Birmingham Symphony Hall, 30 June 2012 

The second instalment of Opera North’s semi-staged Ring Cycle came to Birmingham to a rapturous ovation. It was well deserved. In over half a century of Walküre performances, I can’t recall a line up of Valkyries as effective as that which hit us at the start of Act 3. Not only were the individual singers exemplary, but their combined strength, within the Symphony Hall acoustic, was thrilling in a way that is rarely true of the opera house.

Part of their success was certainly down to conductor Richard Farnes who has a vision of the work which over-arches individual scenes to give a sense of narrative drive which takes us through to the final Magic-Fire music. He seems to be able to get his singers to give more and more as the evening progresses rather than fade from exhaustion as is too often the case. Bela Perencz as Wotan was outstanding in this. Starting act two rather lightly, almost conversationally, he built the voice to the point where the end of the act had shattering power – and an authority which carried all the way through to the end.

If this implies the earlier acts were weaker it is not so. Alwyn Mellor’s radiant Sieglinde and the heroic tones of Erik Nelson Werner’s Siegmund, were matched by the fierce blackness of Clive Bayley’s Hunding. It is a long time since I have heard a Hunding who had such sinister cynicism in his voice, and for whom the outcome was not self-evident.

Katarina Karneus persuaded us that Fricka really does have a case that needs answering and that, in real terms, Wotan does not address the issues – he simply subverts them, blaming all around him rather than accept his own responsibilities.

In the title role, Annalena Persson brought passion, youth and fire. Her voice is thrilling and her war-cry electrifying.

Dame Anne Evans acted as consultant for the staging which is stylised but effective. The triple screen does not deflect from the action, though there are times when the surtitles are out of kilter with the score. But this is a very minor point in an evening which was an unqualified success. Next year Siegfried! BH

Rumour has it that this new production might mark the start of a fuller Offenbach revival. If so – fantastic. Offenbach is lamentably underperformed in England given that his musical prowess is closer to Rossini than Sullivan. When this musicality is added to a vibrant new translation of La Périchole by Jeremy Sams, who also directs the piece, it could not fail.

One of the distinct benefits of the new Opera Pavilion at Wormsley is the closeness of the acoustic and the ease with which the text carries. If Naomi O’Connell’s rich Irish accent in the title role took a short while to get used to, all others rang clear as a bell, with every word from Simon Butteriss a gem. He not only sings with aplomb but knows the importance of carrying the text with equal weight.

It was easy to see why the work is not familiar on the amateur circuit. It requires a large cast, all of whom need to be excellent singers. When one considers that Diana Montague was one of the three cousins, all of whom were equally fine, the point is made.

Robert Murray was a lyrical Piquillo, who made his drunkenness amusing rather than off-putting, and created just the right level of tension with the aristocracy. Geoffrey Dolton’s Viceroy was only too aware of the knife-edge he trod in a banana-republic which could explode at any moment.

That the work, necessarily, has a happy ending does not ignore the social commentary along the way.

Jeremy Sams’ production and English version make for a delightful evening, and are buoyed up by David Parry’s warm support from the pit. Francis O’Connor provided a set which proves that naturalism can fit comfortably on an open stage, and the late evening sunlight on the first night was a welcome, and distinctly effective bonus.

Let us hope the Offenbach series proves as effective as the current Vivaldi has done. BH