OperaUpClose return to Mansfield Palace Theatre with an hour-long show composed of translated operatic pieces, performed by a cast of lovers and friends sharing a picnic...
The first thing you notice is the soundtrack crafted from title songs from La Boheme, Carmen and La Traviata amongst a variety of others. OperaUpClose bring these musical giants down from their perches and make them face up to their contextual roots. All the lyrics have been translated so traditional exercises in perfect harmony are reinvigorated into expressive works with a clear and emotional purpose.
Opera Cocktail first premiered in Mansfield in 2023 and offers as an opportunity for arts venues to showcase a wide array of classical music and musical theatre in a unique way. Over the last two years the show has toured across the UK and, thanks not least to the translations, the music is made accessible and comprehensible to both wider audiences and to this reviewer.
The early stages of the production feature Tchaikovksy and Verdi, with themes of friendship and drinking coming naturally to a plot set upon picnic blankets. However, by the middle of the play, things are starting to unravel. Perhaps inevitably, considering the reel of heavy operatic pieces, the pacing begins to lag behind the events. This is worsened as the story of a love triangle begins to adopt a circular rhythm, with each serenade inviting a heart-wrenching expression of grief.
However, within the space of one song the emotional reality is restored as mezzo-soprano Felicity Buckland delivers a plot halting rendition of Send in the Clowns by Stephen Sondheim. Everything stops dead and suddenly the blue hue of night light becomes unmissable. A game of emotional pass the parcel has ceased and somebody has lost. The emotional outpouring is felt as both the audience and lights focus upon a person expressing a love close enough to feel, yet too far away to hold on to.
This is a standout performance within a cast exuding trained talent. The range and power of soprano Claire Wild comes to act as the height of operatic force within the ensemble. This is reinforced by the dynamic nature of Australian-Maltese tenor Brenton Spiteri, whose voice becomes the driving element of the drama. At every moment, the voices are matched by the subtlety and brilliance of the musicians.
So why this production? Why Opera Cocktail? And why Opera? At the zenith of culture, opera comes to exemplify a static beauty and a level of perfection not expected elsewhere. Perhaps this is the inevitable fate of a timeless work? However, through translating the lyrics and putting this in a modern setting, OperaUpClose have made it accessible again. Carmen’s pain has come back to her. The context that is pulling her apart sinks something within us again. Our emotions are at stake with the couple that feel for the first time that they are going to make it.
This the reality OperaUpClose are able to wield on stage and it is true, the plot does sometimes feel at risk of buckling under the weight of a stream of cultural giants. However, when the plot is stopped dead and we find a bare stage presenting only a crushed character, we feel opera move from the timeless to the universal once again. Instead of finding beauty in Carmen’s pain, we feel it with her.
Opera Cocktail was performed at Mansfield Palace Theatre on Thursday 15 May 2025.
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
