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EEnglish National Opera he jumps boldlyand choosing one of the most enduring pieces of 21st-century musical theater for a new opera debut in its northern suburbs. Du Yun’s Angel’s Bone, winner of the Chinese American Pulitzer Prize in 2017, tackles human trafficking in the allegorical tale of two angels who fall – literally – into the hands of a dysfunctional family that hesitates for five minutes before deciding to cut them off and exploit them.
For this first production, a collaboration with Factory International and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, they will employ Kip Williams himself The Picture of Dorian Gray he wowed the West End and Broadway. Australia’s new director uses his airless magic to create a truly amazing stage.
Du Yun’s success is created by a tireless team of 10, professionally managed by Baldur Brönnimann. It’s a twisted mix of modern music and electronic nightclub – think Monteverdi meets Stockhausen and takes him to tea with Björk. His music works in extremes, with major roles given to the tuba and lute, yet there is a lyrical beauty here when the music isn’t happily kicking ass. Royce Vavrek’s unsettling script makes his message clear, though the story could benefit from an introduction.
Williams puts the events in perspective. At first, the angels are alone, arguing in the middle of the stage, but soon they are trapped by the moving walls of the house of Mr. and Mrs. X E. Marg Horwell shows the beauty of it all with clothes that grow as the family embraces the celebrities given to them by their strange slaves. The action, brilliantly illustrated by Jack Knowles, is filmed and projected on three large screens. Mrs. XE’s order that her husband “untie” their feathered guests causes many people to abuse and mistreat them.
Disappointingly, despite the fact that the story is clear, the endless circular walls are difficult, creating an immovable barrier that hides even the displays at times. With the audience standing five feet deep, those in the back can often only see what is happening on stage. The results are confusing and confusing.
Allison Cook is unflinching as Mrs. XE, her extra mezzo embracing a rich voice as she transforms into a true Trumpian star. Rodney Earl Clarke provides important support as her battered husband, with Matthew McKinney and Mariam Wallentin heartbreaking as angels. The Kantos Chamber Choir, which opens with a Gregorian chant and closes with an American hymn, does a wonderful job, moving between the angelic group and the family’s unconventional companions.
The production moves to London at the end of the year, which has also been adapted to the Coliseum’s proscenium stage. With the visual issues resolved, it should be a working one.
