Two years ago, Auckland had a tasty sampling of Wellington’s alt. opera scene when the capital’s NIMBY Opera brought us its production of Good Angel, Bad Angel by New Zealand composer Lyell Cresswell. NIMBY have returned north with Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen, touring an opera they describe as "a sexy, comic and sometimes revolutionary romp through the Czech countryside, with the irrepressible Vixen Sharp-ears" to Auckland, Kerikeri, Hamilton and Tauranga.

Free of the gloom and despair that permeate so much of the composer’s operatic vision, this wry, touching allegory, which parallels the lives of man and beast in the Bohemian woodlands, was inspired by a comic strip that appeared in Janacek’s local newspaper, telling the story of a vixen, raised by humans and escaping to raise a family in the forest. [more]
_______________________________
For more production details, click on the title above. Go to Home page to see other Reviews, recent Comments and Forum postings (under Chat Back), and News. 

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

The Salvation Army Citadel may not be the first place one thinks of as a space for opera in Wellington but with characteristic NIMBY innovation this rather fine building became a little piece of Czechoslovakia for the evening.

NIMBY once more presents a production that is clever, sophisticated, skilful and fresh. One had only to look at the beaming faces of the audience members as they left the first performance of The Cunning Little Vixen to see that how much they had enjoyed this engaging production.

The opera was inspired by a cartoon character in Janacek’s local newspaper and he wrote both libretto and music. The opera reflects his love of the natural world, particularly the birds and animals in the forests of his native Czechoslovakia, and he asked that the final, poignant scene be performed at his funeral.

The story concerns the life and death of Vixen Sharp-Ears, a sassy, sexy (and very stroppy) female who lives in and for the moment. Captured by a forester as a young cub, she soon outwits her human captors and escapes into the forest to live life on her own terms. However the forester, obsessed by her freedom and defiance, sets out to capture her again.

Janacek experimented with dramatic forms in this opera, including dance and mime, and the performers are required to be multi-talented and to take on multiple roles. Jacqueline Coats’ direction enables this cast to rise to the challenge with imaginative and dramatic use of the space.

In one scene a flock of gossipy birds perches in the gallery among the audience, while in another, a group of dopey hens and their self important rooster (played hilariously by Edmund Hintz) scratch and peck their way along the aisles to the stage. The chorus singing is demanding however and the role changes quite complex but Coats’ has clearly given much attention to detail and the members of the chorus seemed to relish the multiple roles.

The movement of animals, birds and humans are finely observed. Rachel More’s costuming is very clever and sometimes very funny. Sacha Copeland’s eloquent choreography underpins and comments on the action, from the exuberant entrance of the vixen’s young cubs to a wedding folk dance, to the more contemplative, balletic Dragon-fly, danced by Natalie Hona. The scene changes are managed very beautifully through Tsai Lim’s animated backdrop.

(I do have one small gripe though – it seems odd that Janacek’s name was not to be found on the programme.)

The singing is excellent. Matthew Landreth is simply superb as the Forester. His rich baritone voice is admirably suited to the role. Kate Lineham is well cast, looking and sounding very much the impudent little vixen. She sings Janacek’s demandingly angular and swooping phrases with precision, power and flexibility (all while cavorting about the stage in very foxy manner).

Vixen’s duet with the enamoured Fox Goldenstripe (impeccably sung by Barbara Paterson) is the highlight of the show for me. Edmund Hintz, Daniel O’Connor, Stuart Coats and Barbara Graham dash back and forth between their human and animal roles with panache.

Arranging a full orchestral score for small ensemble is no small task and musical director Justus Rozemond had his work cut out for him. He has scored the opera for violin, cello, clarinet (doubling bass clarinet), French horn and piano. This arrangement works really well and is quite an achievement. The quintet accompanies and balances the small cast very nicely although it is a demanding and very transparent scoring for the players.

Pianist Catherine Norton deserves a mention, not only for her fine playing, but for (literally) not missing a beat when a member of the cast nearly fell into her lap during a fight scene!

As a member of the audience was heard to say on the way out, "It just goes to show that you don’t need a big budget to do a good chamber opera but you sure need to be clever about it."

With The Cunning Little Vixen NIMBY has definitely come up with the goods. Highly recommended.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer