Brett Dean’s Bliss has been a long time in the pipeline. Back in 1999 Simone Young, then the newly appointed Music Director of Opera Australia, approached Dean about writing an opera. The work was championed by the late Richard Hickox during his period as Music Director, and librettist Amanda Holden’s invitation to be part of the project occurred in early 2007. I’m pleased to say that it has been well worth the wait.Based on Peter Carey’s debut novel about the death and transfiguration of advertising executive Harry Joy (Peter Coleman-Wright), Bliss is a substantial and important Australian opera. Its themes of personal discovery and redemption are timely in the consumerist western world where greed and high finance are dominant features.
During a party to celebrate his success in business Harry collapses with a heart attack. Waking in hospital Harry is convinced he’s in Hell. Upon returning home he sees his wife Betty (Merlyn Quaife), and children David (David Corcoran) and Lucy (Taryn Fiebig) in a different light. Harry realises that he has to change his ways. He spies on his family and upon discovering their evil secrets, disowns them.
Act 2 is largely set in “The Heart-throb Hotel”. Harry sacks the company with whom he does most of his business and phones for a call girl. Meanwhile, his family and Betty’s lover, Johnny (Kanen Breen), decide that he’s mad and must be committed to an asylum. The beautiful call girl Honey B (Lorina Gore) appears at the hotel and in the course of an evening Harry and Honey recognise one another as kindred spirits.
Act 3 commences in a Dickensian mental asylum presided over by a domineering matron (Milijana Nikolic). Betty and Honey both arrive to rescue Harry and it is Betty who succeeds in winning Harry back. But her victory is shortlived. She is diagnosed with terminal cancer and takes her revenge on the world by immolating a room full of businessmen, Johnny and herself. The final scene finds Harry and Honey in the forest planting leatherwood trees.
I found Dean’s music very dense and it took me a while to begin to appreciate it. But by the third act it has become more lyrical and the final scene is especially moving. Holden’s libretto is outstanding, we hear the motivations of the characters in succinct language which propels the story at speed. Another highlight is the amazing set by Brian Thomson. Consisting of a series of LED lights in a rectangular block across the back and sides of the stage, it is used variously to spell out messages and to project images. The immolation scene makes for a real blinder!
Director Neil Armfield has elicited convincing and nuanced performances from the large cast. Coleman-Wright is absolutely brilliant and his warm baritone is fully utilised. Quaife and Gore had some very difficult music to sing, and acquitted themselves magnificently. Corcoran and Fiebig were very strong as the children and Barry Ryan as Harry’s colleague Alex also deserves praise.
Dean is the winner of two major international composition awards and this opera can only enhance his reputation. Bliss represents a triumph for Dean, Holden, Armfield and Coleman-Wright in particular, and it is exciting to hear that it will be seen in Edinburgh and Hamburg later this year. Bravos all!
Performance attended May 1.
glad you enjoyed the review paul.
ReplyDeleteI was concerned about my reaction as from the snippets i had heard out of sydney, i was not looking forward to what i thought was going to be a night of dissonent music. Was i in for a treat!
While the music is complex..... it was very approachable, and imo very much the attraction to this work. Can't say i came out humming a tune. And i do think we need to hear this over and over to even begin to understand the complexity of it all. I listened to the live recording on ABC classic FM on wed night, on earphones, and the music is highlighted in that situation. Bravo Mr. Dean. Bravo Mr Howarth.
As well.... it great going to hear an aussie opera! The language, colloquilisms and the slang were so much fun to hear! First time it was a slap across the face though. By the end of the night, it was pure delight to hear the aussie-ness of it all. Bravo Miss Holden!
And the staging and direction ... excellent stuff. the acting... above par
Peter coleman wright and lorina gore's singing.... a delight.
the highlight for me was the asylum scene. Very powerful. The singing, sounds, and music and acting were very powerful.
Had an issue with Mrs Joy, Melryn Quaife's singing. Is her singing supposed to be 'pushing to edge" like that? Was she purposedly made to sound shrill compared to the rest of the main characters.
And when i think of it, the ending, came quick, aburptly, and not as powerful as the rest of the piece. Indeed i like the last scene, but we jumped from mayhem to resolution too quickly for me.
If that is what australian opera should be.... bring it on!
If that is what contemporary opera should be ... more of the same please.
Thanks Ozmouse, I agree with practically everything you've said. It is a real testament to the people involved that they have produced something which is accessible, timely and so brilliantly staged and performed. It will be very interesting to hear what the critics in Edinburgh and Hamburg have to say. I hope Mr Dean will consider writing more operas.
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