CAN BE HEARD: HERE (LIBRETTO HERE, YOU WILL NEED IT)
This 2016 opera by Gerald Barry covers the majority of both Alice books (when I say majority I mean most of the major Wonderland scenes.. then the entirety of Looking-Glass from live flowers onwards)
The title is Alice’s adventures Underground and its a total misnomer. Not only has it got nothing to do with Carroll’s manuscript original, as I’ve explained above it also adapts the majority of both novels.
Its incredibly fast paced and as a result, hectic, surreal and very dreamlike. Unlike other versions there appears to be no transitions between scenes. So every scene starts and ends incredibly abruptly.
I like this approach a lot.
Barbra Hannigan plays the role of Alice and is actually really convincing as a seven and a half year old. The characterisation of Alice in this version is adorable, the bizarre singing style that Barry’s singers have to push themselves to really shows. Alice sounds squeaky and in spoken parts, earnestly curious.
All the other characters of both books are split between 6 singers, Hilary Summers, Allison Cook, Allan Clayton, Peter Tantsits, Mark Stone and Joshua Bloom. All match up to the enormously complex task admirably.
The libretto is also a lot of fun, although at times its hard to hear what’s being sung. I’m very glad a typed out Libretto was available. It makes it easier to understand when you can follow along!
The croquet match is a crazy cacophony of singers singing various scales and things in different languages to match Alice’s confusion over the game. The lobster Quadrille is sung by the entire group of singers in a distorted round. Jabberwocky is recited multiple times in different languages. Overall everything is incredibly inventive and quite possibly not like any opera you’ve ever heard before.
