Idomeneo at the EIF 2010 reviews

The Scotsman, Saturday 21 August 2010
SUSAN NICKALLS *****

During his long and fruitful relationship with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the late Sir Charles Mackerras combined the best of period and modern performance practice to produce a fresh and authentic sound for this type of repertoire. This was still very much in evidence in this cracking concert performance of Mozart’s opera Idomeneo, conducted with flair and cut-glass precision by Sir Roger Norrington.

He kept the momentum going at all times, even in the rather lengthy orchestral coda which brings this bittersweet story of love, duty and sacrifice to a happy conclusion. The ins and outs of this drama were beautifully articulated by the stellar line-up of singers. Joyce DiDonato, in the trouser role of Idamante, and Rosemary Joshua (Ilia) were a joy to listen to, their voices pure and clear, while Kurt Streit, in the title role, impressed with his smooth tenor voice. He was ably supported by Rainer Trost as Arbace, Keith Lewis as the High Priest, and Emma Bell made a suitably feisty Elettra. The SCO Chorus were in terrific form, having been well drilled by chorus master Gregory Batsleer, as was the orchestra. The cello/harpsichord continuo was compelling, and there some fine woodwind solos, particularly from the flute.

This glorious performance encapsulates everything that the Festival stands for, but in particular it makes the point that expensive, flamboyant productions are not always needed when the music can speak for itself in such an engaging and beguiling way.

The Herald, Saturday 21 August 2010
MICHAEL TUMELTY ****

It was, of course, a very different Idomeneo from the one we expected until last month when Sir Charles Mackerras, due to conduct the festival performance of Mozart’s opera last night, died. I wrote at the time of the announcement that Sir Roger Norrington was taking on the task and that he would make it his own.

And that, last night, is precisely what he did. So we had a darker Idomeneo, more subtly shaded and less driven in its momentum, more svelte in its phrasing, and with that Norrington light touch we experienced from him last season in the Schumann symphony project in Scotland. I loved the way he drew the colours from the drama, the way the phrasing flowed smoothly, and the feeling of understatement that permeated the show, which, en passant, made Elettra’s final fury quite so electrifying, and the extent of the sacrifice the characters were prepared to make, quite so poignant.

And Norrington, of course, inherited the fabulous cast that Sir Charles would have conducted. And it was a classic cast, on a par with the great teams lined for the earlier Mozart recordings with the SCO. It was without weakness in its line up or flaw in its performance. Their strength, apart from the glorious singing, was the extent to which they all locked into the drama. It was a dream team with Kurt Streit in the title role, the sensational Joyce DiDonato as his son Idamante, Rosemary Joshua touching as Ilia and Emma Bell, with a fiery dress and a voice like a laser as the jealous Elettra.

The SCO and its chorus were in tremendous form, super-alert for the most part, and extremely idiomatic and stylish.