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Synopsis Satyagraha depicts events that occurred in Gandhi's life and his spiritual mentors during his years with the Indian community in South Africa, 1893-1914. It was here that Gandhi explored and defined his belief in passive resistance that has left such a mark on the world. Performed in Sanskrit with English surtitles. Running time: 3hrs 15mins. Original production supported by The 20/20 Group. A collaboration with Improbable. A co-production with The Metropolitan Opera New York.
A popular contemporary opera? An oxymoron, no? There are, of course, many music enthusiasts that would run a mile from Philip Glass in the cinema, or the concert hall, let alone in the opera house. But English National Opera’s production of Glass’ Satyagraha in 2007 smashed box-office records for a contemporary opera and proved a critical and commercial success, attracting first-time opera-goers as much as anyone else.
Now Phelim McDermott’s production, conceived by the British theatre company Improbable, has returned for its first revival under director David Kneuss.
Although the opera focuses on Mahatma Gandhi’s early years in South Africa and his development of the satyagraha – or “truth force” – philosophy, it is dependent on a non-linear narrative. Each of the three acts is driven by a ‘spiritual guardian’ from the past, present and future: Tolstoy, the Indian mystic and poet Tagore and finally Martin Luther King. And within these acts each scene presents itself as a meditation, a self-sufficient study of ideas. All this is entirely suited to Glass’ score, in which themes develop in a cyclical way – always clear and often with a mantra–like insistence.
Much of the success of this production is due to the return of the original Gandhi interpretation from Alan Oke. Not only is Oke’s physical characterisation entirely convincing but his tenor is pure and uncompromised by flashy effect, and therefore in perfect keeping with the nature of the vocal line. Elsewhere there are impressive performances from Elena Xanthoudakis as Mrs Schlesen and Janis Kelly as Mrs Naidoo. A skills ensemble from Improbable achieve amazing things on stage using the simplest means: newspapers stream up and down, and bundle into giant puppets, and animals appear out of a collection of wicker baskets.
The libretto is formed from sections of the Bhagavad Gita and – exceptionally for the Coliseum – the text is not translated and it is sung in the original Sanskrit. The chorus play an integral role in Satyagraha and they sang with power and clarity, and conductor Stuart Stratford maintained the momentum throughout. I just have to question whether the whole evening could have been even more potent if it settled around two hours instead of pushing three and a half hours.
This is one of the most thrilling and moving opera experiences I have ever had, theatrically up there with Wagner, War Horse, Madame de Sade, Red and the best of staged visual coup de theatres. And the sound - Glass's evolving chords, the best chorus work I have ever seen, and the leads at the top of their form - it's totally hypnotising and just emotionally overwhelming. Chanting, tableaux, quotations, formality, acres of corrugated iron, newspapers, even Sellotape (!), magical creations and the slow slow movements of the brilliantly directed players, all combine to create pure theatrical magic. There are no surtitles, no understandable words, just some projected phrases, titles of scenes and characters such as Ghandi, Tolstoy, Tagore, Krishna - it's largely incomprehensible, but no matter, there are programme notes if you want them - the experience was stunning and very very moving. I must go again. - Mikey
05 Mar 10
This is a rather good production. It looks nice and there is something to stimulate under Glass's stasis music. However, that's all it is. A sequence of nice images, be that images anyone who has seen any work by IMPROBABLE will have seen before. I came out of the show none the wiser about anything. Granted, the opera doesn't have a narrative or plot, but it should be a reflection (artistic or otherwise) on Ghandi, his life, work and thought. Making the already obvious visible (the burning of papers as seen in the film GHANDI, the contrast between Victorian Britain and Indian citizens) was a little A-level, as was the relation of the staging to the music (which was nothing more than 'this music is repetitive and cyclical, so we do the same thing slowly and in circles again and again and again like wot Robert Wilson did in the 1960's).
lots of people really loved it, equally some people walked out, but that's probably still due to Glass's Music rather than the staging.
- Cassox
Opened by Oswald Stoll on 24 Dec 1904. The first London theatre with a revolving stage. Home of the English National Opera (ENO). 2358 seats, the largest theatre in London, built in 1904 and very sophisticated at the time. The globe at the top was meant to revolve, but this wasn't allowed and 'chaser' lights were installed instead. Home of the ENO. since 1968. Society of London Theatre member. Restoration work costing £41m started in 2001 and due to be completed by 2004 to coincide with the centenary of the Coliseum. During the restoration an artistic programme will be staged.
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