Why should we not let the mice be gay?

Why not indeed?

It's with this noble sentiment that the fun in Isaac Nathan's Don John of Austria really kicks off. After what seems like the world's longest overture — as if he'd got himself trapped, à la Dudley Moore's Beethoven sonata — there's a lengthy and jolly chorus, beautifully articulated by the Sydney Philharmonia Chamber Choir. Their master has been absent and while the cat's away...hence the title, only slightly less hilarious in context. It's a sign of things to come, libretto wise.

Don Quexada enters and ruminates at length on his foster son, the unruly Don John. Eventually he breaks into song — a soporific strophic lullaby-to-self, as he, highly poetically, proclaims "I cannot stay awake, so I'll go-oh to sleeeep". Shortly Don John himself appears, played by Steve Davislim as a Mike Myers character. (Think Wayne's World rather Austin Powers). A duet ensues: "You are not heeding what I say"/"I will break the walls away" (I think. There's no libretto to look at, I'm working on memory.) These two lines are repeated ad nauseam. Before they're halfway through, you'll find you could easily sing along (as is indeed the case for much of the opera.)

Forgive me. I'm not taking it seriously. But then, neither were they. There's no question this opera has dated; indeed, it may well have been a bit silly in 1847 as well. So this concert performance with the Sydney Symphony, while not totally frivolous or facetious, played for laughs where appropriate and made no effort to convince us that this was The Great Australian Opera. I doubt anybody imagines it is; it's enough that it's The First. The music is not exactly earth shattering — sometimes it's downright dreary — but there are few nice little surprises buried in it, and it also provides its share of hilarity. Donna Agnes is treated well, as a prima donna should be, though the incessant runs and trills in her opening aria make it well nigh impossible to understand more than about one word in four. But then, judging by the intelligible words, that might be for the best. This opera, it has to be said, makes a compelling case for singing in Foreign.

The singing, by the way, was very good. Paul Whelan as Don Quexada was sonorous if rather rough; the up-and-down coloratura requirements of the role seemed to have killed off the suavity notable in his Don Giovanni a few years ago. Steve Davislim was a natural comedian — helpful given the vast amount of dialogue in this thing — and even managed to look a bit Spanish. In Dorothy, servant to Donna Agnes, Nathan seems to have devised the most thankless role ever written for mezzo soprano. Forget Suzuki. Dorothy sings in one ensemble at the beginning and one at the end and that's it. She has a long speech as she frets about her mistress (who doesn't expect the Spanish Inquisition — nobody does — but ends up facing it just the same) but no aria. Thus I applaud Sally Anne Russell for looking so cheery and involved by the end. Grant Doyle made a good spoilt brat as Philip II, jealous of his illegitimate half brother Don John, whining that Daddy (Charles V — Don Carlos, of course) loves his natural child more than his successor. He's in love with Agnes, whom Don John wishes to marry and uses the Inquisition to make everyone as miserable as he can.

But Agnes is problematic for any man in the Inquisition era to love — she's Jewish. She tells Don John and he has no problem with it. Philip, on the other hand, plots to burn her (and anyone else he can manage). Despite the title, it's Agnes who quickly becomes the centre of the opera. Cheryl Barker imbued the role with such dignity and fragility that when she was there, it was almost like a different opera — not one to be affectionately mocked, just one to hear and be touched by. Her slender, faintly exotic and sweetly blossoming voice grew warmer and more brilliant as the opera progressed and she tackles even the most inane flourishes with style. Agnes has aria after aria lavished upon her and Cheryl aced every single one. It was only right that she take the final bow, even after Don John himself; this is an opera about Agnes and Cheryl is an ideal prima donna.

The whole show was very very well staged with the confines of the City Recital Hall, everyone in black and white except the now-cloistered Charles V, in his friar's robes, and Donna Agnes replendent in blues and greys and beads. Cast members sang and read from scores, while actors in non-singing roles moved among them. Charles' sudden entrance to save the day came from the back of the theatre, after which he (and the long suffering Dorothy) made their way up the aisle). The Sydney Symphony made gorgeous sounds — they were helped in this by two illustrious descendants of Isaac Nathan, namely Sir Charles Mackerras, who wrote the orchestration (with characteristic brilliance) and his very talented nephew, Alexander Briger, who conducted. Family affair.

Would I go again? Absolutely. Sadly, I can't, as the only other performance conflicts directy with something a little bit special. Were that not the case, I'd be there in a flash. For me, Don John was more entertaining and more musically satisfying than The Gondoliers the previous night; and besides, Cheryl Barker as Agnes is simply not to be missed. I'm looking forward to the broadcast on ABC Classic FM on November 10th and I feel like I read somewhere (though I can't find it now) that it will eventually be released on CD as well. It wasn't great art but it was definitely great fun.