Since its foundation in 1941 (originally as the Dublin Grand Opera Society), Opera Ireland has paid scant attention to operetta. Perhaps the very word "grand" was intended to indicate a concentration on other things, or it may be that operetta generally seemed well enough served.
It was as recently as June last year that Franz Lehar's Merry Widow had a run of professional performances in Dublin, but that very piece is the work that Opera Ireland's new artistic director, Dieter Kaegi, chose to open his first season, and he selected Alan Stanford (making his operatic debut) to direct it.
Apart from a model Eiffel Tower and a Jules Verne moon capsule of a pavilion, Bruno Schwengl's settings leave as much too much to the imagination as the style of acting leaves too little. Stanford has opted for modes of movement and gesturing that tiresomely keep pace with the phrasing of the music.
And the camp, Inspector Clouseau-ish romping of the Parisian nobility tests the dependability of trusted, stock responses.
The story's variously crossed couples didn't all come across credibly. As the widow herself, Alwyn Mellor sang with clean vocal lines and Susanne El mark's Valencienne was a pert and vivacious presence. Patrick Raftery's Danilovitch retained too much of his initial hangover-dispersing need and Peter Gronlund's Camille was unusually underweight of voice.
This problem was exaggerated by Philippe Jordan's conducting, which radiated warmth but had little transparency and often allowed the RTECO to create a barrier to the voices, both singing and speaking.
The Merry Widow runs on Saturday and on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday of next week. Booking on 01677 1717
