INDEPENDENT OPERA at Sadler's Wells

The Sofa and The Departure

Reviews

The Financial Times

Maconchy/Independent Opera

By Andrew Clark

'...Independent Opera represents one aspect of artistic nirvana: it is a young, cash-rich company, small enough to be immaculately organised, with no hostages to the marketplace. Only on that basis would anyone be mad enough to mount a programme as obscure as two Elizabeth Maconchy chamber operas. But the cocktail of independence, self-confidence and a cast of young professionals turns out to be powerful and tasty. No one else has sung Maconchy's praises in her centenary year, and Independent Opera shows it is an anniversary worth celebrating...'

'...Alessandro Talevi's staging, built around Madeleine Boyd's ingenious horseshoe set, updated The Sofa and played it with such verve that any embarrassment over the 1950s verbal idioms quickly vanished. The way the opera's hedonistic anti-hero "became" the sofa was theatrical magic...'

'...The Departure , with just two characters, was a sterner test of Talevi's directing skills: he passed it with flying colours...'

'...The outstanding performance came from Louise Poole in The Departure: this is a voice you'd be glad to hear in a bigger theatre...'

'...Independent Opera has nevertheless made a significant contribution to London's operatic year...'