17c起草社区

During its 12 years in operation, Sydney鈥檚 Pinchgut Opera company has carved out a reputation for bringing neglected operatic gems to the fore: centuries have passed since the Baroque opera period, and many works have undeservedly fallen by the wayside.

Pinchgut鈥檚 latest production, Cavalli鈥檚 Giasone, was perhaps the biggest-selling show of the 17th century, but is little-known today.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing how something so incredibly popular can have been lost to people like this. It鈥檚 nice that it鈥檚 been rediscovered and a company is willing to take a chance on it – most large-scale opera companies really can鈥檛 afford to take that chance,鈥� Giasone director Chas Rader-Shieber told the 17c起草社区.

US-born Rader-Shieber, who lives for much of the year with his husband in Philadelphia, has flown Sydney to direct what will be his second Pinchgut production.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a reason that some pieces become hugely popular – there鈥檚 something to them that connects, and this one is no exception,鈥� he said.

As the accompanying publicity pictures of hunky, bare-chested leading man David Hansen indicate, Giasone is one of Cavalli鈥檚 lustier operas.

鈥淒avid is a great addition to the sexing up of this piece! The piece is, one might say, a romantic comedy that holds in its arms a bittersweet drama. I don鈥檛 know how movies are rated in Australia, but back in the States we鈥檇 call it R-rated. It鈥檚 filled with, as they say, adult themes.鈥�

Hansen plays Giasone (that鈥檚 the mythological Jason of Jason and the Argonauts/Jason and the Golden Fleece fame), a man who is guided in life, more often that not, by his loins.

鈥淲hat an elegant way to put it,鈥� chuckled Rader-Shieber.

鈥淲e all are, to some extent, but it鈥檚 about how we temper that – or forget to temper it, in his case.鈥�

Hansen is blessed with one of opera鈥檚 more unusual voices, a countertenor. Countertenors are the descendant of the 17th century castrato, a type of classical male singing voice equivalent to a female soprano. Traditionally, the effect was created by pre-puberty castration. Rest assured, Hansen鈥檚 manhood remains intact!

鈥淚 do a lot of Baroque operas, and I encounter countertenors all the time. They鈥檙e a fantastic group of singers, and it鈥檚 a voice like any other in that it鈥檚 deserving of respect. It鈥檚 in no way more artificial than a soprano or a bass – it鈥檚 the voice that belongs to those particular gentlemen,鈥� said Rader-Shieber.

The director said he was particularly looking forward to watching Sydney audiences experience an opera of which they most likely have little prior knowledge.

鈥淧art of the fun of working on a show like this is that there are no preconceived notions on the audience鈥檚 part. If the audience don鈥檛 really know what鈥檚 coming, it makes it more fun for me to tell that story… to hopefully surprise and enliven them.鈥�

info: Giasone, City Recital Hall Sydney, December 5-9.聽