Vivaldi’s 1734 Olympic tragicomedy gets a new staging almost 300 years after its composition, conducted by Peter Whelan, directed by Daisy Evans, and co-produced between Irish National Opera, the Royal Opera, and Nouvel Opéra Fribourg, where it transfers after its London run. In many ways, it’s a lovely evening, though the work itself is slow to reveal its secrets.
The subject was popular in the 18th century, though Pietro Metastasio’s libretto now feels unduly complex. Its starting point is King Clistene’s decision to offer the hand of his daughter Aristea to the Olympiad’s overall victor. Licida, who loves her but is rubbish at sport, asks his athletic friend Megacle, whose life he once saved, to assume his identity and compete in his place, catastrophically unaware that Aristea and Megacle are secretly lovers. From here, the plot fans out to embrace multiple deceptions, skeletons in royal closets, abandoned children, incest, obsessive exes, and so on, as twists pile up in exhausting profusion.
Swathes of not very interesting recitative pull us through the rather protracted dramatic exposition. But roughly a third of the way through, Licida sings the aria Mentre Dormi as he gazes on the sleeping Megacle and muses on his love for both his friend and Aristea, and everything changes. Suddenly we realise we’re dealing with a remarkable musical psychologist and listening to one of the most transcendentally beautiful things ever written.
Evans’s production is clever and strikingly effective. The set resembles a classical amphitheatre, though it’s soon apparent that the games played here encompass a great deal more than sport. The entire cast remains on stage throughout, dressed in similar smocks and breeches, only scrambling into full costume when they assume their characters: in a world in which no one ultimately is either who they seem, or who they believe themselves to be, identity, individuality and even gender, are solely dependent on what people wear.
There’s some superb singing. Countertenor Meili Li makes an outstanding Licida. His is a glorious voice, warm in tone, and evenly produced – Mentre Dormi really is the breathtaking moment it should be. As Megacle, Gemma Ní Bhriain was indisposed on opening night, walking the role on stage while Maria Schellenberg sang from the pit with steely authority. Alexandra Urquiola’s intense, passionate Aristea contrasts sharply with the dignified restraint of Sarah Richmond as Licida’s put-upon ex Argene. Chuma Sijeqa admirably captures the vulnerability beneath Clistene’s bravado. Seán Boylan is all unctuous charm as his servile sidekick Alcandro, while Rachel Redmond gives us some dazzling coloratura as Licida’s tutor Aminta, the voice of reason in a chaotic world. The excellent Irish Baroque Orchestra play wonderfully for Whelan, who conducts with great elegance and elan.
• L’Olimpiade is at Linbury theatre, ROH, London, until 25 May
