This was a wonderfully modern and powerful celebration of opera. The concept of the show grabbed me from the outset and I was excited to see the stories of such powerful women, who are often left out of the history books, be showcased. From the moment you stepped down into the Substation, the room was captivating with very effective lighting and projections.
Ruth Strutt was extraordinary. What a voice! And she had a very strong stage presence. I’m sure that even people who don’t like opera would have enjoyed this display of talent, charisma and professionalism. A show like this is also perfect for people who have never been to the opera before, as the storytelling and art were very accessible in ways that traditional opera may not be. The set was simple but very effectively used with the whole space being considered and maximised. The music, played on piano by Michael Curtain, was flawless.
The show was divided into three acts, one for each Joan of Arc (who needs no introduction), Sappho (who is a Greek poet and often quoted as the first woman to express desire for other women) and Ethel Smyth (who was a composer and key figure in the United Kingdom’s women’s suffragette movement). The factor linking all these women together was their being possessed by something. For Joan of Arc it was the voices in her head (which she believed to be God), for Sappho it was this ‘unnatural’ desire for other women, and for Ethel Smyth it was her music, which was never accepted as mainstream because she was a woman.
Each act started with a key speech from the time or movement that the woman was a part of. There was then an operatic number which told a story about the woman, all the while the translations were shown on the projector behind. I really liked the projections for the Sappho act, they were twisted into a cleverly modern interpretation. My only exposure to opera has been the very long and hard to follow Turandot, and the more accessible La Bohème so it was brilliant to hear opera in English during the Ethel Smyth part of the performance.
The audience were enthralled for the entirety of the performance, with the only down moment being during an instrumental piano piece, Nocturn, from 2 Canons by Ethel Smyth where Strutt left the stage. The room was full as well, which was really lovely to see on a rainy Sunday evening. I only wish that the three distinct stories had been tied together at the end. Perhaps, rather than such a long introduction having a little final word to link the three would have been good as the performance ended rather suddenly.
Overall, this show is a really fantastic first foray for anyone wanting to experience the beauty that is opera in a modern take with an important message.
To book tickets to Possession, please visit https://tickets.qtopiasydney.com.au/Events/Possession.
