United Kingdom Gilbert and Sullivan: The Yeoman of the Guard: Soloists, Chorus of Opera Holland Park, City of London Sinfonia / David Eaton (conductor). Opera Holland Park, London. 7.8.2024. (JR)
Production:
Director – John Savournin
Designer – Alyson Cummins
Lighting designer – Jake Wiltshire
Choreographer – Merry Holden
Chorus director – Domenic Ellis-Peckham
Cast:
Colonel Fairfax – William Morgan
Jack Point – Matthew Kellett
Sergeant Meryll – Darren Jeffrey
Elsie Maynard – Ellie Laugharne (singing) / Llio Evans (acting)
Phoebe Meryll – Samantha Price
Sir Richard Cholmondeley – Stephen Gadd
Dame Carruthers – Amy J Payne
Wilfred Shadbolt – John Savournin
Leonard Meryll – Jack Roberts
Kate – Natasha Agarwal
First Yeoman – Christopher Killerby
Second Yeoman – Alistair Sutherland
First Citizen – Benjamin Newhouse-Smith
Second Citizen – Stuart McDermott
This new co-production is a collaboration between the Charles Court Opera, one of the champions of the re-invigoration of Gilbert and Sullivan, and Opera Holland Park. For those who may not have been to Opera Holland Park, it takes place, not unsurprisingly, in Holland Park itself, under a huge, winged structure, a sort of cross between a circus tent and a giant marquee, with a seating capacity of around 700. It is open at the sides which, on a breezy and cool summer’s evening, allows the unfortunate ingress of chilly air – punters are provided with blankets but at least, if it rains, no one gets wet. The stage for this production was oval, with the orchestra placed in the middle of it, not ideal when a lone singer was placed at the back.
The Yeoman of the Guard is often considered the closest Gilbert and Sullivan got to ‘grand opera’ on account of Sullivan’s rich score and Gilbert’s story, the darkest of their comic operas, not always comedic, and somewhat uneven. It offers a vivid snapshot of life in the Tower of London in Tudor times. Thankfully, I do not need to give you the synopsis, as the plot is convoluted and really exceptionally silly. It shares that misfortune with many a G&S opera, of course. Suffice it to say it includes a pair of strolling players including a Jester, an executioner, a Chief Tormentor and there is the usual formula of romantic misapprehensions, disguises and muddled intentions; it is resolved at the end, not to everyone’s satisfaction – spoiler alert – the sympathetic Jester is disappointed in love and takes his life.
In a long programme note Richard Morrison, chief music critic of The Times, tells us that critics at the time the opera was composed in 1888 felt it ‘did not quite work … the emotions of grand opera bumping up against the irony of light operetta’. Morrison however considers The Yeoman of the Guard contains some of the finest music which Sullivan ever wrote, and hears homages to Mendelssohn and Wagner, adding that the music never strays from the joyous and you come away with some of the catchy tunes buzzing around your head.
This production ensured entertainment and enjoyment throughout, a well-designed set depicting the Tower of London and colourful costumes, especially for the Beefeaters themselves.
The singers were of even and generally acceptable standard; clear diction was guaranteed by surtitles and the use of amplification. One singer, however, stood out, and she was not in the cast list. Llio Evans as Elsie Maynard was indisposed but agreed to walk the part, so in stepped Ellie Laugharne who sang the role from the pit and was, simply, in a different class to the rest. She garnered the most applause for her glorious voice and for stepping in at short notice: OHP were lucky to get her. Matthew Kellett is a consummate actor, his singing skills just about adequate. John Savournin as the creepy gaoler is a charismatic old G&S hand. Amy J Payne and Samantha Price both have warm and rich mezzo-soprano voices and fine thespian skills. William Morgan, as Fairfax, was in particularly strong voice. The Act II quartets were the vocal, well-blended highlights of the evening.
David Eaton and the City of London Sinfonia supported the singers throughout. An entertaining evening was had by all.
John Rhodes