It's not clowning at the level of Cirque du Soleil; in fact it's rather corny stuff that draws chuckles mostly from its incongruity. The singing, on the other hand, is superb (with one slight exception) and the orchestra impeccable, causing me to wonder whether I wouldn't be just as happy with a concert performance or a set of CDs.

A lot of wit went into this staging. Ulysses arrives on the island of Scyros...

Clever and entertaining production, superb singing.
Here is a rare and exceptional example in which the director and costume designer amuse themselves with `silly' costumes, but it actually works. I usually loath the stupid concept of 'clever' producers' of dressing opera singers in an motley set of `modern' and bizarre costumes (mostly tasteless) to help the `stupid' spectators to understand the universality of the opera across time and place. However, in this particular production I enjoyed every moment of it. All my reservations withstanding, I found that the costumes have actually helped highlight the `buffa' aspects of this supposedly `siria' opera. This work may not be among Handel's greatest masterpieces, but the way it is presented and sung here makes it a thorough pleasure for the senses. Sally Mathews' performance is outstanding: both singing and acting are superb. Qudos also goes to Olga Pasichnyk and Silvia Tro Santafe. Ivor Bolton also did a fine job in introducing this forgotten opera to the the modern audience.

Click to Editorial Reviews