4**** Review: Culture Bab.
This production of Wagner’s great tragedy brings together professional opera singers in the lead roles with professional musicians and a community chorus.
And it works incredibly well. There is no doubting the talent and vocal reach of the leads with Byron Jackson giving us a suitably dramatic and doom struck Dutchman while Mari Wyn Williams’ Senta is an innocent village girl who falls for a romanticised ideal of saving the cursed sailor over an earthly marriage with the local huntsman Erik.
Anando Mukerjee’s Erik is lovestruck and heartbroken, pleading with Senta to see sense while Gerrit Paul Groen gives us a touch of humour as Senta’s cynical father Daland who will sell his daughter for a bag of jewellery.
Directed by Iqbal Khan, the production is more of a concert performance than a fully staged show with very minimal set consisting of literally a set of steps and two chairs but in many ways that doesn’t matter, we are still pulled into the drama.
The community chorus are full of enthusiasm and are greatly helped by conductor Jack Ridley who not only brings out a brilliant performance from the Central England Camerata but also constantly encourages the singers.
The performance features a new commission from Birmingham composer Bobbie-Jane Gardner Mami Wata. Reflecting both the themes and the rhythms of The Flying Dutchman, the short piece is beautifully sung by children from St Mary’s Church Handsworth Choir.
There was a technical hitch with the surtitles at the premiere on Sunday but this will hopefully be ironed out for future performances.