Poliuto review: accomplished but uninspiring production at Glyndebourne

The singing is accomplished and the story has been updated, but much Poliuto remains uninspiring, says Barry Millington
Never in focus: the contemporary resonances fail to shine in this production
Tristram Kenton
Barry Millington24 May 2015

By the time he composed Poliuto in 1838, Donizetti was looking towards Paris to make his fame and fortune. But even when it was reworked as a grand opera called Les Martyrs, the piece was not a great success there. Frankly I’m not surprised. Not only because Parisians liked a good auto-da-fé, a massacre or at least a natural catastrophe of some kind — Poliuto offers none of these — but because much of it is so uninspiring.

It was a brave decision of Glyndebourne’s to open its season with the opera. A stunning production might have sold it better, but Mariame Clément’s is not that. The story of an emotional tangle against the backdrop of the Roman persecution of Christians in 3rd-century Armenia is updated to modern times. Julia Hansen’s grey sets (with video design by fettFilm) and military costumes evoke a general atmosphere of war-torn eastern Europe. But a bit of kindling (made of destroyed crucifixes) with which a captive is threatened falls some way short of an auto-da-fé.

The contemporary resonances never come into focus, which leaves conductor Enrique Mazzola to hack his way through a couple of acts of largely formulaic writing (including a disappointing sextet, in which characters’ conflicting emotions are ludicrously mirrored by the chorus swaying) before an astonishing anticipation of Verdi’s Aida and a final act which goes with more of a swing.

The lead roles are taken by Michael Fabiano, Igor Golovatenko and Ana Maria Martinez. The singing is accomplished, with more volume and less subtlety than bel  canto ideally demands. If you fancy a bit of rare Donizetti, don’t be put off, but don’t expect any revelations either.

Until July 15 (01273 815000, glyndebourne.com)

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