Opera Review: Four hours fly by at delightful production of William Tell
Patrick Hyland as Rodolphe, David Ireland as Gessler and Máire Flavin as Mathilde in INO's William Tell. Picture: Pat Redmond
- William Tell
- Gaiety Theatre, Dublin
- ★★★★☆
Four hours of the grandest of grand opera may sound daunting, but the Irish National Opera’s triumphant revival of Rossini’s William Tell, the first on these shores since 1877, is well worth strapping in for.
While the rich score will always be the engine room for Rossini’s final opera, what marks this outstanding production out are the sympathetic design elements and choreography, which give the eyes almost as much to savour as the ears.
Redolent of 18th- and 19th-century ideals of revolution and freedom, of a romantic, as-yet-untainted, anti-imperialist nationalism, the story, from Schiller’s play, is fine as it goes. The Swiss folk hero Tell is busy stirring the cantons to rebellion against the hated Habsburgs, personified by the cartoonishly evil Gesler. Meanwhile, the lead tenor Arnold is torn between love of woman and country, fallen as he has for Mathilde, an Austrian princess.
It all rattles along, some parts more formulaic than others. But the ingenious approach of director Julien Chavaz is to accentuate the mythic over the historical or political, and to make of the 50-strong chorus almost another character. The overall effect is engrossing, a richly rewarding feat of storytelling, as symbol and colour add narrative dimensions of their own.
The minimalism of Jamie Vartan’s set proves perfect for this approach, framing the world but never determining it. Its vast, vaulting space is home to a near-ever-present chorus, expertly choreographed by Nicole Morel. We meet them dressed in shades of cream, grey and oatmeal, faces patchily white as though they’ve just left a flour mill.
It’s a unifying, muted palette of colour, but the individual detailing in Severine Besson’s eye-catching costumes gives them a timeless quality, as cricket jumpers mix with frocks, baker’s jackets with shawls. By contrast, the absurdly puffed-up Austrians are all in red: booted, and plague-masked, they vividly represent anti-nature, war and violence. It’s broad-stroke stuff, but very effective.
For a production that gets so much right visually, it’s a tad disappointing that the apple scene, and the final showdown between Tell and Gesler both fall somewhat flat. But there is more than enough beauty and beguiling invention here to make up for that.
The musical highlights abounded. The INO Orchestra under Fergus Sheil had a rich, warm sound in the Gaiety’s welcoming acoustic. Brett Polegato brought an impressive presence and rich tone to the title role. Jesus Leon rose to the extraordinary vocal demands as lead tenor, though without winning the audience over in his character portrayal of Arnold. Maire Flavin brought control and colour to the part of Mathilde. Special praise must go to the chorus. Of course, they belted out the crescendos with stunning gusto, but their movement, expressiveness, and the sheer joy they exuded were irresistible.
If you’re in Dublin, this is a must-see. If you’re not, it’s still a must-see; though there is the option of a streamed version that will be available on Operavision on a date to be confirmed.
- Until November 13
