Hamlet

When I said I was going to see a new opera of Hamlet a friend remarked that no doubt it would be challenging. I replied “I like challenge, let’s face it, if we were to avoid challenge we would all still be reading Enid Blyton”. In truth it was inspired, musically at times challenging but more challenging for the amazing cast than for me the audience. I simply loved the construction of the story, in fact I found it to be a clearer and cleaner telling of the tale than many theatre productions I have seen. Brett Dean’s score is magical, the use of extraordinary percussion, placing that and voices throughout the space is at times haunting and at times gives the feeling that you are inside Hamlet’s head, the rattling and buzzing tinnitus of a disturbed mind. David Butt Philip is extraordinary in the eponymous role, fragile and yet powerful. Rupert Charlesworth is marvellous as Laertes, darkly loyal and fierce in his anger. The entire company of course come up to the usual and expected standard of a Glyndebourne production, whether it is in the festival or the tour but on this occasion the entire performance was blessed with an extraordinary performance from Jennifer France who as Ophelia gave her all, particularly in the mad scene. Here she was the perfect display of the fact that in the modern world of opera it is simply not enough to be a gifted singer, you need to be a gifted actor too – she is both, holding the audience in rapt awe as she gave what was clearly a five star performance.

Glyndebourne

21 October

Andrew Kay

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