THE BALLOON MAN

Opera with a circus twist
by BRIDGET JONES
from: stuff.co.nz/auckland
27/08/2012

Operas usually need their casts to hit the high notes. But The Bartered Bride from the NBR New Zealand Opera will require performers to walk the high wire.

The three-act opera, which is sung in English, is unlike any other, featuring a highly technical circus act half way through.

The top local cast of Anna Leese, Conal Coad, Andrew Glover, Patricia Wright, Richard Green and Helen Medlyn will be joined by Englishman Peter Wedd and Australians Taryn Fiebig and John Antoniou.

But they won't quite be testing their circus chops.

"While it's true that we have lined up a great cast, and it's true that opera singers have to be great actors as well as great singers, expecting them to be circus performers as well is perhaps pushing the skill set a little too far," says Aidan Lang, general director of the company.

"The circus act in this opera is magnificent. Consequently, a troupe of performers with high end skills have been contracted to complement our singers and give the audience a thrilling experience."

Working alongside British choreographer Tim Claydon, they are creating action a far cry from the traditional idea of what opera is.

With dancing a key aspect of The Bartered Bride, the singers will learn traditional Bohemian dances such as the polka and furiant and the Slavic folk-dance, the Skočná.

"This production of The Bartered Bride has something for everyone," Lang says.

"It's an opera for all the family - it's warm and funny, but with a bite to it; it's fast-moving and entertaining, but it will make you think."