The Fairy Queen

Anyone who uses the cliche ‘less is more’ has quite clearly never seen the Glyndebourne production of The Fairy Queen. Jonathan Kent’s vision dispenses with any idea that logic will prevail, and in mixing the references, period and form, he manages to make an exhilarating whole. Setting the piece in a room which is an expanding cabinet of curiosities gives full rein to fantasy and to fun as well as finesse. As a work this is in itself a cabinet of curiosities. The finesse is delivered with fine soloists and the fabulous Glyndebourne chorus as well as the precise and vivacious playing of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under the direction of Laurence Cummings. They fairly rip along when required and play with purity and restraint too.

The form, part opera, part play, part masque, may seem strange to a modern audience – plays within plays, ballets, bonking bunnies, fairies, demons, gods… all pulled together, despite the disparity, to make what has to be some of the most engaging theatre for many a year. Purcell’s music is a delight and the clusters of songs that frame the play are very fine, filled with both humour and pain. The rude mechanicals are appropriately ‘rude’, Oberon and Titania fruitlily fabulous and Puck menacingly mischievous one moment, innocent and sweet the next. Throwing together so much could be a disaster but Kent, Cummings, designer Paul Brown and choreographer Kim Brandstrup have baked a rich, dark fruitcake of a production that has the audience delighted from beginning to end.

Glyndebourne, 28 July 2012

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