Nothing
Nothing is exactly what I have come to expect from Glyndebourne, by which I mean it is everything. This extraordinarily dark tale delivers an emotionally charged evening of fine singing and soul searching edge of the seat drama, it might be a youth project but it makes Lord of The Flies look like a Mr Men book. I have come to expect excellence form Glyndebourne’s Education Department and community projects, previous productions have been universally excellent but Nothing is a new peak. David Bruce’s score and Glyn Maxwell’s libretto are superb, and offer so many opportunities for the Youth Opera Chorus and soloists to shine, and shine they do. Giles Cadle’s pixelated set provides the perfect settings for each scene and is beautifully lit by Paule Constable. The Southbank Sinfonia are driven by Sian Edwards as they manoeuvre their way through the rich and contrasting textures of the score. The five professional principals are not only excellent singers but actors too, capturing the traumatic angst of teenagers so effectively and the Youth Chorus soloists are equally impressive. All in all Nothing is so much more than the sum of all its parts.
Glyndebourne
25 February
Andrew Kay
5 stars
Saw it last night and was breathless by the end. A perfect combination of music, singing and drama, performed by an exceptionally talented cast of young people. The story of Nothing packs a powerful emotional punch by itself, but combined with a wonderful score, some beautiful songs and arias it was elevated to another level. Bravo Glyndebourne!