The air throbs with a greater than usual anticipatory buzz from the large audience that packs Hanover Hall, composed as it is of both Jane Austen aficionados and opera buffs. Expectations for this intimate, whimsical chamber opera are high, and we are not disappointed, charmed from the start by composer Jonathan Dove’s lively music, Alasdair Middleton’s playful libretto, and confident, polished performances by a strong cast. 

Director Rebecca Meltzer has ensured the ensemble work in particular is captivating, and the singers, somewhat unusually in my experience, prove themselves triple-threats, holding character when not singing, even when that involves physically interacting with the audience, and delighting us by continuing to warble their way through a neatly-executed Regency dance.

The set is simple, as befits a travelling production in untypical performance spaces – Hanover Hall is actually a stunning repurposed church, though in this instance its architecture is underutilised.  A backdrop of blue velvet curtains is hung with classic paintings of the era, and before these are seated Sir Thomas Bertram of Mansfield and his family, in Regency costume, echoing the formal period poses, the ladies sewing or reading improving books, the gentlemen perusing newspapers or doing absolutely nothing. 

There was a film in 1980, called Jane Austen in Manhattan, in which two rival directors compete to produce an early manuscript of Austen’s. One version is startlingly avant-garde, the other a conventional operatic production with full orchestra, grand arias, elaborate sets and gorgeous eighteenth-century costume. I was expecting Mansfield Park to be more like the latter, but while not precisely avant-garde, it is certainly modern, very bouncy both musically and in its approach to what is a rather quiet and contemplative novel.

Austen, like Shakespeare, can take any amount of interpretation, and this cheeky version is great fun, and extremely accessible, though some may miss Austen’s ironic wit and deeper notes. The author’s own subtle social commentary is naturally hard to incorporate in films or on stage. Dove and Middleton have attempted to show passages of inner monologue by amusing asides, or the useful device of characters writing letters expressing their feelings, concluding, “I will not send this letter”. 

The emphasis is definitely on humour and we are kept in ripples of laughter, which is not at all the feel one gets from perhaps Austen’s most profound novel, in which she examines morality, sin and steadfast virtue in all seriousness. “Wisdom is better than wit,” she claims elsewhere, “and in the long run will certainly have the laugh on her side”. But as she also writes in the final chapter of Mansfield Park, “Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery. I quit such subjects as soon as I can…” Austen might not have found much amiss with this translation, while the audience clearly loves it.

In any case, it is hard to cavil when Chapter One opens with comic delights like Lady Bertram’s ode to her pug dog, Maria Bertram carolling, “I am going to marry twelve thousand a year!” and her rich but stupid suitor Mr Rushworth dashing into the hall in silly hat over sillier haircut, bellowing, “I am being chased by a cow!” He is certainly much funnier here than in the book, where Austen condemns him roundly for being willing to marry a woman he knows does not love him.

The plot has been very cleverly adapted and is surprisingly easy to follow, the omission of the Bertrams’ wild elder son and poor relation Fanny’s awful family in Portsmouth merely serving to tighten the narrative. Hence we have a simple Cinderella story, a painfully shy child patronisingly adopted by rich relatives, whose comfortable lives, as landed gentry preparing to marry off their beautiful but superficial daughters, are interrupted by the arrival of dangerously alluring brother and sister, Henry and Mary Crawford.

Their lively entry on the scene is a gift to the opera’s creators, who are able to concoct enchanting ensemble numbers like “Landscape Gardening” and “It’s Only a Play” with the Crawfords leading the Bertrams astray in a most entertaining way. The cast respond beautifully to Meltzer’s direction, holding up props for others and even taking on roles as trees or pillars as needed. (I love the many uses versatile muslin squares are put to, the newspapers being especially successful.)

The chief difficulty in adaptation lies with timid Fanny herself. She has always posed a problem as a heroine, being so fragile and passive, almost insipid to outward appearances, an observer on life, and many fans like this book least because of it. The opera gives her some touchingly melancholy moments when, hopelessly lovelorn, she is left behind by the insouciant pleasure-seeking crowd, and here Michaela Cadwgan does gain our sympathy. She is not helped by a costume that is truly dowdy in cut and colour – surely once all are commenting on her improved looks she could be allowed a prettier gown, and the delightfully winsome ringlets of her cousins? 

But the sparkle displayed by Elizabeth Bennett is bestowed in this novel on Mary Crawford, which means the bad girl is the more attractive character. Joanna Foote seizes the opportunity and makes her lovely Mary a charmer indeed. How would Edmond not fall for her, especially when rehearsing the risqué Lovers’ Vows?! She and the Bertram sisters impart such vivacity that, though they are off-stage for much of the second half of the book, it is a shrewd choice to keep them firmly onstage in the opera.

So much for the classic novel and this beguiling interpretation. Now for the music! Sensibly I have consulted highly qualified friends, two accomplished musicians in their own right, and feel I cannot do better than include their response.

Sanaz Rezai (PhD in Musical Arts) asserts that pianists Soomin Kim and David Kelly are phenomenal, with perfect control, equal to the singers but never overpowering. The composer’s writing, she adds, is similar to a fusion between John Adams and Philip Glass but with faster-moving harmonic progressions and musical themes. Clearly the pianists have done a thorough study of this style of music before immersing themselves in this composition. They demonstrate utmost control technically but always with a warm and singing tone, creating an orchestral expression with just 2-4 hands.

Tessa Romano, who is Head of Voice at Otago University, agrees that the pianists are the unsung heroes, the many colours they produce on one instrument meaning a full orchestra is not missed. Praise is given the singers too, with Robert Tucker as Sir Thomas a steadfast presence both vocally and dramatically, shining even in this background role. As his wife, pug-obsessed Lady Bertram, Kristin Darragh displays skill in her humorous presentation and vocal reliability, not to mention her puppetry skills!

Andrea Creighton, as horrid Aunt Norris, delivered swift musical gossip with aplomb, while her browbeaten niece Fanny is portrayed with great composure and sincerity in what is her NZ Opera debut by Michaela Cadwgan.

As the two sophisticated but shallow Bertram sisters, Sarah Miles stands out for her energetic, convincing and very well sung portrayal of Maria, with Cecilia Zhang’s warm mezzo as Julia carrying fine vocal clarity from her first entrance.

Playing the rather stuffy hero Edmund, Joel Amosa contends well with an unforgiving vocal line, while Taylor Wallbank as duplicitous Henry Crawford sings with great precision. 

As Henry’s pretty sister Mary, Joanna Foote is nothing short of miraculous in her easy production of clear, agile soprano throughout. Meanwhile comic honours are carried off by Andrew Grenon as the hapless Mr Rushworth, a heartwarming interpretation with charming vocals to match.

But the highest praise must go to the sensitive ensemble singing, which really is a resounding success. Never have chapter titles been so interesting and beautifully harmonic! Altogether Mansfield Park is irresistibly sprightly, polished yet unpretentious, a minimalist opera that appears to have given this cheerful audience maximum pleasure. We look forward to NZ Opera’s next visit!

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The Great Hall at Christchurch’s Arts Centre is hardly an opera house, but its olde-worlde grandeur plays a significant part in creating the atmosphere of Jane Austen’s Regency society. NZ Opera’s set and costumes added a rather generalised period authenticity to this production of composer Jonathan Dove’s and librettist Alasdair Middleton’s operatic adaption of Austen’s Mansfield Park, although dressing some of the performers with more attention to detail in regard to fit and style would have added considerably to the visual appeal.

For example, the design for Fanny Price (Michaela Cadwgan) seemed to portray her as some sort of Cinderella rather than as the near social equal of her cousins and, despite some of the Bertrams’ attitude to her, she is just as eligible as they to attend balls and marry society gentlemen, and should be dressed accordingly. Something like the more stylish costume that the same singer wore as Julia Bertram in last year’s North Island productions would have been more appropriate, in my view.

The set also pays little more than lip service to the period presentation and, although sumptuous indoor and outdoor settings would be considerably more expensive, I have seen opera productions with fewer attempts at realism, but greater imaginative suggestion bringing notably more effectiveness.

Even so, the production succeeds because of the quality of both the work itself and the performances as directed by Rebecca Meltzer. NZ Opera presents Dove’s original scoring for four-hand piano accompaniment, here played with considerable vitality and flair by Soomin Kim and David Kelly, even if the relatively unvarying timbre of the piano wears a little thin by the end of a two-hour opera. Much of the variety of Dove’s musical invention is in the accompaniment, not only in its range of effects and effectiveness, but in the mercurial, and sometimes momentary, changes of expressive and descriptive diversity.

Jonathan Dove’s score has many highlights. Right from the go, the music has character and individuality with many passing felicities, all made the most of by the uniformly strong cast. But the first extended high point comes, for me, in Chapter Four of Act 1 – “Landscape Gardening” – in which the plans to improve the view ‘at Sotherton’ are discussed in a glorious ensemble which also retains, and even builds on, Jane Austen’s wit and her almost derisive observational satire.

Chapter Six – “Music and Astronomy” – is another special moment with a simply gorgeous background chorale accompanying the foreground conversation and developing relationships; although, perhaps some more atmospheric lighting or setting could enhance the night-time atmosphere of this scene? But then the contrasting fun and vitality of the following “Lovers’ Vows . . . it’s Only a Play” is sheer delight. Towards the end of Act 2, “Follies and Grottoes” brings another exquisite chorale, this time a cappella, giving some relief from what has by now become the slightly unrelenting tonal palette of the piano.

The final ‘chapter’ of the opera is an ensemble with the entire cast, in a similar dramatic vein to the ‘moral’ that ends Mozart’s Don Giovanni. It begins, once again a cappella, before the piano enters with an arpeggiated motif which builds and develops, somewhat in the way of the codas of some of Bruckner’s symphonies, except that the monochrome sound of the piano lacks that sense of rising emotion that an orchestra can invoke. However, the effect of these ten firmly focused and powerful voices makes for a magnificent musical climax to this well-crafted and musically inventive opera.

Powerful as the voices are, some of the more telling episodes in the vocal performances are in the quieter singing. In fact, the dynamic contrasts and tonal variety in the singing are notably fine. As Mary Crawford, Joanna Foote’s floating high notes are wonderfully effective, especially when used in off-stage or other theatrical (e.g. from the back of the auditorium) effects.

As Fanny Price, Michaela Cadwgan has a firmly centred vocal production, able to convey reserve or determination as required, if not often given much opportunity to reveal her qualities, partly, perhaps, due to the nature of one of Austen’s least demonstrative heroines.

It would be impractical to outline the contributions of all ten singers in a review such as this, but I am impressed by the uniform strength of the entire cast. All show themselves to be accomplished performers with the ability to characterise their parts with clear individuality and many subtle nuances. Kristin Darragh’s rich contralto as Lady Bertram is a nice contrast to the equally fine higher registers of her two daughters, while all four of the male parts are clearly contrasted in both timbre and characterisation, although I can’t avoid mention of the particularly convincing vocal portrayal of Edmund Bertram by bass-baritone Joel Amosa.

One slight gripe is that the surtitles in this production are situated too low for visibility (more like subtitles). Even from the third row, audience members in front of me somewhat obscure the view and, while the singers’ diction is excellent, the many ensembles, with multiple characters expressing their views simultaneously, make them useful, if not essential.

Tonight’s opening, like the remaining two performances in Christchurch, is sold-out and, although the venue is not large, the production deserves its success. The audience certainly enjoyed the performance, as did I and, with too few opportunities to see live opera in Christchurch, Mansfield Park is a welcome and entertaining experience.

Main production photo – Lewis Ferris

Remaining review photos – Emma Brittenden

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer