United Kingdom Handel, Partenope: Soloists, Orchestra of English Nationwide Opera / William Cole (conductor). London Coliseum, 22.11.2025. (CC)
Production:
Director – Christopher Alden
Set designer – Andrew Leibeman
Costume designer – Jon Morell
Lighting designer – Adam Silverman
Revival Lighting designer – Marc Rosette
Translation – Amanda Holden (ed. Clifford Bartlett)
Solid:
Partenope – Nardus Williams
Arsace – Hugh Chopping
Emilio – Ru Charlesworth
Armindo – Jake Ingbar
Rosmira – Katie Bray
Ormonte – William Thomas
A really welcome revival of Chrisopher Alden’s staging of Handel’s Partenope right here: It was first staged at St Martin’s Lane in 2008, and subsequently revised in 2017 (right here). The resetting of the plot to Twenties Paris in a trendy, ever-so-white home, with photographic references to Man Ray (in Emilio’s images) and an ongoing card sport, is fascinating: plus, the everlasting feelings of this gender-bending comedy, no matter one’s intercourse(es), work supremely properly.
Every solid for every run has included stellar vocal performances, and this was no exception. However right here it’s value spending time on the conductor William Cole first who has taken over from the originally-billed Christian Curnyn (who needed to bow out on the first night time after the primary act and Cole, his assistant, stepped into the breach). The English Nationwide Opera Orchestra has not often sounded higher: the violin strains at pace had been supremely collectively; rhythms had been as tight as may be. This can be a comedian opera – Handel’s first – and there was a palpable buoyancy from the pit. Some excellent wind and horn taking part in, too; it was a pleasure, not least as a result of Cole’s tempos appeared completely excellent at each flip. Cole, who has carried out Albert Herring at Scottish Opera in 2024 and who was Assistant Conductor for ENO’s Rigoletto in late 2024, appeared to reside and breathe Handel’s world – here’s a main artist within the making.
The singing was just about uniformly wonderful. However three solid members impressed notably. First, Nardus Williams, a former ENO Harewood Artist, sang Partenope not solely with supreme assurance (she must: the plot revolves round her, in any case, along with her a number of suitors!) however with readability of diction melded to line that’s not often heard. It was a supreme assumption, dramatically well-contained, and with each extremes of Williams’s register sturdy, her Act I ‘Each love and destiny shall meet’ a masterclass, the ultimate act ‘Joys attend my dearest treasure’ so correct in its intervallic leaps. Price noting Williams’s staccato is superb, too: the range she is able to is outstanding, and there was no lack of stamina all through.
Then there was Hugh Chopping, one of many best and most constant countertenors I’ve ever heard, as the proper Arsace, characterful (and full toned) in ‘O Eurimene has Rosmira’s Air’ (Act I). He was most affecting within the slower airs, his ‘Love unrelenting’ a excessive level.
Th third star was Katie Bray, as Rosmira, the stand-out younger expertise of the solid: she received the Dame Joan Sutherland Viewers Prize on the 2019 Cardiff Singer of the World. She too has the complete gamut of feelings, her remaining act aria, ‘This was Arsace’s responsible half’ sturdy; (Partenope is certainly one of Handel’s most constant works of genius from first to final, so stand-out arias like this actually are excellent). Bray has to barter a dual-persona (few don’t, on this opera) and has the gear, dramatically, and musically, for the contrasts of Eurimene and Rosmira. Preserve a watch out for Bray’s upcoming Kurt Weill Chandos disc (with Murray Grainger, accordion, Marianne Schofield, double bass, and William Vann, piano) – it’s a cracker and can be launched on January 9, 2026).
After Chopping, the opposite countertenor is the position of Arminio, right here American Jake Ingbar. Heard final yr in Barrie Kosky’s manufacturing of Agrippina a Dutch Nationwide Opera, his sound is beautiful, particular person, ever the equal of Chopping.
The one tenor position right here is Emilio, taken with authority and, dramatically, a lot elan and stage presence by Ru Charlesworth, his ‘conflict’ aria (‘Now conflict shall all my ideas interact’) strongly taken, particularly the accuracy of the angular strains, his second act ‘Sure, Destiny, I really feel my merciless doom’ equally blessed.
Which leaves William Thomas’s stalwart Oromonte. One other former ENO Harewood Artist, this time he’s the one who has to place up with a foolish costume which does appear quite too ridiculous (maybe that’s the level). He was, within the face of adversity, remarkably authoritative.
ENO stays a (quickly to be splintered) jewel in English opera. This firm has at all times excelled in Handel, and this Partenope is not any exception. This run is devoted to Sir Charles Mackerras.
Colin Clarke
Featured Picture: English Nationwide Opera’s Partenope © Lloyd Winters
