The Rake's Progress, a Fable

I have watched this David Hockney production of The Rake's Progress over and over and over. The singing and acting are superb. The orchestral playing is equally so. Bernard Haitink's conducting could be a mite snappier but this is a very small complaint. He knows his Stravinsky, as his discography demonstrates.

The colorful production is based upon the series of 18th Century engravings by Hogarth. These engravings along with the Faust legend informed the librettist and the composer. Felicity Lott brings youthful innocence and an exquisite vocal technique to her performance of Ann Truelove. Samuel Ramey is the quintessential Nick Shadow, just as he is the perfect Mefistofele in Boito's opera of that name. Goeke's Tom Rakewell is totally charming: his degeneration and eventual salvation (ironically by way of insanity) breaks the heart to hear and watch. Rosalind Elias as always is a consummate artist. Her Baba the Turk is musically enthralling even as the portrayal is both hilarious and imperious. Richard van Allan is a dignified and compassionate Father Truelove. The chorus sings and acts to perfection.

I use this film when teaching college seminars on topics such as "The Faust Legend" or "The Hero's Journey." Students are invariably drawn deeply into the heart of the work by the wonderful qualities of this production. It was as of April 2005 very hard to find on VHS, but it has since then been digitalized and released on DVD. The picture and sound quality are better in the later two-cassette edition than in the earlier one cassette version. Both picture and sound are better in the DVD version.

This production is currently being given an airing in the Sky Arts series "Twenty operas to see before you die". However, while watching it I felt I had already died and was being subjected to some particularly painful torment to atone for my past sins. I first tried to listen to this opera about five years ago but I only managed a few minutes before I had to turn it off. Since then my masochism threshold has increased considerably and so, when the chance came again recently, I was able to sit through the entire opera. Admittedly, it was like three hours of root canal work. And this is Stravinsky in friendly neoclassical mode. The opera has an English libretto but it might as well have been in Russian because Stravinsky's music renders the lyrics unintelligible.

The opera is based on Hogarth's paintings and consists of a series of fairly static tableaux, so it is anyone's guess what it is about because you can't see anything happening and you can't hear what anyone is singing about. David Hockney's hideous sets are based on Hogarth cartoons so they have lots of crosshatching in them, which is quite painful to look at for any length of time.

Samuel Ramey and Felicity Lott perform valiantly as Nick Shadow and Anne Trulove, as does Rosalind Elias as the bearded lady. Next time, though, I shall ask for a general anaesthetic.

Stravinsky is one of those composers that has grown on me overtime but I more appreciate him and his importance in music rather than consider him a favourite. This 1975 Glyndebourne production is one of the main reasons why I have more of an appreciation for him now. The Rake's Progress is one of Stravinsky's best works alongside Oedipus Rex and his ballet The Firebird, and the production gives it perfect justice, more so than any other production I've seen.

It is visually stunning, with truly fabulous costume and set design, all of which are colourful and very clever, and done justice by the always focused video directing and sharp picture quality. The staging is full of grace and is very compelling throughout, especially the card-playing scene in the graveyard and when Nick Shadow disappears into the coffin. Musically the production excels also, with outstanding orchestral playing and conducting, always charming and incisive.

The performances are really great, especially from Samuel Ramey whose Nick ranks up with his Mefistofele and Attila on the incomparable level. His basso voice is sumptuous, and is always clear and musical, and his acting is smarmy and evil yet elegant and handsome. Rosalind Elias really bites into her role as the bearded lady Baba the Turk, and sings beautifully and fluently.

Felicity Lott is a very touching Anne Trulove especially in her rendition of Gently Little Boats, even early in her career her singing is nuanced and of great lyric beauty. Leo Goeke has always been mixed to me but his Tom here is very moving with some of his most even and un-strained singing. Richard Van Allen makes for a stern and forgiving Trulove, with his voice black-hearted and dignified at the same time.

Overall, really fantastic. 10/10 Bethany Cox