Les huguenots

I wanted to see a production of Les Huguenots but I got more than I bargained for. It turns out that this was Joan Sutherland's final performance and the film ends with a 20-minute standing ovation. This was a fitting tribute to the second best soprano of the 20th century. Of Dame Joan's performance as Queen Marguerite of Navarre I will maintain a diplomatic silence, only saying that her decision to retire at that stage of her career was probably the right one. The outstanding performer in this production is Suzanne Johnston as the Queen's page Urbain. In a dour opera she lights up every scene in which she appears.

Meyerbeer's opera tells of the conflict between French Catholics and Huguenots in the 16th century culminating in the St Bartholemew's day massacre of the Huguenots in 1572. Don't watch it expecting a history lesson as the story concentrates on the love interest between Raoul, a protestant gentleman and Valentine, the daughter of a Catholic count. To be fair to Meyerbeer and his librettist he does give a good account of the animosity between the two factions at this stage in French history. We see the religious tolerance of Raoul, Valentine and of her Fiancé Le Compte de Nevers. Protestant bigotry is represented by Marcel, Raoul's servant. Catholic bigotry is represented by Le Compte de Saint-Bris, Valentine's father. Sometimes it all seems a bit too familiar as though the human race has not made much progress in the last 450 years.

The weakness of the plot is that it hinges on a familiar device in opera. Raoul witnesses Valentine, from a distance, talking to Nevers. She is breaking off their engagement but Raoul jumps to the conclusion that they are having an affair. He subsequently spurns Valentine, in the presence of the Queen, prompting her father to plot the revenge that culminates in the massacre.

Although this performance is from 1990, it seems much more dated than that, possibly it is was a production that was brought out of retirement as a vehicle for Dame Joan. As you might expect, it is a bit fuzzy and is not in widescreen. It is done dead straight with period costumes and scenery and a stand and deliver style of performance. Most of the male characters are named Le Compte de something or other, dress in doublet and hose and sport curly moustaches and little pointy beards so it is sometimes difficult to remember who is who.

Meyerbeer's music is pleasant and tuneful without being memorable. The best music comes in the fourth and fifth acts of this long opera, for those who are still awake. Anson Austin as Raoul and Amanda Thane as Valentine have a long scene together where Raoul has to choose between his love for Valentine and his loyalty to the Hugeuenot cause. The final act is quite brutal and shocking and I did not see it coming. It's nice sometimes to see an opera for the first time and not know how it is going to end.

Some of the ballet sequences and pageantry have been cut from this production, not surprisingly given its length. More surprisingly, the whole of Act V Scene I is cut in which the protestants celebrate the marriage of the Catholic Queen Marguerite to the Protestant King Henry of Navarre.

For as long as I can remember I have been a big fan of opera. I am not a huge fan of Meyerbeer but I appreciate him, I see Les Huguenots as his masterpiece, L'Africaine is not a favourite but very listenable and what I've heard of Le Prophete and Dinorah I have really liked.

I love Les Huguenots, love the story, love the characters, love the music(gotta love "O Beau Pays"). This production is good, if not completely outstanding. The costumes and sets are of opulent quality, as are the picture quality, sound and video directing.

The orchestra are clearly passionate and Richard Bonynge conducts with real precision.

The cast are mostly good. This is notable for it being Joan "La Stupenda" Sutherland's swan song, and while she is shaky at times and is past prime, she commands the stage very well, her manners appear very gracious, she looks regal and she apart from some shaky moments manages the singing and colouratura very well.

She has a solid supporting cast, the best being John Pringle, Suzanne Johnston and Amanda Thane, Pringle is commanding, Johnston is superb and the most consistent performer in my opinion and Thane is dazzling, and Anson Austin does pretty well with a very difficult tenor role and is appropriately dashing. Clifford Grant does struggle with some of the French, and while he takes a while to get used to he sings decently, and John Wegner has a voice that is too light for the role. French diction is decent mostly apart from Grant and sometimes Sutherland.

All in all, a good production and a fitting farewell to such a giant talent, but not quite as outstanding a production as the opera deserves. 8/10 Bethany Cox