© Robert Workman
Peter Wedd (Herman) and Rosalind Plowright (Countess)
I was at Opera Holland Park yesterday evening for a tremendously enjoyable Queen of Spades, one of this remarkable enterprise's finest achievements. There are just two more performances, tomorrow and Saturday, and it is worth making an effort to get to it.
First of all - the director, Rodula Gaitanou. Here is a most interesting talent, and all credit to Opera Holland Park for having backed her. She has really delivered the goods for them and could be a rising star. And her designer, Cordelia Chisholm, is another emerging artist of distinction. Both these young people should be looked at seriously by the more enterprising of the larger companies.....! I would hire them at once if I were still in Chicago - but I am not - so......!
And they had fine material to work with. Natalya Romaniw was the star of Garsington's Eugene Onegin earlier in the summer - and here she was again, notching it up without difficulty to sing a glorious strong Lisa, with all the vocal resources to nail her big moments. Excellent! Peter Wedd was a convincingly obsessive Herman, I very much liked Richard Burkhard's Tomsky, Laura Woods's plush voiced Polina, Daisy Brown's sweet Masha, Laura Zigmantaite's vocally exceptional Governess, and Aled Hall's splendid Chekalinsky. And then as the Countess there was Rosalind Plowright - a Glyndebourne chorus alum, like so many great English singers, of the "good old days"! She dominated the stage, as one would expect of such a distinguished and experienced artist, and she remains in terrific shape vocally. Good for her and for Holland Park - it makes such a difference.
And the whole, utterly enjoyable evening was held together by the authoritative presence of Peter Robinson in the pit with the excellent City of London Sinfonia. This was a performance and production of complete integrity - these "fringe" companies never cease to amaze in so often punching above their weight!
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