Reviews

Not being much of a lad for opera beyond having seen Puccini's La Boheme and recalling Gazza's tears in Turin, I came to the Ipswich Regent with an open mind. By the end of the 3 hour show it had been overheated in a swelteringly hot auditorium, but also filled with the realisation that the opera can be as gripping as anything on the telly or in the cinema.

Ellen Kent & Opera International have brought the former Soviet Union company over to the UK to perform Giuseppe Verdi's epic in Italian with English surtitles. Reading the translation is a bit odd at first when you're used to seeing them under the action on the TV or cinema screen. I think they kept them to a minimum so that you could get the hang of what was going on, because there seemed to be a lot more words being sung than appeared on the surtitle display hanging over the stage!

The story concerns a battle between Egyptian and Ethiopian princesses Amneris (Zarui Vardanean) and Aida (Galina Bernaz) for the hand of an Egyptian war hero Radames (Nicolae Busuioc). It's set against a backdrop of a war between the two nations and contains many themes which are always pertinent such as imperialism, betrayal and choosing between your own desires and the needs of your country. Not that many in the audience have had to choose between a princess and Tony Blair, but you get my point.

The stage was dominated by the backdrops of columns which were static but gave a sense of scale of royal palaces, temples and the finale in the dungeon.

No Marshall stacks needed

Not being a classical connoisseur, I was very impressed with the sound of the orchestra, the singing and the fact that no amplification was needed - a marked contrast to seeing Motorhead at the same venue last November!

Aida

The story was full of twists as the hero Radames twists and turns between observing the Pharaoh's wishes that he marries Amneris rather than the enemy Princess Aida who's actually working as Amneris' slave having been captured during a previous campaign.

The story never drags and despite having accidentally booked tickets for Aida having forgotten the European Cup final was on, I never once thought about how Liverpool were doing in Athens.

Thoroughly enjoyable and I shall endeavour to attend more opera in the future and impress everyone with how highbrow I am.

A special mention should be give to Boris Materinco who played Aida's Ethiopian father Amonasro - as well as having a great voice which filled the venue he was doing a remarkable impression of Brian Blessed.

The Chisinau National Opera is touring Aida as a dual production with Tosca across the UK. Tosca is at the Ipswich Regent on Thurs 24 May. Visit the Ellen Kent website for full details.