BREMF – La liberazione di Ruggiero

This delightful event was billed as a ‘preview screening’ of BREMF’s ambitious film project: Francesca Caccini’s 1625  opera ‘La liberazione di Ruggiero’.  Of course the excellent performances would have been better appreciated in a proper cinema with a larger screen and flawless sound system but some indulgence is allowed as it was only a preview, not a grandiose première. I was happy to listen with extra care and to peer hard at the amusing sub-titles, although some of these were rather too long to catch at a glance. By some magic the film’s director Thomas Guthrie has managed to deliver a gratifying narrative from Ariosto’s barmy Baroque plot.

The black-&-white film, shot in the Belle Époque fantasy style of Georges Méliès, is an enchanting medium for this opera but made it difficult to locate the voices unless the singers were in close-up. The overlaid animations and antique special effects added to the charm, as did the 1920s silent film over-acting. The ardent Ruggiero (Kieran White – tenor) like an impassioned Valentino; the lust-driven Alcina (Angela Hicks – soprano) thrusting out a shapely leg or a menacing snarl; and a wildly over-enthusiastic dancing shepherd (Peter Martin – tenor) leavened the drama with Baroque humour. The distinctive voice of Bavarian mezzo-soprano Anna Bachleitner brought authority to the proceedings as she engineered the rescue of our infatuated young hero from his erotic peril.

La liberazione di Ruggiero

The music was of the highest standard appropriate to a BREMF production. Deborah Roberts drove along the singing and the splendid continuo ensemble at a brisk pace. The orchestral interludes were directed with grace from the violin by Oliver Webber. A special mention must be made of Kristiina Watt who sang to her own chitarrone playing.

Many of the cast and players are old hands at BREMF. Some are alumni of the BREMF Live! mentoring programme and we have witnessed their careers flourish over the years. This well-crafted and delightful production now gives us an enduring record of BREMF’s achievements.

St. George’s Church,
29 September 2022
Rating:
Andrew Connal