Stravinsky created his ‘Rake’s Progress’ in the shadow of the Second World War; its breezy tone and neo-classical style aim to dispel some of the horror of that period.
Frederick Jones as Tom Rakewell with Ensemble in The Rake’s Progress | Photo © Richard Hubert Smith
There are still plenty of dark corners in WH Auden’s libretto though, and this production by Polly Graham manages to present both elements.
Chorus scenes were full of bustle and May Day madness and spilled over into some of the principals’ scenes.
Fortunately, in the most affecting and intimate scenes – Tom Rakewell’s madness and death – the crowd withdrew.
Frederick Jones was a vocally ideal Tom, a light, plangent tenor, his manner gauche and rather bland. As his nemesis, Jerome Knox as Nick Shadow was short on menace and vocal bite.
The role of Anne Trulove is a demanding one, ranging from heroic fireworks to a touching lullaby-lament: Nazan Fikret met the challenges, but sounded uncomfortable at times.
Some smaller parts stood out: Sellem the auctioneer (Robin Bailey) owned his little scene, and the sassy Baba of Lauren Young was a hilarious highlight.
Moments of end-of-term weariness intruded, however. At its best the chorus was incisive and effective, as in the auction scene, but elsewhere entries were ragged, and the orchestra, despite expressive string playing in the graveyard scene and lovely woodwind solos, suffered lapses in tuning and precision of ensemble at times.
Gloom and earnestness were dispelled in the sardonic moralising epilogue, delivered straight out to the audience in the manner of Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’, thus ETO rounded off a mixed but largely successful touring season.
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Reviewer: Niall Hoskin
