There should be a golden rule for producers: don't make life difficult for yourself and the audience.
In Lille's magnificently restored opera house, Sandrine Anglade bleaches Tamerlano of any human interest, in a staging of withering monotony.
It Is Handel's longest opera seria, a three-hour litany of da capo arias that would test the most gifted producer. The only viable option is to accentuate characterisation. Anglade rightly focuses on Asteria as the pivotal subject but dresses almost every character in the same two-toned monk's garb - there is no notion of hierarchy, so that the psychological tussle around her comes across as a distant abstraction. We feel unconcerned by these interchangeable characters, even indifferent when Bajazet commits suicide.
Worse, the leaden pulse is intensified by gowned figures strung up like puppets slowly ascending into the flies. Like an irritating dripping tap, figures pace slowly across the back of the stage. And then two dancers appear to accompany Leone with jerky, epileptic movements - it is the SOS flare of the distressed producer who senses her audience is nodding off.
It is maddening, because the orchestral playing is five-star stuff. Lille is fortunate to have Emmanuelle Haïm and her Concert d'Astrée in residence. This is Baroque playing of comprehensive excellence, pulling together accuracy and disarming freshness, broad sweeping phrases and joy in highlighting exquisite details. Haïm makes a delicious meal of the dramatic recitatives.
The cast is dominated by the uninhibited fireworks of Bejun Mehta's Tamerlano, particularly dazzling in "A dispetto d'un volto ingrate". Carolyn Sampson sings a prettily chiselled Asteria, despite wayward top notes, Marina de Liso displays impeccable technique though not much personality as Andronico, Paul Gay is a strong Leone and Karine Deshayes' Irene shows real presence. Carlo Vincenzo Allemano's Bajazet needs to overcome unsteadiness to shine in this unusually prominent tenor role.
All would have been more impressive if they had been allowed to develop their personalities. Tel + 33 3 28 38 40 50
