7 May 2026
Her Majesty's Theatre
Adelaide
Opera
I should preface this review by saying that I won tickets to see this performance after completing a survey for the State Opera SA earlier in the year. The prize was a double pass to all five of the city-based main season productions for 2026, so I will have more reviews to follow as the year progresses, and will then also share a wrap-up post with my thoughts on the season overall. But for now, onto Cinderella....
Cinderella is an opera I had heard bits of music from but which I had not seen in its entirety until now. The music is pure Rossini through and through, and instantly recognisable as such. This one sits firmly within the opera buffa end of his works and is perhaps the most frivolous opera of all those I have seen to date in terms of its plot. The comedy was certainly played upon to the max in this Neil Armfield production, with many moments that made the audience laugh out loud.
While I am generally a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to opera staging, I didn't mind the 1970s vibe of this production as it gelled well with the comedic aspects of the piece. The set was minimalist but effective, and its simplicity allowed the audience to focus on the performances and music. The men's chorus (which I quickly named in my head as the 'Mullet Brigade') got a great reaction from the crowd every time they appeared. Anna Dowsley and Son Jihoon as the romantic pairing both sang beautifully. Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Helena Dix and Indyana Schneider all gave great comic turns as the father and sisters. Nicholas Lester's Dandini had great flair and fun in his presentation too; although, I occasionally struggled to catch his words properly when he moved into the lower end of his range -- he was sometimes drowned out a little by the music and other vocalists at those times. The highlight for me personally was Pelham Andrews as Alidoro, whose playful smiles drew you in every time he appeared and who excelled at his transformation from stage manager to beggar, to fairy godmother to tutor. He was a joy to watch and listen to. Finally, the ASO, of course, were on their usual excellent form in the orchestra pit.
So, overall, Cinderella was a great production and an excellent start to the season for the State Opera SA's Golden Jubilee year. I am giving it 4.5 stars.
I do have to make my (as of late) usual comment about the programme pricing though: $18 for 24 A5 pages (including the cover)! Australia has the worst programme prices I have found so far in the world -- even higher than in London's West End. I could go on for paragraphs about my feelings regarding this, but I will refrain and will simply end on a long-suffering sigh with regards to this point.
No comments:
Post a Comment