'Two Boys' at ENO

‘Two Boys’ is the new opera from talented young musician and composer Nico Muhley with librettist Craig Lucas, commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera in New York in collaboration with the ENO. It is based on a poignant (and true) news story - we watch Inspector Anne Strawson as she struggles to find 13 year old Jake’s killer. There is one obvious lead – a teenage boy caught on CCTV leaving the murder scene, and yet as the narrative unfurls it seems there is more to this crime than the obvious facts. To discover the truth, Detective Strawson must delve into a menacing cyberworld of internet sites and chatrooms.

I am usually not keen on modern operas, preferring the opulence of the classics, and yet ‘Two Boys’ kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. The clever storytelling, with tiny clues revealed throughout, left me desperately trying to solve the murder mystery myself; it was completely engaging and captivating, I even forgot about the Andy Murray match taking place simultaneously.

Muhley’s music is complex and requires great concentration from all participants. Rumon Gamba has a challenging job conducting in the pit, and he really exerts himself keeping it all perfectly together. Luckily on opening night, everyone was 100% committed and the result was a stunning and ethereal sound-world that enveloped the audience. It is an enchanting score - spooky and beautiful, imaginative and aggressive, and I found it heartbreakingly moving; towards the end I could feel tears sting my eyes.

Vocally, I enjoyed the chorus moments best: massive, grand, multi-layered writing that conveys the overwhelming reach of the internet. These moments of polyphony hark back to Palestrina’s intricate motets but here the cutting modern lyrics present an alarming juxtaposition. Unfortunately some of the solo lines are drowned by the rich, expansive orchestral textures, a balance will hopefully evolve as the run goes on. This is particularly true for Susan Bickley as Detective Anne Strawson, she gives a stunningly convincing performance dramatically but is vocally not quite powerful enough to always be heard clearly. The two boys however, Nicky Spence as adolescent Brian, and Jonathan McGovern as the young victim, are both outstanding.
Bartlett Sher’s staging is beautifully realised through Michael Yeargan’s designs, a set that really adds to the production. The large chorus stand illuminated eerily at the back while other characters are elevated in darkly lit towers across the front of the stage - it is oddly magical and otherworldly, perfect for depicting the cyberspace realm.

In my opinion, Nico Muhley’s new creation is an operatic masterpiece that will not only stun audiences but will also send out an important message about the dangers of the internet.

Two Boys continues until 8 July, book here.

A Dog's Heart at The ENO

The ENO are shaking things up this season with the UK Premiere of the shocking A Dog’s Heart by Alexander Raskatov based on Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel. The composer, worked with director Simon McBurney and Complicite from the start, so music, text and action are all inextricably linked. The outcome of this is a piece of art that overwhelms the senses.

The opera is unconventional, and several have contested whether in fact it can even be categorised as such. The music is discordant and lacks the richness of harmony, but the tricky sporadic melodies are tackled well by the cast, in particular the female singers whose voices seamlessly leap from end to end of the pitch spectrum. Nancy Allen Lundy sparkles as Zina the maid, hitting amazingly crisp top notes, and rampaging round the stage as the mad girl. Peter Hoare is brilliantly hideous as the monster of a man, Sharikov. He has a snarling power and sings the grossly worded songs with no shame, I must especially give him credit for proudly baring all on the Colliseum stage and screaming to the audience, ‘Suck my Cock’ just before the interval. It certainly gave us lots to giggle about at half time!

The story revolves around a grotesque operation that turns an ill-treated dog into a man, with horrendous consequences. It possesses a narrative that offended the Soviet authorities so much that they banned it for 60 years. And after seeing the opera I am not surprised it disturbed them. It is the mastery of the Blind Summit Theatre group that is to thank for the beautiful puppetry that recreates the hound, Sharik. Other small animal puppets are also featured. I love the scene towards the end when the poor cat is chased all over the place by the transformed Sharikov.

I was most struck by the beautiful use of film, sometimes as a backdrop, or often as an integral part of the scene. The opening scene takes place between two pieces of gauze onto which is projected falling snow. The fantastic projections are by Finn Ross and depict 1920s Moscow with a gritty realism. Set designs by Michael Levine and costumes by Christina Cunningham also help the scenes come alive.

A visually superb production of a bizarre opera, book here. Continues until 4 December 2010.

Frieze Art Fair

‘Frieze Art Fair features over 150 of the most exciting contemporary art galleries in the world. The fair also includes specially commissioned artists’ projects, a prestigious talks programme and an artist-led education schedule.’

Last year I helped at Zoo Art Fair, the younger crazier version of Frieze. My dad’s work was included in the eclectic mix. It was great fun and a very interesting project to be part of. I’ve always wondered what Frieze is like, and this year I got the chance to find out. I was lucky enough to be given two guest passes, and so was treated to complimentary champagne and delicious little canape treats. The VIP room was by far the best part of the Fair for me!

I was wearing my new 60s inspired, patterned COS dress, and was delighted to discover that COS is in fact one of the sponsors for Frieze, how mightily appropriate. And I know it sounds ridiculous, but this little coincidence made the whole outing more enjoyable.

After consuming the delicious nibbles and bubbly, we went off to venture round the scarily massive hangar of art. It is too big to see all the exhibits, and even if you did have a whole day to browse, you wouldn’t want too, as I think you’d zone out after a while. The work itself is very ‘in your face’, subtlety is an unknown concept in the world of Frieze. Around every corner a bold statement is made, sometimes with a giant vulgar sculpture, less often through a fluorescent painting or some mildly offensive photograph. Often the work tackles the grand topics of life and death. The art is intriguing, but most of it not the kind of thing you would want in your house, as even the most aesthetically pleasing is either too big or too precarious to display in a domestic environment. I liked the bright pink telephone box and some of the photographs best, there are also some dainty little ceramic cups on show that reminded me of some of Antony Gormley’s more petite work.

Tickets were priced at £25 each this year. In quantity you definitely get your money’s worth, and with work from so many different countries there is a huge variety to explore. I just enjoyed being there, and being part of the hubbub, some of the outfits visitors were wearing were artworks in themselves and I enjoyed observing all the mad characters.

Visit Frieze website here.