Review: Slightly raunchy comedy a fan hit

-Festival Opera - Donizetti's Elixir of Love,

Sung in Italian with English subtitles

Directed by Jos Aparicio.

Napier Municipal Theatre,

Tuesday, February 17

Reviewed by Peter Williams

Two years ago I attended the outstanding production in Hastings of Mozart's Cose fan tutte directed by Jose Aparicio.

His production of The Marriage of Figaro for last year's Art Deco celebrations I missed, being out of town, but it apparently was a riotous success - so I knew what a great night's entertainment the large audience - many dressed in Art Deco finery - could expect.

Aparicio was not only the conductor, but also director and set designer, so his highly skilled hand was on every part of the production. A real triumph, with the attention of the audience held from start to finish, and a rapturous response at the end.

Donizetti's slightly raunchy comedy is a romp from start to finish. Set in the Basque area of Spain, it is a typical comic opera with just enough story on which to hang the music. Here the setting was changed here to rooms in the Masonic Hotel in Art Deco Napier, and the foyer with a rolling sea background.

The story is of a love triangle between the peasant Nemorino and the land owner Adina, (changed to the hotel bell-boy in love with the hotel owner), with an army sergeant Belcore, a love potion from a quack doctor, a ludicrous marriage arrangement, and an unexpected inheritance, all in the mix.

Strong leads headed the cast in both acting and singing. Armenian soprano Hasmik Torosyan, as Adina, used her sparkling voice brilliantly in the coloratura passages, matched perfectly by Spanish tenor Miguel Angel Lobato, as Nemorino, whose flexible, rich toned voice was used to full effect. South African Dawid Kimberg, as Belcore, combined the comic and pompous aspects of his part expertly with his powerful bass voice, while New Zealand-Samoan Joel Amosa, with his rich bass-baritone, was excellent in all the comic aspects of his role as the quack doctor.

New Zealand-based soprano Milla Dickens, as Adina's friend Gianetta, acquitted herself extremely well as she shared gossip with female hotel staff.

The large chorus of adult singers and the teenagers from the innovative Project Prima Volta, had a large part to play, with their sparkling singing, lively movement and some stunning dance routines a real feature of the production.

Accompaniment from the 36-piece orchestra was an integral part of the production with its solo contributions and well balanced support of all the action on stage.

Opera is the complete music and dramatic form, involving many more back stage than can be mentioned here - in lighting, set building costume design and the like - all appreciated for their part in this outstanding production.

-Don't miss the final two performances: 5pm (free talk at 4pm) today and 7pm Saturday.