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The comic opera features tender-hearted pirates who will not
attack anyone who claims to be an orphan while our hero Frederic
joined their ranks as a small boy after his hard-of-hearing
nursery maid was told to have him apprenticed as a pilot.
Leigh is a lifelong fan of the British duo and was nominated for
a best screenplay Oscar for the 1999 film "Topsy Turvy" about
their lives. He also directed the movie.
His take on the opera opened at London's Coliseum on Saturday
and the English National Opera (ENO) have added two extra
performances to its run due to heavy demand for tickets.
Much of the action is framed within a huge circular cutout from
the backdrop, creating the feel of a children's comic book. The
strong colors and clear lines of the set also evoke a child's
world of certainty.
Irish soprano Claudia Boyle is a standout as Mabel, who responds
positively to wife-hunting Frederic's desperate plea for anyone
with a homely face and bad complexion who had given up all hope
of finding a husband.
Australian/American bass Joshua Bloom is also outstanding as the
Pirate King.
British baritone Andrew Shore is less impressive as the
Major-General, trying too hard to be funny rather than letting
W.S. Gilbert's witty lyrics work their magic.
His performance of one of the comic opera's most famous songs -
"I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General" - seems
heavy-handed in a production which elsewhere has a delightfully
light touch.
The only other weak link is Rebecca de Pont Davies's vocal
performance as Frederic's nursery maid Ruth although she acts
the role well.
The opera's other popular highlight, "The Policeman's Song" is
wonderfully performed and New Zealand born Samoan bass baritone
Jonathan Lemalu makes an endearing Sergeant of Police.
Pirates is to be broadcast live to more than 400 cinemas in the
Britain and Ireland on May 19. The ENO said that based on
advance sales it looked set to be the highest grossing cinema
broadcast of opera in Britain to date.
The ENO has produced the opera jointly with Les Theatres de la
Ville de Luxembourg and Germany's Saarlandische Straatstheater
Saarbrucken.
(Nigel Hunt is a Senior Correspondent for Reuters. The views
expressed are his own.)
(Editing by Michael Roddy and Alan Crosby)
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