Of all three collaborations between Mozart and Da Ponte this opera is perhaps the most tricky to bring off successfully in performance (as opposed to recording). Nothing much happens in the plot once the original conceit is set in motion, a lot of set-piece arias follow one after another, and there are aspects of the scenario that to modern sensibilities might seem discouraging and even distasteful. In other words, it is one of those fairly rare cases where an interventionist, imaginative director is absolutely essential rather than being, as is sometimes the case, a tiresome ego in search of unnecessary reinvention.
Marcio da Silva, both conducting and directing, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to both roles and ensures that the production makes excellent use of the flexible space provided by the Cockpit Theatre. The orchestra is placed at the rear leaving a large performance space and four access points, with the audience well positioned on three sides to observe the action which moves briskly and fluently across the two acts.
This is very much an ensemble performance, with many company regulars returning and a solid emphasis on plausible, naturalistic acting. There are some rough edges to the singing at points, but in general the standard of performance is very high indeed, with just the right balance struck between musical expression and idiomatic projection of character in the service of the narrative.
The orchestra is drawn from the ranks of the Hastings Philharmonic, and comprises eight players. It takes a little while to get used to the smaller-scale of the band, but quite apart from the fine balance with the voices, there are some excellent solo moments from the instrumentalists, especially the woodwind, that you do not normally get to hear in a full performance as written.
The production makes a very good case for getting beyond the familiar trope that this is an opera that is disparaging of women. In this instance, Despina, the canny maid, looms larger than usual as an advocate for women to find happiness on their own terms. Da Silva’s production plays up the full comic potential of the work, rather than darker interpretations, and depicts the men as just as fickle as the women. The human comedy is nothing if not inclusive!
A brief review cannot delve into the qualities of all the fine performances, but for me, Helen May’s characterisation of Despina was particularly persuasive in leading the machinations, not least in wielding a clothes iron to simulate the contemporary eighteenth-century satire of Mesmerism. Anna-Luise Wagner and Rosemary Carlton-Willis were very plausible sisters and each of them made a fine job of delivering their signature arias. As the two soldier-lovers, Guglielmo and Ferrando, Oshri Segev and John Twitchen were comically inventive and plausible throughout.
This production completes this company’s foray into the Da Ponte/Mozart operas, representing a fine culmination and embodying the inventiveness, meticulous scholarship and freshness of approach that we have come to expect from this excellent team.
Cockpit Theatre
Music: W.A Mozart
Libretto: Lorenzo Da Ponte
Ensemble OrQuesta & HPO Ensemble
Artistic Director & Conductor: Marcio da Silva
Cast: Rosemary Carlton-Willis, Flavio Lauria, Marjorie Lemos, Helen May, Oshri Segev, John Twitchen, Anna-Luise Wagner
Until 25 January 2026
2 hrs 30 mins, with interval
Photo Credit: Julian Guidera