Tha animals came in two by two

9:06am Tuesday 26th August 2008

Britten’s Noyes Fludde may have been written for children and amateurs, but the performance recently at The Three Choirs Festival in Worcester’s Baptist Church by the Singworks course confirmed that opera can be serious and at the same time a very enjoyable event for people of all ages, audience included. The score contains some novel and startling innovative effects. We had gangs of children, artfully disguised as all sorts of animals, a handbell choir, several groups of mostly amateur orchestral players, together with three central roles: God (spoken), Noah and Mrs Noah. Robert Swinton’s speaking part, delivered from a side balcony, was solemn yet effective, while William Coleman’s very well-presented Noah was suitably contrasted by Claire Stoneman’s Mrs Noah as his henpecking wife, and both their roles were acted and sung with care and an obvious enjoyment of the wonderful music. Even the capacity audience were induced to join in, which we all did with gusto.

Musical director Sue Hollingworth and her director Kim Grass showed how hard work, determination, minimal staging and limited space can still combine to produce such a pleasurable performance of a work whose neglect by other amateur operatic societies and schools is baffling. This is one Three Choirs event which I’m so glad not have missed and I take my hat off to everyone at the Singworks course.

Around Herefordshire