Flying Dutchman becomes chillingly contemporary in OperaUpClose treatment

Pauls Putnins (Mariner)
© Alex Brenner

Lucy Bradley (Director)

Glyn Maxwell (Libretto)

Laura Bowler (Composer/Orchestrator)

Tim Burke (Musical Director)

Ana Inés Jabares-Pita (Designer)

Neill Brinkworth (Lighting Designer)

Matthew Fairclough (Sound Designer)

OperaUpClose

Manchester Camerata

Timothy Dawkins (Captain Dee) & the Manchester Camerata
© Alex Brenner

Neil Balfour (Broadcaster)

Philippa Boyle (Starlight)

Timothy Dawkins (Captain Dee)

Carolyn Holt (Mari & Helm)

Pauls Putnins (Mariner)

Pavilion Theatre, Worthing

Friday 7 July, 2023

★★★

Wagner, Richard (1813-1883): Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman)

Philippa Boyle (Starlight) & the Manchester Camerata
© Alex Brenner

'The production was originally conceived pre-pandemic, yet it has even greater resonance in current times, with the rhetoric about stopping “small boats” and making refugees more and more unwelcome seemingly rachetting up on a daily basis'.

'It was the power and intensity of the acting, led by Pauls Putnins as the Mariner and Philippa Boyle as Starlight, that drew one in and propelled the evening above concert performance'. 

Timothy Dawkins (Captain Dee) & Philippa Boyle (Starlight)
© Alex Brenner

'Latvian bass-baritone Putnins delivered the Mariner with steely eyes and intense facial expression, matched by his assured yet anguished tone, gripping attention throughout'. 

'Boyle’s Starlight was equally captivating, and her powerful soprano up close was something to behold'.

'Music Director Tim Burke and all the Manchester Camerata players were incredibly tight, and their doubling as chorus was effective and impressively effortless, with players switching back and forth from voice to instrument phrase by phrase at some points'. 

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.