Wexford Festival Opera 2024: Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali

Paolo Bordogna, Giuseppe Toia in Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali. Image by Patricio Cassinoni

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David Bowie was famously keen on cut-up technique. In which an existing text, or a selection of texts, are cut up and rearranged to create a new text. One senses Geatano Donizetti would have approved. His patchwork dramma giocoso (a drama with jokes) Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali from 1831 a composite of musical, narrative and operatic ideas cobbled together and rearranged over time. Leaving a glaring hole where a definitive version should be. A difficulty resolved by director Orpha Phelan in Wexford Festival Opera’s chaotic production by an “if you can’t beat them, join them” approach. Phelan leaning into the chaos by tossing a veritable kitchen sink of busyness onto Donizetti’s comic opera creating a visual wildfire. Less a spectacle so much as a whirling dervish of visual distraction that often competes for the audience’s attention. Yet when aria and movement are selectively married, like music videos, rather than unfocused and hectic Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali proves wondrously entertaining. Donizetti’s tale of duelling divas displaying some first rate singing, and several stand out performances, in Wexford Festival Opera's joyous revival.

Miryam Tomé, Luisa Baldinetti, Andrea Carlotta Pelaia, Sharleen Joynt, Charles Riddiford, Ivan Striuk, Andrea Carozzi

in Le convenienze ed inconvenienze  Image by Patricio Cassinoni.

Someone wisely said you want your audience to think about your production not wonder what it was about. When it comes to the rehearsal in Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali, the cast, never mind the audience, are always wondering what it’s about. One singer believes he’s in The Sound of Music. All anyone can say with certainty is that an opera is being rehearsed in which Prima Donna Daria is facing a challenge to her authority from Agata, the helicopter mother of Seconda Donna Luigia, ready to set the world to wrong for the sake of her daughter’s career. As the battle commences chaos ensues once Agata decides that if you want a job done properly, do it yourself. The self-declared Prima Donna, also a self-declared Prima Ballerina, taking on a singing role when a singer pulls out. As does Daria’s husband Procolo, leading to a catastrophic end in which an impresario’s deepest fears and greatest fantasy are finally realised.

Miryam Tomé, Andrea Carozzi, Paolo Bordogna, Charles Riddiford, Andrea Carlotta Pelaia in

Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali. Image by Patricio Cassinoni

If trouser roles saw men playing women throughout the centuries, in the 21st century drag has become mainstream kitsch, which Phelan leans into with gusto. Ru Paul stylings making for a camp take offering easy pickings of low hanging fruit. Even as baritone Paolo Bordogna’s Agata is sensational as a drag brunch styled pantomime dame exhibiting the loudness of a Dr Frank-N-Furter. Equally sensational is Sharleen Joynt as the divine diva Daria. Joynt executing vocal pyrotechnics of such power and beauty they’re a joy to the ear. Daria’s posturing might scream “look at me” but, like Bordogna, you can’t tear your eyes or ears off Joynt even if you wanted to. Tenor Alberto Robert as guitarist Guglielmo Antolstoinoff, the singer in the wrong show, announces himself as a talent to watch. What he currently lacks in power he richly compensates with the most mesmerising tone, capable of soothing demons during his aria immediately following the interval. Singers Giuseppe Toia, Matteo Loi, Paola Leoci, Hannah Bennett, William Kyle, Philip Kalmanovitch and Henry Grant Kerswell rounding out a terrific ensemble. Though dancers Miryam Tomé, Luisa Baldinetti, Andrea Carlotta Pelaia, Charles Riddiford, Ivan Striuk and Andrea Carozzi risk stealing their visual thunder with some eye catching routines.

Alberto Robert in Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali. Image by Patricio Cassinoni

Like Donizetti’s two act opera, Phelan opts for a pick and mix approach when it comes to staging. Madeleine Boyd’s set a standard enough stage and backstage area, even as her costumes evoke an 1980s Fellini movie. Amy Share-Kissiov’s playful choreography suggesting a Magic Mike moment, even as Joynt’s delicious aria evokes traces of Marilyn Monroe’s dance sequence from Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend. Both making a strong case for dance to be forever included in comic opera. Even Casta Diva makes a momentary appearance, but given the comic stylings of Domenico Gilardoni’s quirky libretto you could be forgiven for wanting to hear its hilarious high points instead. Throughout, Danila Grassi conducts with spirit and verve, knowing when to hold back to let the line, laugh or moment land. Grassi always in complete control of the music and, by extension, of everything onstage.

Andrea Carozzi, Ivan Striuk, Charles Riddiford holding Sharleen Joynt in Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali.

Image by Patricio Cassinoni

Translated as conventions and inconveniences of the stage, Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali walks a thin line between opera buffa and just plain silly. Like The Critic, it also parodies opera. But where The Critic satirised opera’s conventions here cast and creatives are held up for ridicule. Reiterating a self evident truth, that it’s the company who are always at fault, never the much maligned critic. It's true. Go see Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali if you don’t believe me. Its superb singing, drag brunch comedy style and memorable dance routines ensure you'll be richly entertained. Wexford Festival Opera yet again setting the bar high.

Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali (Conventions and Inconveniences of the Stage) by Gaetano Donizetti, with libretto by Domenico Gilardoni, runs at O'Reilly Theatre, National Opera House, Wexford as part of Wexford Festival Opera 2024 on October 25 and 28, and November 2.

For more information visit Wexford Festival Opera 2024