Mark-Anthony Turnage: new Festen opera acclaimed
The powerful world premiere staging of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s new opera, Festen, at the Royal Opera in London attracted public acclaim and a sweep of 5-star reviews from press.
“A dark, jubilant, five-star Turnage triumph…” So the Observer summed up Mark-Anthony Turnage’s new opera Festen, based on the classic film by Thomas Vinterberg. Edward Gardner conducted Richard Jones’s premiere production at the Royal Opera in London, with a starry cast including Gerald Finley, Allan Clayton, Natalya Romaniw and Stéphane Degout.
For his fifth full-length opera Turnage collaborated with librettist Lee Hall of Billy Elliott fame, who adapted the cult 1998 Dogme film by Thomas Vinterberg and Mogens Rukov. The Festen (Celebration) of the title is the 60th birthday party where dark family secrets are revealed explosively, yet the disturbing outcome is collective denial. The Royal Opera’s staging of Festen is a co-production with Finnish National Opera and Ballet, with performances in Helsinki planned for a future season.
“So this is what opera can be today… Mark-Anthony Turnage’s adaptation of Thomas Vinterberg’s cult film tackles topical themes with dark wit and devastating emotion… You may well find this opera disturbing, wrenching and confrontational, but you will be drawn into its bleak yet compelling story because it speaks with an authenticity and impact that is a model of what opera can achieve.”
The Telegraph *****
“Turnage’s taut new opera grips, appals and moves… immaculate dramatic and musical pacing… Richard Jones’s disciplined production handles the sometimes frenzied action adroitly, keeping things entirely naturalistic, and adding a final twist of horror in the closing scene…”
The Guardian *****
“Mark-Anthony Turnage and Lee Hall have created a compelling new opera based on the hit Danish film… it’s the dance of light and dark, of forced jollity and the most awful buried pain, that fires what must be Turnage’s richest, most psychologically penetrating score… Turnage turns the screw with brilliant detail, whether it’s in caustic, Kurt Weill-like interludes for the orchestra, or much more lyrical, otherworldly passages, which owe more to Britten, or even Vaughan Williams…”
The Times *****
“The cult film gets a sharp, riotous opera treatment… even more emotionally lacerating than the 1998 original… The production is by master of black comedy Richard Jones, who manages the large cast with skill, and Edward Gardner conducts Turnage’s vibrant orchestral score with panache. It is hard to imagine Festen the opera being better done.”
Financial Times *****
“Daring, lyrical and brilliantly achieved, Mark-Anthony Turnage’s new opera of the cult Danish film Festen is his best work yet… dazzling and jubilantly entertaining.”
The Observer *****
Over its more than 100-minute span, the score never falters in interest, exploring the many disturbing situations thrown up in a complex, often ambivalent narrative and navigating some extremely tricky subject-matter – child abuse, racism and, arguably most shocking of all, almost total denial... the result is a remarkable success, showing the Royal Opera at its best and Turnage achieving what is arguably his finest opera to date.”
The Stage *****
“Unforgettable perfection, the best new opera for years… the director Richard Jones brought out the very best of a magnificent cast… a remarkable production and certainly one of the most memorable evenings I have ever spent in the theatre.”
Express *****
“An opera that entertains and makes you laugh and cry at the same time, while hitting home a message that is all too relevant to present-day lives. It’s rare for a newly written opera to be quite such an obvious winner. Starting with its co-producers Finnish National Opera, I wish Festen many happy travels around the world.”
Bachtrack *****
> Further information on Work: Festen
Photo: Royal Ballet and Opera / Marc Brenner