Ariadne auf Naxos

Richard Strauss was surely playing when he wrote this, a rich man toying with artists, setting high art against low and poking fun at the whimsical world of patronage. In this new Glyndebourne production director Katharina Thoma shifts the whole to Britain in WWII, pitting the composer against the dance master and his ENSA troupe. It’s a reasonable conceit but not that exciting. Then after the half we discover that rather than seeing the juxtaposition of the two in their performance the whole is now set in the same house after requisition as a hospital, and here the parties play out their personal stories of degradation and despair – somewhat baffling and were it not for some fine singing and excellent playing not altogether successful.

Thomas Allen and William Relton are in fine voice, Laura Claycomb too as the feisty Zerbinetta and the nymphs turned nurse sing with an elegance and precision that is breathtaking. But it is Kate Lindsey who steals the evening as the composer. Her twitchily anxious character succinctly portrays the frustrations of a creative mind being messed with and she sings the role with soaring clarity throughout, even when she has been condemned to the dismal director’s ward.

Oddly for Glyndebourne, the supposedly interesting setting, and a rather unspectacular set, have to be put to the back of ones’ mind and the singing allowed to take centre stage if you are to fully enjoy this new production. Thank god then that the singing is of such a high standard.

Glyndebourne, 18 May 2013

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