Fidelio, Opera North, Leeds Grand Theatre

Fidelio, Opera North, Leeds Grand Theatre | reviews, news & interviews

Fidelio, Opera North, Leeds Grand Theatre

Clean, uncluttered directing from Albery makes this the best Fidelio of the year

by Graham RicksonThursday, 14 April 2011

Steven Harrison as Florestan (left) and Emma Bell as Leonore (right)Clive Barda

Unpleasant feelings of confinement and claustrophobia hit you when the curtain rises after Beethoven’s disconcertingly jolly overture; one small room is visible on stage, framed by black curtains. The sun shines oppressively through the barred windows, and the characters look constrained, physically awkward. After the occasionally over-the-top visuals of several recent Opera North productions it’s good to watch something so clean and uncluttered. The beauty of Tim Albery’s production, originally staged by Scottish Opera in 1994, is its unfussiness and clarity – nothing happens on stage that doesn’t advance the narrative.

Of three Fidelio productions staged during the last year, this one has to be the most successful

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