After Adrian Chandler and La Serenissima had “blown the doors off the Baroque” (note the Michael Caine reference by said Chandler) at St Mary’s and in St Thomas’s, Winchelsea, the Wihan Quartet showed why we all look forward to their visits, the Festival ended on Saturday with something even more memorable.
The Festival opened with Euphonia’s Turn of the Screw and it closed with their equally extraordinary version of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale. With minimal scenery, this utilised a cake, a large roll of bubble wrap, mobile phones and lights in charming heart-patterned paper bags to vivid effect and show-cased some outstanding young singers, as well as featuring Jonathan Musgrave, whose piano accompaniment was faultless.
All the cast seemed fully acquainted with the Italian libretto, even when there was need for very rapid enunciation. Edward Jowle (baritone) took full advantage of the smallish part of the Notary, not only by acting and singing splendidly, but also by bursting onto the stage in outrageous drag and Joseph Doody (tenor) as Ernesto, the lover, and Nicholas Morton (baritone) as the wily Dr Malatesta, convinced with fine singing and skilled acting. The principals, Norina and Don Pasquale himself, were sung by Lauren Libaw (soprano) and Dingle Yandell (bass). Lauren Libaw sang beautifully and fully conveyed Norina’s mischievousness and seductiveness, as well as ensuring that the character’s essential good-heartedness remained clear.
Everyone in the packed Rye Creative Centre must have been both captivated and astonished by Dingle Yandell’s Don Pasquale: captivated by his total ownership of the part, he seemed to be Don Pasquale, and astonished by the fact that, despite being an experienced singer, this was his first ever operatic performance.
Altogether, this was a quite magical and joyous show, which cannot have failed to put the lucky audience in a good mood for weeks or maybe until Euphonia, we hope, return in 2017. Congratulations to everyone involved, especially the truly remarkable Alisdair Kitchen, who has presented two totally different works with tremendous aplomb, one to open and one to close the Festival. Once again, Peter Brice has gathered immense musical riches for our delight in two all too brief weeks.
Photos: Rye and District Camera Club