Moses in Egypt

Millennium Centre, Cardiff

2/5

THIS deeply flawed production of the early Rossini opera Moses in Egypt could have delivered so much more if director David Pountney had chosen to consider what is currently happening in the Middle East.

First impressions are that this will indeed be the case — the set looks like it might be a contemporary comment on the Israeli wall erected to keep the Palestinians separate. 

But the dominant blue and red hues match the colours in the costumes of the two tribes and have no other significance.

The semi-contemporary outfits of some of the Hebrews and Egyptians too do not seem to serve any particular purpose and come across as some odd washing conditioner advert. This muddled thinking is underlined as Pharaoh and Moses are both dressed in what might be considered traditional biblical garb.

But it is the fezzes that some of the Egyptians wear that is most disturbing. There seems no reason other than to proclaim that they are Arabs, a grotesque and vaguely racist signifier.

The orchestra conducted by Carlo Rizzi is its usual high-powered self, while the singing by all the soloists, and the chorus especially, is superb. But then the same impact could be achieved from saving on the ticket price and buying the opera on CD.

Unlike the thrilling overture to William Tell, Rossini provides virtually no overture to Moses in Egypt.

Yet Pountney chooses to start the operatic action in no light at all to symbolise the plague of darkness visited upon the Egyptians by a vengeful Hebrew god.

This by default is a vocal overture. But that is about it as far as imagination is concerned and a deeply unsatisfying evening of stodgy and muddled storytelling and staging ensues.

That’s simply not good enough. Audiences demand and deserve more from an opera production, especially with the level of ticket prices.

Runs at the Millennium Centre and then tours until November 28, details: wno.org.uk