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South Wessex Opera Company Regent Centre Christchurch June 2003 Hurrah for heroic Hungary - as conjured up by a romantic Austrian. With a pageant of gipsy bands, dashing hussars, and comically coloured villagers, South Wessex Opera Company exuberantly swept us along with this light-hearted work from waltz king Johann Strauss the youger, their excellent voices and acting roles given charming accompaniment by the talented Diana Gulliford dancers. The Baron of the title (Robert Eshelby) returns to the estate of his late father who for some reason had been exiled but pardoned just before he died. The land has since been settled by gipsies but instead of ejecting them, the young Baron falls for their princess (Ruth Hastings), to the fury of the rejected mayor's daughter Arietta (Elisabeth Senior) desperate to escape the designs of her father's clownish assistant Otto (Vaughan Cockell). When the money-mad mayor (a wonderfully pompous Richard Green) is informed by the sinister Count Kareska (a very convincing Andrew Dawson) that the estate grounds contain hidden treasure he's not too happy either - especially when the Baron finds it and shares it with "those no-good layabout gipsies". The serious situation is finally resolved, though, thanks to the Turks - who invade the country. All the men are called up, including the Mayor and Otto, returning as heroes to win their ladies and waltz it up at the Emporer's Ball. Only in operetta! Ray O'Luby Courtesy of the Bournemouth Daily Echo. |
