FIRST NIGHT

Opera review: Juliana at Parabola Arts Centre, Cheltenham

As the protagonists reveal their traumatic histories, the tension should mount inexorably — it doesn’t
The relationship between Juliana (Cheryl Enever) and Juan (Samuel Pantcheff) never seems transgressive enough to warrant running away
The relationship between Juliana (Cheryl Enever) and Juan (Samuel Pantcheff) never seems transgressive enough to warrant running away

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★★☆☆☆
This new chamber opera transplants Strindberg’s Miss Julie from the 19th century to the present day. It’s a good idea. The Swedish play’s themes of sex and class are ideally operatic and, with only three characters on stage, the set-up is ripe for an intense piece of music drama.

A pity, then, that Juliana’s premiere at the closing concert of the Cheltenham Music Festival didn’t live up to its promise. There were plenty of virtues. All three principals sang superbly, while the eight-piece band of Nova Music Opera played with admirable precision under the conductor George Vass. Richard Williams’s direction was effective, although the fairly basic kitchen set and props could have benefited from another trip to Ikea.

Laurie Slade’s libretto is lean