A week of Fantasio - two performances, two casts. And what a pleasure it was to be at Garsington twice this week. I had been at a piano run of Fantasio last month, then the first stage and orchestra rehearsal. And I was at the understudy show case last week. But I had not seen the complete show until Monday. And last night I returned for the wonderful OperaFirst event - a full performance with all the trimmings with the understudy cast to a house full of unbelievably attentive and enthusiastic school age children from 8 to 18. Most heart warming. Above you see the understudy cast acknowledging wild cheers!
I arrived on Monday and parked near the cricket field looking its pristine manicured best. From there it is a very short walk to pick up tickets from the Box office but before that cream tea in the dining tent beside the cricket pavilion. I have never managed to get there early enough before to enjoy this quintessentially English ritual - the scones, the clotted cream and the raspberry jam! On a warm sunny afternoon it adds to the bliss of being in this beautiful place.
Fantasio is a rarity, but a perfect choice for a country house summer festival - and utterly charming it was in Martin Duncan's light hearted production. There were four exceptional central performances from Hanna Hipp in the title role, Jennifer France and Princess Elsbeth, Huw Montague Rendall as her suitor Prince from Mantova and Timothy Robinson as his long suffering sidekick Marinoni. Impeccable each of them, and supported by the usual exceptionally strong team of Garsington singers in chorus and smaller roles. And the light touch conducting of Justin Doyle completed the picture.
The smartly suited and booted audience enjoyed it hugely - another success for Garsington 2019.
But last night was an altogether more informal occasion and all the more fun for that. There was no long interval, just a 30 minute break with whatever picnic snacks and drinks one brought along. And the performance had a freshness which thrilled the young people in the audience and their enthusiasm infected us all. And truth to say the understudy cast and conductor yielded nothing to their senior principals, delivering a hugely enjoyable show which somehow for me gave me even more pleasure than Monday evening's!
In the title role, Bianca Andrew grasped the part with all her soul and was indeed remarkable. I was so proud of our Neue Stimmen alum! Fellow Kiwi Kieran Rayner took on the not insubstantial responsibility of understudying Huw Montague Rendall and, like Bianca, delivered a totally confident singing and acting performance. That a another distinguished New Zealander was in the audience was no doubt an additional bonus!
Furthermore the Princess and Marinoni, Catriona Hewitson and David Horton far exceeded all reasonable expectations. And Harry Sever took charge in the pit with calm authority......altogether a joyful evening.
And so our London summer goes on. This evening something completely different - Noye's Fludde at the Theatre Royal, Stratford.
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