Ariodante, Britten Theatre, review: Well-sung but badly directed

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Ariodante is set in Edinburgh, but Handel’s tale of treachery, true love, and heroism really could be set anywhere. So, given the London Handel Festival’s record in ingenious transplantings and updatings, one looked forward to see where they would put it. Alas, the answer in James Bonas’s production was a parish-hall Game of Thrones, with curtains endlessly dragged across the stage, miserable attempts at artiness, and for the final act a paddling pool covering the stage. The direction was at times woefully inept, with the climactic duel raising guffaws in the stalls.

All of which sold the student singers seriously short. It’s a shame the castrato title role could not have been sung by a countertenor – the vocal balance would have been better - but mezzo Katie Coventry handled its big demands with idiomatic confidence, as did soprano Sofia Larsson – after conquering her initial nerves – with the equally demanding role of Ginevra. And if mezzo Elspeth Marrow wasn’t yet comfortable with the low coloratura of her role as the evil Polinesso, soprano Alina Averina sailed gracefully through her arias as lady-in-waiting Dalinda. Peter Aisher made a handsome-sounding Lurcanio, Joel Williams a sweet-toned Odoardo, and Simphiwe Simon Shibambu a resonant King. Laurence Cummings presided impeccably in the pit.