<<  -- 4 --  Roderic Dunnett    THE HAUNTED MANOR

The look of the scene II set (the boys' own home, aptly Spartan, à la Janácek) was effective; the make-up department rather botched Maciej (and never quite aged Miecznik). The womenservants's chorus words were less good than the preceding men's (and later, in the manor scene tended to flatten, alongside Lara-Jane Moyler's slightly unsynchronised housekeeper).

Czesnikowa, however -- the domineering aunt who wants to make the boys a less suitable match (accommodation with Russia?) -- produced a splendid appearance from the seasoned Gaynor Keeble. She dominates the stage, in a handbagging sort of way, both vocally and visually, and certainly vitalised this production. The trio was vocally strong, if visually weak. It is Czesnikowa, too, who brings in the 'haunting' story, in a Weberian aria that Keeble carried off notably well.

The woodwind playing both here and later was first class, especially paired clarinets amid the two girls' duet, ravishingly sung -- even if the violins were ropy -- by Newcastle-born Saffron van Zwanenburg (Hanna) and the even more appealing mezzo, Maria Jones (Jadwiga). Hanna has some pretty taxing coloratura both here and in Act IV, which she encompassed better later; the sisters' exchange in the same scene was highly effective.

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