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Creating a successful new opera involves taking a compelling story, adapting it for the stage, and incorporating music to enhance the atmosphere and narrative drive. However, many opera productions make elementary mistakes that hinder their success.
Fortunately, Jonathan Dove’s latest opera, Itch, avoids these pitfalls and demonstrates a well-executed approach. Commissioned by Opera Holland Park, this premiere is a significant milestone for the company.
The opera is based on Simon Mayo’s popular young adult novels, which have been transformed into a libretto by Alasdair Middleton. The story follows a schoolboy with a passion for collecting elements from the periodic table. His life takes an exciting turn when he discovers a previously unknown element that promises infinite energy. However, a multinational corporation called Greencorps learns of its properties, leading to a thrilling adventure involving kidnapping, car chases, and a conflict between profits and environmental responsibility.
The novel is known for its page-turning quality, and the opera brilliantly captures this aspect, with a continuous stream of engaging scenes that evoke a cinematic feel. In fact, Itch would be an excellent introductory opera for television. Perhaps TV executives should take note?
Dove’s music builds upon his eclectic and accessible style, which he first showcased in his successful opera Flight. The score incorporates influences from Stravinsky, Britten, post-minimalist John Adams, and even Sondheim, resulting in a captivating array of rapidly changing moods. Who would have thought that the periodic table could inspire such mesmerizing music?
Opera Holland Park, renowned for its exceptional revival of Flight in 2015, nearly two decades after its Glyndebourne premiere, once again impresses with its staging of Itch. Director Stephen Barlow skillfully utilizes a giant periodic table as a backdrop for projections.
The cast of eight delivers impressive performances, with Adam Temple-Smith convincingly portraying the teenage hero and Nicholas Garrett making a strong impression as the unscrupulous science teacher. Rebecca Bottone’s portrayal of the head of Greencorps, though not necessarily soothing to the ear, fearlessly hits notes in the stratosphere, reminiscent of Flight. Countertenor James Laing’s haunting vocals beautifully capture the free-spiritedness of the hippy surfer with
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