By Matilda Collard, Third Year, English
Bristol Opera Society’s (BOpS) most recent production of Beethoven’s Fidelio was a monochrome fever dream. Ambitious and thought-provoking, the production truly encapsulated the essence of amateur theatre.
Set in a similar style to the television series Succession (2018-2023) and the film The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), this production of Beethoven's only opera sought to stage a blatant critique of corporate corruption and late-stage capitalism. I always admire when student societies take a strong stance and aim to make a statement with the art they create and, in the case of BOpS, utilising such a traditional medium for political commentary is particularly powerful.
The curtains opened to an entirely white stage illuminated by fluorescent LEDs and impressive projections, which continued to oscillate in the background for the entirety of the piece. The aesthetic vision was salient and clear, topped off with the entire cast clad in monochrome business attire. Director Trinity Wilson also made creative use of both the main stage and the parquet to visually distinguish between the office and the dungeon, bringing the action right up to the audience in the process. The attempt to resolve one of opera's largest issues, the inability to distinguish between what each character is singing, through live projected subtitles was also ingenious. Despite often being delayed, this choice was still a meaningful move towards improved accessibility and inclusion in opera, and I hope the synchronisation improved as the show's run settled into itself.
The talent of the cast was undeniable. Louisa Goodfellow as Marzelline opened the show with a beautiful soprano performance, which ebbed and flowed masterfully through some very complex passages. Likewise, Sam Tollervey gave an impressive rendition of the tortured father, Rocco, forced to comply to a corrupt authoritarian leader, Don Pizarro (played by Will Abu). Sam's voice held a precision and maturity well beyond his years. However, the two standout performances of the evening were undoubtedly those of Mayuri Swaminathan (playing Florestan) and Leah Page (playing Fidelio). Both performers told their stories with intention, emotion and breathtaking musicality. Most notably, one duet in Act 2 (after the lovers had been reunited) was a stunning showcase of the two's highly impressive vocal ability; they navigated this demanding and intricate score with nuance highly impressive for student performers.
A surprising aspect of this opera was that it wasn't sung-through. Instead, traditional recitatives were replaced with short scenes of spoken dialogue. While this was useful in clarifying the plot and helping the audience follow the narrative, it did slightly disrupt the flow of the music, resulting in some sections feeling a little disjointed, and the movement from complex musical segments to spoken word was sometimes slightly jarring. However, I'm sure the overall flow of the production improved as the run continued. After all, you can't judge a show too harshly by its opening night!
What demands the most discussion, though, was the complexity of the material. As Beethoven's only attempt at writing an opera, Fidelio is an absolute marathon of musical difficulty. For both the pit musicians and the onstage singers, this piece presented a whole new realm of challenges, with hugely complex phrases, difficult intervals and bizarre time signatures. Considering the difficulty of the material they were working with, the cast and orchestra did a commendable job.
Josie Horneff
Charles Hubbard
Opening night of BOpS's Fidelio was a little rough around the edges. However, it was also a beautiful demonstration of what amateur theatre is all about: joy, fun, and collaboration. Every anxious glance down into the pit, every head bobbing along to the tempo, every uncertain smile to their fellow performers was a display of the community and friendship forged in the fires of live performance. The production was a show of endurance and resilience, where talent and commitment won the day against the trials and tribulations of exceedingly difficult music. Everything was wrapped up beautifully by Sam Tollervey treating us to a spectacular cartwheel during the bow sequence!
Featured image: BOpS / Cecilia Koç
When was the last time you went to see an opera?
