Review: Presented With Stunning Imagery, KING ROGER Is Powerful And Thought Provoking

Friday 20th January 2017, 7:30pm, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House

Opera Australia's co-production with Royal Opera House and Dallas Opera's production of the rarely performed KRÓL ROGER (KING ROGER) is a magnificent expression of one man's inner conflict. The unusual Polish work by Karol Szymanowski (composer and libretto) and Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz's (libretto) is presented with a grandeur yet contemporary cleanness that, when combined with the expressive music makes for a powerful work.

The premise of the work is that the religious leaders of the Orthodox Christian town want King Roger (Michael Honeyman) to punish the new self-proclaimed prophet, the Shepherd (Saimir Pirgu), for preaching his belief in freedom, pleasure and love. Whilst Queen Roxana (Lorina Gore) warms to the Shepherd's explanation of his god, Roger remains conflicted and whilst not completely convinced, he is not prepared to meet the town's calls for an execution, opting to free the Shepherd. Whilst the townsfolk faith is more repressed and restrictive, the Shepherd's philosophy is more hedonistic and Roxana is eventually away and into the crowd that is filled with emotion and ecstasy. As the tables turn, the Shepherd assumes power and King Roger is the outsider, found beside the ruins of the town that has all succumbed to the Shepherd's seductive philosophy.

Kasper Holten's (Director) vision has been recreated by Revival Director Amy Lane for the Sydney premiere of KRÓL ROGER (KING ROGER) and brings Saimir Pirgu to Sydney to reprise his performance as the Shepherd with the Australian cast. Designer Steffen Aarfing has created an incredibly imposing set with a colosseum arena dominated by an eight metre tall head which provides a canvas for Luke Halls' video design and in time presents a visual expression of the turmoil going on inside the King's mind. Whilst originally set in 12th century Sicily, Aarfing's design gives the work a universality and a timelessness. His costuming is drawn from the era of the opera's first staging, in 1926 with the King and his advisor Edrisi (James Egglestone) in suits and Roxana and the women of the town in drop waisted, boxy, simple dresses that hid the feminine form.

As King Roger, conflicted by the obligation to retain the structure and religion, and the desire to trust his wife in following the Shepherd's philosophy, Michael Honeyman gives an emotion filled performance. Supported by Szymanowski's wonderful score, under the baton of Andrea Molino, and Cathy Marston's (choreographer) dancers, the story plays out with a clarity and expressiveness that makes it easy to follow, even without following the surtitles. Honeyman conveys the broken man who has lost control of his town to an interloper with an honesty and rawness in both his wonderful baritone and his acting that draws the audience in, garnering sympathy and understanding.

Lorina Gore's presentation of Queen Roxana is equally emotive and textured as Roxana is initially the gentler voice in the ruler's ear as she is drawn into the Shepherd's philosophy and urges Roger to free the Shepherd. She gives Roxana a humility and regret once she determines that the Shepherd has hoodwinked them, choosing to do what she can to save the King's life.

As King Roger's advisor Edrisi, James Egglestone light tenor is an encouraging voice in the King's ear whilst the Archbishop's (Gennadi Dubinsky) bass and the Deconess' (Dominica Matthews) contralto lend a weight to the religious establishment, and the town's thirst for the Shepherd's blood.

As the Shepherd, Saimir Pirgu gives the oddly well dressed outsider a gravitas and suaveness that makes it understandable why Roxana, and eventually the whole town, fall under his spell and choose to believe his way of life when previously they had been calling for his execution. Pirgu builds the character as the Acts progress, from giving impression that his beliefs are wholesome and harmless to a more sinister, recklessness once the Shepherd has taken control of the town and destroyed monuments and education as evidenced by his instruction to burn books.

KRÓL ROGER (KING ROGER) is a wonderfully presented work that is a feast, both visually and aurally and it is a treat to hear a score with so much expression and storytelling in the music. An opera that refreshingly avoids the standard murder and love webs and deception, the challenge of expressing inner conflict and matters of belief in the sacred and desire to succumb to excess, freedom and luxurious hedonism is artistically and ingeniously expressed through imagery, physicality and the performers acting ability which conveys the emotion with a lovely balance of light and darkness, joy and anguish.

KRÓL ROGER (KING ROGER)

Photos: Keith Saunders