Let it be said at once, the gathering of children, young people and young adults who sing and play Benjamin Britten’s gripping mini-opera, deserves all possible praise and applause. They consistently maintain an impressively high level. Here is also the set’s problem: “Noah’s Ark” is professional and streamlined, but at the same time somewhat charmless and predictable. Instead of creating an arena where children and young people can experience and participate in opera in a less solemn context, the performance has primarily become a showcase for the Children’s Choir at the Opera and Barratt Due Music Institute. It’s fine in many ways, but I still think there may be reason to discuss what could have been the alternative. WIFE’S GIRLS: The gossip buckets with Mrs. Noah (Nora Ervik) in the middle. Photo: Erik Berg / DNOB An opera about community Benjamin Britten’s “Noye’s Fludde” is a setting of one of the mystery plays from the “Chester cycle” from the 14th century. The story of Noah’s ark contains elements that are typical of Britain: communities in crisis, boats in bad weather and salvation through tragedy. Most of all, “Noye’s Fludde” is an expression of Britten’s interest in writing music for amateurs, especially children and young people. This meager hour-long opera is composed specifically to be performed by children and young people together with a small core of professional musicians and singers. To clarify this, Britten expresses a wish that the opera should not be performed in a traditional theater or opera house, but instead in a church or a similarly larger room. The orchestra should be visible to the audience, and the action should be played on platforms that are not separated from the audience via the theater’s traditional invisible “fourth wall”. Superficial environmental message The Norwegian Opera and Ballet’s version of “Noye’s Fludde” has essentially become a traditional full-stage opera performance. Contrary to the original idea of collaboration between professional musicians and young amateurs, here the almost entire musical ensemble – impressive enough – consists of children and young people. The musical core consists of the Children’s Choir at the Opera and a string orchestra from the Barratt Due Music Institute, the latter safely placed and partially invisible in the orchestra pit. Under the direction of Gunnar Bergstrøm, the story of Noah has become an allegory about humanity’s destruction of the planet. As a result, the animal costumes have been removed in favor of a children’s choir in everyday attire bearing on cardboard boards inscribed with environmental policy slogans. SURFACE GRAPH: Environmental policy slogans replace animal costumes in “Noah’s Ark” at the Norwegian Opera and Ballet. Photo: Erik Berg / DNOB Although the message is difficult to criticize, the grip still appears to be superficial and predictable. I have a feeling that the motivation is as much about touch anxiety towards Old Testament religion as genuine political will to act. That Mrs. Noah’s farting group of friends (“Gossip Buckets”) is actually wiped out by God’s wrath is, for example, something the show literally sweeps under the rug. For a younger audience, it can not be easy to understand what this show is really about. Great musical performances It is undoubtedly the enthusiasm and skills of the young performers that make up the soul of this performance. Some mistakes occur, but so rare that you as a spectator are first and foremost engrossed in the story that unfolds on stage. The sound that flows up from the orchestra pit is powerful and warm, with many beautiful details from the large percussion department. From the galleries, trumpeters from Oslo Cultural School provide powerful and precise fanfares when the young environmental activists march onto the stage. The sound of the Youth Block flutists Uranienborg and the Youth Block flutists St. Sunniva would make Britten proud. Yes, you read that right: Youth Block Flutists. Imagine that we have something like this here on the rock! I have had the pleasure of hearing the children’s choir in the Opera in many productions at the Norwegian Opera and Ballet, but never in such a large and varied musical ensemble as here. All roles are filled with singers from the choir, including the two roles that Britten composed for professional opera singers. Not only that: the children’s choir has two teams that alternate between the different productions. At the premiere, the children sang with punch and precision all over the band. PROMISING BARITONE: Aksel Rykkvin in the role of Noah. Photo: Erik Berg / DNOB Talented main roles One of the roles originally composed for professional singers, is naturally the main role as Noah. At the premiere, this was sung by Aksel Rykkvin, who has gone from being an internationally recognized virtuoso boy soprano to becoming a very promising young baritone. Rykkvin sings with a beautiful and open timbre, light and effortless vibrato and natural phrasing. At 19 years old, he is of course not entirely credible as an Old Testament patriarch, but it is easily bought as part of the youth package. Nora Ervik, for her part, stands out as an obvious talent in the role of Mrs. Noah. Ervik has the most developed vocal expression among the singers on stage and will be exciting to follow in the years to come. The other roles as Noah’s sons and daughters-in-law, as well as Mrs. Noah’s entourage of Gossip Buckets, are all sung impressively by singers in their teens. Britten’s vocal lines are quite demanding at times, but here it sounds mainly clean and balanced. YOUNG TALENT: Nora Ervik (in the middle right) impresses in the role of Mrs. Noah. Photo: Erik Berg / DNOB Out of the box? My biggest objection is that “Noah’s Ark” has become a common and straightforward opera performance instead of the collective and ritual event that the British were looking to create. Could the performance have been played somewhere other than a little hidden in the neat and clear blackbox that is the National Opera’s Scene 2? A church in the center of Oslo? The departure hall at Oslo Central Station? A sports hall on the eastern edge? Such a project would not have been without practical challenges and would have led to a greater musical chance play. But sometimes one should perhaps take some chances to change entrenched notions of what opera is and can be. In that case, it would have been fully in Britten’s spirit. NRK reviewer Photo: Erik Berg / DNOB Title: «Noah’s Ark» Where: The Norwegian Opera and Ballet Date: 22 May – 29 May Music: Benjamin Britten Lyrics: Taken from «Miracle Plays, Moralities and Interlude» Translation: Edvard Hoem Original title: «Noye’s Fludde» Musical direction: David Maiwald Director: Gunnar Bergstrøm Stage design / costumes: Chinelle Markovic Lighting design: Theodoros Kyratzis Choreography: Kari Anne Bjerkestrand Cast: Soloists and choristers from the Opera’s Children’s Choir Orchestra: Barratt Due Ungflistblø Sunniva, Oslo Kulturskole.
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“Noah’s Ark” at the Norwegian Opera and Ballet – Reviews and recommendations
