At last: the opera The Cricket Recovers to the animal story The healing of the cricket by Toon Tellegen is in the Netherlands! More than six years after its world premiere in Aldeburgh, the Holland Festival presents Richard Ayres' work, performed by Asko|Schönberg and VocaalLAB conducted by Etienne Siebens. Pierre Audi signed on to direct: he made the performance layered and daring.
The breezy-seeming opera of five quarters of an hour and 18 scenes revolves around the cricket and the elephant. The cricket is gloomy. The elephant wants to climb a tree, but keeps falling. Other animals in the forest offer help. The cricket comes out of the depression and the elephant climbs imaginary from now on and does not hurt himself. Only the ant is left distraught, remembering what happened.
Dutch-based British composer Richard Ayres' music illustrates the absurd happenings in the animal kingdom. Icy, high-pitched sounds from the violins when the cricket is bouncing around depressed, wild and ferocious when the cricket feels restless or the elephant falls for the umpteenth time. Jolly and bombastic when the animals cheer up the cricket, abrasive and shrill sounds depict loneliness of the cricket and discomfort of the elephant.
Tellegen's story, adapted into a libretto by Dutch poet/composer Rozalie Hirs, offers no moral. Director Audi adds subtle details that do provoke thought or reflection. For instance, the drawing of a tree in the set points to a search for the subconscious that psychologists like Freud used in their therapy.
On a more concrete level, the animals take on distinct characters. The squirrel (Francine Vis) becomes a nervous hopping figure in light blue fitness clothes who vainly cheers up the cricket. The sparrow (Steven van Gils), like an adrift director, jolts the other animals into celebrating. Very far-fetched: the vole gets excited by the elephant's 'little tree' (the cross) as they search together in the forest for suitable climbing trees.
The mood swings, ranging from maddening to menacing, are the appeal of the compact, English-language opera. From philosophical to flat; there is something for everyone. The text, images and fragmentary music both reinforce and disturb each other. Amusing scenes veer into grotesque implausibility. Introvert, poignant passages are swept away by corny salon music.
The Asko|Schönberg and VocalLAB provided an accurate, lively performance on Sunday 19 June. Compliments to Donatienne Michel-Dansac who squeaked out super-high notes as the sun. Arnout Lems' (deliberately?) clumsy acting as the elephant was less convincing, but he sang fine and his yodelling part during the tree climbing was entertaining.
Bauwien van der Meer's theatrical and vocal skills stand out. The soprano perseveres as a cricket in beautifully depicted desperation that turns into lyrical nonchalance at the end. Hopefully VocaalLAB, the state-funded international workshop for new music theatre, will be able to provide such fine, fresh soloists to the Holland Festival often again.
Richard Ayres: 'The Cricket Recovers'. Company Theatre, 19/6/2011. Repeat: 20/6, 21/6.
English (UK) 
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