Overall, it’s a good review of the Southern Hemisphere premiere of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s marvelous “Moby-Dick.” But, admittedly, the reviewer lost me in the final moments with the comment that “It is questionable whether this plot provides all that a modern opera needs to tell a compelling story which gives hope and means of neutralising the stiffening grip of desire.”
What…are you kidding me?
On the whole, wouldn’t it be better for the opera to remain true to its brutally honest 19th century source material than to worry about giving contemporary audiences “hope and means of neutralising the stiffening grip of desire”? This is the Australian continent, for pity’s sake! This is not an audience that needs to have its meat sweetened and pre-chewed!
Read it all right here.
UPDATE: The revival received a far less puzzling review from Ewart Shaw at adelaidenow.com…check it out here.
UPDATE 2: And this glowing review from Arts Editor Barry Lenny at “Glam Adelaide.”
Suzanne Calvin, Manager/Director Media & PR