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by Benjamin Britten

Dundas Street Centre United Church, London

November 29, 2003

Concluding "Benjamin Britten: A Celebration" was the last of his church parables, The Prodigal Son from 1968.  It was a superb performance in every way and fitting tribute to festival organizer Nicholas Goldschmidt, who conducted the work's North American premiere at the Guelph Spring Festival in 1969.  Brian Macdonald, who re-created that production for the National Arts Centre in 1997, also directed this production that opened at the Dundas Street Centre United Church in London, Ontario.

Macdonald preserved a sense of ritual by having the singers enter clad as monks, ceremonially removing their black cloaks to reveal their costumes only to return to their monks' garments at the end.  Tenor Gary Rideout sang with great precision as the Tempter, savouring the subtleties of colouring and dynamics that underscore this character's cunning.  Tenor Benoit Boutet well captured the combination of innocence and willfulness of the title character. 

Theodore Baerg used his full, warm baritone to portray the love of the Father who knows his youngest son will err.  Baritone Bruce Kelly fully brought out the anger and frustration of the Older Brother.  The eight members of the U.W. Opera Workshop blended beautifully in the difficult choral writing. Conductor Timothy Vernon led members of Orchestra London in a vibrant account of the score.

©Christopher Hoile

Note: A version of this review appeared in Opera Canada 2004.

Photo: Benoît Boutet. ©1999 Tapestry New Opera Works.