<<  -- 5 --  Robert Hugill    CAPABLE AND ENTERTAINING

This was a well-staged performance and wonderfully entertaining. If you relaxed and accepted that Doucet and Barbe were giving us a slightly partial view of the opera, then the results fizzed along beautifully. There was only one moment when I questioned their handling of the large cast and chorus, and that was in the Carnival scene that closes Act 1. Berlioz writes music of infectiously inspired chaos; but Doucet's handling of the large numbers on stage just did not reflect this. Too often he seemed content to have people line up, the results were too schematic and nowhere near chaotic enough. Perhaps I have been spoiled by Tim Albery's inspired handling of the scene on the much larger stage of the Amsterdam Opera House, but even on the relatively small Strasbourg stage I felt that there was more Doucet and Barbe could do. This was the only blot on what was a deft and effective staging.

The conductor was Oleg Caetani, who we now learn will not be English National Opera's next musical director. On the basis of this performance he is a capable and workman-like conductor and the orchestra played well for him. They created a solid performance without ever making the music seem dazzlingly new-minted in the way it does when directed by Sir Colin Davies.

This was a tremendous ensemble performance and was greatly enjoyed by the capacity audience. It is much to Opéra National du Rhin's credit that they performed the opera at all, but indeed they gave a capable and entertaining performance which did the work more than justice.