Since late last year, it seems that the
personable and obviously multi-talented Muhly has been (pardon the allusion)
pushed down our throats from every media-angle, and by too many London hacks
anxious to maintain their street-cred in Twitter-land. This kind of media blitz
is obviously a two-edged sledgehammer: if the show bombs then everybody looks
somewhat foolish, if it achieves critical and/or box-office success (I suspect
the latter in this case) then we’ll probably get bombarded again all too
soon with the next wonder-kid of modern music. Ah well.
Mary Bevan
At the world premiere of Two Boys last night, (cleverly being
opened here and not at its co-pro alma mater of the Met) you would have been
forgiven for thinking that you had missed the date and wandered into London
Fashion Week. Everyone who had read all the supplements, all the tweets, all
the blogs and listened to the podcasts — or even just came on spec
because everyone else said they should — was there. It was achingly hip.
Never mind — we all want opera extending its audience so why not? It
probably swelled the coffers of the ENO champagne bar.
So how was it? Well, perhaps one should score it in TV Talent Show style and
take it from there:
Story: 6/10, Music: 6/10, Production: 6/10……..you get the idea I expect.
Singers? Definitely 8/10, if only for commitment to the work, vocal
characterisation, and damn good acting within the limits of the production.
Craig Lucas has written a libretto that is based on a true news story of
some years ago about two boys, internet chat rooms, assumed identities and
attempted murder and this story — slight as it is in dramatic terms
— worked to a point. What was lacking was any depth of characterisation,
any motivations or emotional developments to give the piece structure. Maybe
that was part of the plan: certainly the waves of music that swirled and pulsed
and counterpointed the long articulated lines of speech/song didn’t
suggest much in the way of dramatic development or journey. Muhly’s work
is difficult to describe; his music is like high-class mood-music, or perhaps
those compositions carefully constructed and “written to picture”
for an expensive nature documentary. It doesn’t challenge the listener,
nor does it repel — but I doubt it delighted or surprised many either.
Susan Bickley and Nicky Spence
The singers were universally good: the core of the story lies with the
investigating police officer played by Susan Bickley (does she ever
disappoint?) who has demons of her own to confront as a stranger in the strange
land of her suspect’s virtual world of net friends. Her diction was
excellent and character well-drawn. That suspect, who we know as
“Brian”, is sung by young tenor Nicky Spence with a tremendous
empathy for this pathetic, unintelligent, bullied young man who’s flashes
of desperate anger at his uncomprehending parents just reinforce his weakness
and lack of self esteem. That excellent work was matched by the amazingly
confident performance of boy treble Joseph Beesley — one just hopes that
the calculated evil inherent in his character doesn’t leave too much of a
shadow. The many supporting roles were equally well presented and sung without
a single unhappy choice — and singers and orchestra (under Rumon Gamba)
seemed well-rehearsed and remarkably slick considering this was a first night
of an entirely new work.
Joseph Beesley and Nicky Spence
On the production side, a few good ideas were made much of but could have
been given more emphasis — the video backdrops of world-wide internet
“chatting” — words repeating, and reappearing, and often
mirroring the actual sung words. Some of the best dramatic moments came with
the chorus spread around and above the stage suggesting the vast numbers of
internet chatters communicating endlessly and pointlessly from their sad
individual bedrooms. The graphic video work was good — but again could
have been so much more; in fact the whole production just felt as if it were
treading far too carefully, too “nicely” and was afraid of
upsetting anyone. All a bit anodyne, in essence. Perhaps they will push the
boat out a bit more for its New York premiere? Somehow, I doubt it.
Sue Loder.
Six more performances through June and July: see www.eno.org
image=http://www.operatoday.com/Two_Boys_14.gif
image_description=Nicky Spence [Photo by Richard Hubert Smith courtesy of English National Opera]
product=yes
product_title=Nico Muhly: Two Boys
product_by=Click here for cast and other information.
product_id=Above: Nicky Spence [All photos by Richard Hubert Smith courtesy of English National Opera]