Opera review: Morrígan at Cork Opera House enthralls from first scene to last
A scene from Morrígan at Cork Opera House. Picture: Shane J Horan
★★★★★
Composer John O’Brien and librettist Éadaoin O’Donoghue have crafted a work that enthralls from first scene to the last. The writers of Morrígan turned to the story of Deirdre and the Sons of Usna from the Ulster cycle for a new work that opened at Cork Opera House on Thursday.
From Monteverdi’s 17th century setting of the Greek myth of Orpheus to Wagner’s plundering of Norse mythology in the Ring cycle, the repertoire is full of operas about gods and the derring-do of legendary heroes. So why not an opera based on an Irish myth?
The opera takes its title from the goddess of death and fate who frames the story of a king corrupted by lust and revenge. Dancer Sarah Ryan and 12-year-old Liv Gregorio portray the Morrígan.
O’Brien’s score has none of the avant-garde pretensions that can be turn off for mainstream audiences. A 24-piece orchestra deliver a sparkling score reminiscent of the sound world of Bernstein, Sondheim, a soupçon of Miranda with a dollop of Poulenc. Two on stage percussionists drive the action forward and ramp up the tension in key moments. O’Donoghue’s libretto is crisp and clear with sprinklings of Irish.
Sets and costumes combine to evoke a fantasy bronze-age world. Stephen Dodd’s lighting design changes dramatically from dark to light and gives every scene a cinematic quality. Although every word was heard clearly, surtitles in a big bold font give the scenes the appeal of an illustrated storybook. The 45-strong cast and chorus move fluidly around the on a heavily raked stage in Eddie Kay’s choreography.
Vocally the cast is strong across the ensemble and persuasive in their roles. A duet with Kim Sheehan as Deirdre and Simon Morgan as Naoise had the audiences swooning. Julian Tovey and Jung Soo Yun are deliciously villainous. Swedish countertenor Viktor Priebe is the most striking voice of the evening, while Majella Cullagh drew the loudest cheers from the first-night audience.
Morrígan is fabulous and deserves to have an afterlife beyond this run. Catch it while you can.
- Morrígan continues at Cork Opera House on Saturday and Sunday, July 30-31
