Opera North: La Rondine

Puccini gets the full Opera North treatment in their effervescent new production of La rondine (the Swallow). Commissioned in autumn 1913 and first performed in March 1917, Puccini must surely have been influenced by the horrors of the war being fought across northern Europe. There was a need for frivolity and jollity, and in this production, the fun occasionally manages to escape the bittersweet storyline. Puccini wanted the opera to be contemporary - presumably set in 1917 or thereabouts - but this production is a little vague on dates.

Sometimes described as a belle époque joie de vivre, La rondine kicks off with vivacity and more than a touch of La Traviata; a sense of social freedoms gained and new thinking in the air, but drifts into something lightly dangling the word 'soap' in front of 'opera'.

As was Puccini's way, he revised the score many times, including 3 different endings, but died before telling us his preferred version. Perhaps the constant revisions or the gloomy state of the world during this time might account for the lack of sympathetic characters.

Of course the music is fabulous; Puccini is no one hit wonder and can wind up an audience with his lush orchestral scores at will. He does so here with syrupy smooth violins and emotionally compelling cello lines weaving their way through some gorgeous melodies.

This is one of the operas that passes the 'hum test' - just listen to the audience humming quietly as they leave the performance, and you'll see what I mean. Paul McCartney has a similar test for his music. He never worries about forgetting a tune that came to him overnight; if he can't remember it in the morning, then it clearly wasn't that good. Similarly, if the audience doesn't hum after an opera, then the melodies are forgettable. I hummed.

Soprano Galina Averina takes on the role of Magda, a courtesan in high society Paris. Ms. Averina is a class act with a silvery voice and makes a delightful double act with her sassy maid, Lisette (Sébastien Guèze).

When a young stranger (Ruggero/Sébastien Guèze) arrives in the city, Magda risks her comfortable position as courtesan to wealthy Rambaldo (Philip Smith) and falls catastrophically in love with him. They run away together for a blissful time in the south of France, but Magda's past continues to haunt her and ultimately the relationship is doomed.

With both the orchestra under the baton of Kerem Hasan and the chorus of Opera North in fine form, an excellent set, great lighting, dancing, and costumes, this is powerful reminder of the world-class performances we have available to us all in the North.