Welsh National Opera Orchestra, Nicky Spence. Dora Stoutzker Hall, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff
Carlo Rizzi’s conducting was the star of the night, showcasing his mastery and the strength of the orchestra across three very different pieces. He began with the overture to Bernstein’s “Candide” a jaunty opener that cannot fail to entertain any audience with its easily accessible frivolity. Rizzi set a sparking, electric pace right from the start. His enthusiasm poured through to his players who kept the energy high and never let it drop. Those orchestral players, wearing their new uniform of Protect WNO T-Shirts, gave Rizzi, and the audience, an exuberant performance.
Moving on to Samuel Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915”, Rizzi proved just as adept with Barber’s lush, lyrical soundscape. The fine conductor guided the ensemble with a rare sensitivity. His handling of the core enabled the orchestra to respond by allowing the music to breathe and expand where needed. The score verges on the saccharine but Rizzi maintained the delicate balance between soloists and orchestra to sooth with the Romantic flow of the work. Strings and woodwind were mesmerising. The sugariness applied even more so to James Agee’s poem that wallows in nostalgia.
Fortunately, Nicky Spence has made this work something of his own for the tenor voice, rather than usually the soprano. The nostalgic poem of a summer evening in a small American town, capturing the innocence of youth. It suits Spence’s voice, capturing both a sense of youth but refined by maturity to add perspective to the nostalgia and ennui of a teenage boy, like Agee or even Barber himself, moving into adulthood.
Spence sang it beautifully, with crystal-clear diction, connecting directly with the audience. This is an appealing and confident voice, which with Carlo Rizzi’s direction of the orchestra was clean and refined.
After the interval, Rizzi gave the piece de resistance, Schubert’s “Great C Major Symphony” and once again led the orchestra with thrilling command. Being in the small RCMD hall was a real treat not only for the excellent sound quality but to see the conductor so close and to watch his interrelation with individual players and sections so closely. He took them all to full stretch, waving through the complex textures and mood changes, atmospheric contrasts and competing sounds marvellously. The transitions between those contrasting movements, that robust unforgettable first movement, the flighty second movement, the Scherzo and then leading to the dynamic Finale.
It is good to see such good use of the talents and resources of the WNO Orchestra and this is continuing with a series of events in the coming months and into 2025 as the Company through a variety of methods continues to argue the case for improved funding.
Spence will be singing with WNO in Peter Grimes in 2025.