Jane Austen described her work as portraits on ivory miniatures painted with tiny brushes.
Chamber Opera Chicago’s musical version of Persuasion laid it on with a trowel.
Gone was the irony, wit and subtlety: in its place was bouncy energy and operatic pastiche.
A very real affection for Jane lies at the heart of Barbara Landis’ adaptation but this was homage taken too far.
The American company went for the comic, all too easy with Sir Walter, Mrs Clay and the dreadful Dalrymples but caricatures can leave the remaining, more romantic cast adrift.
Captain Wentworth lacked charisma and boldly beautiful Barbara Landis was frankly unbelievable as a damaged and ‘much altered’ Anne. Back projections were clever and the pianist was outstanding amidst reduced orchestration.
There were good strong voices, convincing in Irish folk songs and rearranged excerpts of period classics but weirdly misplaced in a Haydn piano sonata.
Rousing sailors’ chorus and quicksilver Irish dancers were wonderful - all the ensemble moved with grace and skill on a very small stage.
Borrowing Corelli’s La Folia as ‘Anne’s theme’ was a handy metaphor for variation on an original theme – but why would anyone want to alter one word of Persuasion?
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