Ever had goosebumps listening to opera? Whether you’re an opera fan or just curious about trying a petite slice of opera, 'The Medium' is for you.
'The Medium' is a one-hour opera snack and is being offered as part of Anywhere Festival’s 2016 smorgasbord. Presented in the atmospheric Spring Hill Reservoirs, underneath the windmill on Wickham Terrace, the show’s Director Jason Ward Kennedy has taken inspiration from TV and film to create a creepy, underground experience for theatre and opera fans.
'The Medium' is a rarely performed opera, written by Italian-American composer Gian Carlo Menotti. And no subtitles! It’s in English. Soprano Jo Willans who plays Monica in the production explains why she keeps getting hooked by opera:
Passion
I’m not a massive lover of opera. I don’t own Verdi’s complete works, or even Puccini’s. Even though I’m a classical singer, I love many kinds of music and sing musical theatre as well as classical. It still amazes me that I’m a classical singer, especially since I had an aversion to opera all the way up to my mid 20s. But if something’s going to put goosebumps on my arms, then it’s opera. The amazing vocal pyrotechnics are pretty, sure, but it’s the passion in the singing, fed by a fire in the soul that grabs me by my heartstrings.
The thrill of the sing
For me, there’s nothing as thrilling as singing opera. It’s the act of a daredevil. The breath requirements; the impossible high notes or low notes; it’s a finely balanced art. The crazy languages and all their intricacies – don’t even talk to me about Czech! But it all comes together in this beautiful act that makes your body vibrate and your heart and guts come alive.Crazy, crazy love
There’s no art form as dramatic as opera. Even with all its clichés and patriarchal bias, the situations you find yourself in as a soprano in opera are fantastic. Larger than life and a walk on the wild side. It’s not all high Cs and tuberculosis. Vader schmader. If you want to explore your dark side, be a soprano. Fancy instructing your daughter to murder her father? Or carving up the groom on your wedding night? Or try a trip to death row, where you await execution for killing your lovechild that was conceived with a man who sold his soul to the devil? Opera is fun, and every mil of froth is matched by a mil of blood{youtube}dpVV9jShEzU{/youtube}
The power of music
The best thing about opera is the way the music goes straight to your heart, surpassing barriers of language and culture. It is an art form with a global audience, because the musical language and the beauty and power of the singing can reach everywhere. How’s this for a break up song? Eat your heart out Adele!{youtube}jTNC_M_PzFY{/youtube}
My Cinderella complex
I love a beautiful poofy dress, new shoes and false eyelashes! Complete weakness, but luckily it comes with the job description of ‘opera singer’! And it’s so fun to be given some enormous dress to wear in an opera… but they certainly take some skill to move in! Especially when you’re in a hurry backstage. I’m often seen running down a hallway with all my petticoat hoops hitched up – a picture of elegance!'The Medium' performs Spring Hill Reservoir 16 & 17 May as part of Anywhere Festival which runs 5-21 May.
