Joe Fuller: Opera At Theatre Royal

Ellen Kent brings Carmen & Die Fledermaus to the centre of the city

Last month I mentioned that there was a wealth of high-quality, affordable classical music on offer in and around Brighton, and Ellen Kent’s opera productions certainly fit the bill. Kent has brought her touring performances to the UK and Ireland for over 24 years, playing venues where it might be the only opera staged all year. As you might have gathered, I love concerts and events that battle against esotericism, elitism and the potential barrier of income when it comes to classical music.
I’ve seen Kent present Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Verdi’s Rigoletto myself at the Theatre Royal and they were funny, moving and powerful productions. Her operas work both as a vibrant staging in their own right (including a Ralph Steadman-illustrated stage curtain last year for example), with top singing that the experienced can assess, and also as a perfect introduction for those that might not be able to afford places like the Royal Opera House and Glyndebourne. (These places are stunning however and standing tickets are often cheaper than you might think.)
Bizet’s Carmen is one of the most popular operas of all time, and you will have probably heard the famous “Habanera” aria before. Familiarity doesn’t blunt the piece though, in fact it’s all very sexy, with memorable and boisterous tunes. It scandalised initial audiences (what fun stuff didn’t in its day?) but drew praise from titans such as Wagner, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and even Nietzsche. Read a bit about his Apollonian and Dionysian theory of aestheticism if you want to impress your opera partner.

Nadezhda Stoianova will be singing Carmen whereas Maria Tonina and Alyona Kistenyova will be singing Michaela. Last year I thought that Tonina had a fluttering melodic grace about her and sounded like a “divine musical saw”, so this is a great opportunity to hear some beautiful operatic singing in the centre of town.
Die Fledermaus by Johan Strauss II (or Strauss the Younger if you prefer your titles more Blackadderian) also features bright, gleaming tunes to get swept up in. This lavish production is set in late 19th century Vienna and is based on Herbert von Karajan’s famous version, with snatches of spoken dialogue. We are also promised some surprising moments such as champagne fountains and mystery guest stars so there should be something for everybody. Any fans of farcical mistaken identity and infidelity in their stories should find much to enjoy here.
I’ve had a few discussions with people about opera recently, and one topic that came up is subtitles. These performances have what is known in opera as surtitles above the stage, and I consider them essential for people to understand what’s going on. Some might consider them distracting, but I personally like to see things for the first time unspoiled by too many plot points. So you can stroll in to the Theatre Royal and be gloriously entertained without feeling like you need to school up beforehand.
Die Fledermaus, Tuesday 6 October & Carmen, Wednesday 7 October 7.45pm, Theatre Royal Brighton, tickets from £17.50, www.atgtickets.com