London Coliseum
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The opera tells the story of Akhnaten who becomes Pharaoh after his father's death. In his position of authority he turns the country's polytheistic religion monotheistic, and builds a new city while he's at it. Later, his subjects turn against him and he is killed. From listening to and watching the opera, you would never have guessed that this is what it was about, but luckily for me there was a handy synopsis in the programme.
The conductor and orchestra must be commended for both their truly brilliant playing and also for their unwavering patience and commitment. For the best part of three hours they play pretty much the same sequence of notes. I almost wonder whether Glass wrote just one page of music to be repeated for three hours, and his intention was to see what the creative team could come up with to fill such a huge expanse of time. Yet somehow it was strangely mesmerising, the music almost hypnotising me into some sort of unbreakable trance.
Singing was a rare occurrence, and when it did come, it was very rarely with words. Most of the time, the main characters would just sing "aah" and miraculously it did seem to convey their emotions. I was, for one, impressed that they could remember which "aah" they were on, and continue to sing in perfect synchronicity. The moments when the whole chorus sang together were very powerful and made such interesting music. I just wished that this had occurred more frequently. Anthony Roth Costanzo as Akhnaten was incredible. He was a countertenor (singing in a high register which at times was up there with his female counterparts) and I have never heard a voice like it in my life. It was piercing and haunting - I looked forward to every time he sang.
I mentioned the juggling earlier, and it did indeed play a huge part in the opera. Throughout, they provided the main action on stage, juggling small balls, sticks, and massive birth-balls, choreographed into the most nail-biting formations. They really were the stars of the show. At the end, as Akhnaten was being killed, they began to throw the balls higher and higher and then letting them fall. They repeated this again and again, each timing letting the balls drop to the ground until only Akhnaten was left on stage, surrounded by fallen juggling balls. I was left pondering the deeper meaning of The Ball, - A tolerance for other beliefs? - faith in leadership? - hope for humanity? These are questions I believe I will be left pondering for quite some while. It was made even more perplexing when members of the juggling troupe later crawled across the stage rolling the balls in slow motion. I wonder if perhaps the balls took on a more profound meaning as they got progressively larger as Akhnaten's own became smaller and he instead sprouted two (somewhat lopsided) bosoms in what was a gripping transformation. But regardless of the deeper meaning of The Ball, the juggling was excellent and provided an engaging spectacle.
I think it would be safe to say that this opera was a whole new experience. The music was haunting, and it was certainly a feast for the eyes. The costume design was magnificent and the lighting and set were integral in creating the atmosphere. I would only say that it lasted a bit too long, and it would have been nice to hear a bit more variation in the score. I would definitely recommend this for the adventurous among you!
There are lots of ways to save when going to the opera, and there is a really handy summary of all the different methods of saving here: https://www.eno.org/your-visit/ways-to-save-offers/ . There is also the brilliant Opera Undressed scheme where you can get £20 tickets to see one of a selection of performances, (for this season The Magic Flute or The Merry Widow) and they include amazing seats, a free drink, and a pre-show performance talk. More information can be found here: https://www.eno.org/your-visit/ways-to-save-offers/opera-undressed/. Under 18's go free on Saturdays! - check the ENO website for more details.