Even in the darkest places, courage and love can lead to liberation

Beethoven’s Fidelio
Garsington Opera at Wormsley
Friday, June 27

THE opening performance of Beethoven’s Fidelio at Garsington Opera offered a stirring evening of contrast. Sparse modern staging and glorious music, oppression and freedom, darkness and light.

This revival of John Cox’s iconic production, directed by Jamie Manton in his Garsington debut, situates Beethoven’s only opera in a stark concrete set.

Brutalist, foreboding walls loom over the action, in deliberate counterpoint to the idyllic gardens and birdsong outside in Wormsley’s beautiful natural setting.

The effect is both unsettling and gripping, a constant reminder of the story’s heart: Leonore’s quest to rescue her husband Florestan from unjust imprisonment. The English Concert, under Douglas Boyd, took time to find its footing during the overture, with some ensemble imprecision.

But soon the orchestra settled into its customary high standard of playing with expressive richness.

For instance, their accompanying of the male chorus emerging from the subterranean cells into blinding light was an unforgettable moment, the radiant sunset flooding the stage in perfect synergy with Beethoven’s music.

Sally Matthews tackled the enormous role of Leonore with commitment and vocal power, her soprano soaring over the orchestra in the aria Abscheulicher!, a spiritual journey from fear and revulsion to defiance and hope.

While her singing was often thrilling, it felt forced at times and her portrayal of Leonore’s anguish sometimes felt emotionally restrained.

Robert Murray delivered a phenomenal Florestan, capturing both the torment and unbreakable spirit of the prisoner. His anguished cry “Gott! Welch Dunkel hier!” in the second act was achingly beautiful, the orchestra’s weeping strings and snarling brass heightening the sense of foreboding.

Jonathan Lemalu’s Rocco was vocally assured, conveying both the gaoler’s authority and his paternal warmth.

Isabelle Peters charmed as Marzelline, her clear tone and engaging stage presence providing welcome lightness. Musa Ngqungwana was an imposing Don Pizarro, but a little under-powered and his villainy in Ha! Welch ein Augenblick! needed more menace.

Visually, the production made bold choices. The minimalist staging demanded high-voltage drama from the performers to convey the opera’s emotional stakes. With principal singers often scattered across the vast stage, some scenes lost immediacy.

The absence for much of the action of Garsington’s signature onstage chorus occasionally diminished the impact, though the final chorus restored the sense of epic scale Beethoven intended.

This powerful revival reminds us that even in the darkest places, courage and love can lead to liberation.

Fidelio runs until Tuesday, July 22. For more information, visit www.garsingtonopera.org

Amanda Sadler