As English National Opera struggles to fill their £5 million annual deficit a new opera house is born. This is St. John’s church in Fulham, West London.
St. John’s was built in 1828 from a fund created as an act of thanksgiving by parliament to celebrate the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo. Napoleon had died in 1821 but the church may have provided a place in which to “love your enemies… and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you” (St. Matthew 5:44), although probably not.
Today, in addition to its church services and related activities, it is home to Fulham Opera. It started as a society and converted to charitable status at the end of 2014. Like ENO it is short of money but its needs are more modest. They have about £4,000 in the bank and calculate that they need a reserve of £21,000 to be prudent.
Their ambition is not modest. I did not know about them when they staged the complete Ring Cycle, but I did see The Flying Dutchman last year. Frankly, my expectations were pitched pretty low but were confounded: small-scale, immersive, well-sung and well-acted, in a modern dress production that made sense.
Next month they put on Verdi’s, Simon Boccanegra. I’m expecting something pretty good – hope they don’t let me down – but it will be nothing like this lavish production from the New York Met that recreates the Doges’ council chamber in Venice.
There is room for both magnificent spectacle like this and for small-scale productions which often attract first-timers to see opera, are modestly priced and, with luck, provide an interpretation of the opera that can be very moving seen close-up. Here is a beautiful aria sung by Maria Agresta.
http://youtu.be/1E1mb4LhB6c