Why is this the most frequently performed opera worldwide? Perhaps it is because it is based on real people whose concerns – family expectations, illness and mortality, love versus duty – transcend all ages and still feel relevant today. Or perhaps it is because the music is unforgettable, with every note psychologically true. Iain will […]
The seeming premise of the opera that “women are like that” has challenged and provoked both audiences and directors for over two centuries. To some, broad disguises and comic deceptions imply a farce, but this is Mozart – so there are deeper psychological insights to be found. The motivations of the six characters remain ambiguous […]
Benjamin Britten’s 1954 adaptation of Henry James’ classic 1898 gothic novella about malevolent spirits haunting (perhaps) innocent children retains the mysterious ambiguities of the original story. Are the ghosts hallucinations and projections of the repressed mind of the children’s governess? Or are they real? Iain will explore the supernatural and psychological dimensions of this timelessly […]
This extraordinary and multi-dimensional opera combines and contrasts the low-brow appeal of popular comedy as expressed in the Commedia dell’arte with the high seriousness of a penetrating interpretation of Greek myth. The work is in two parts. Its “Prologue” highlights the chaotic backstage preparations for an imminent theatrical performance, while its “Opera” contrasts two extreme […]
