Jesus comes for Renee Fleming - Thais in concert at Covent Garden

Thaïs (in concert) - Royal Opera House, 27 June 2007

It was good to hear the Royal Opera House orchestra back on form tonight after some recent poor showings (and interesting to see them out of their troglodyte burrow and up on stage too). It was a shame though that Andrew Davis chose not to give their well-oiled machine a good run out but instead stuck to cautious pedestrian tempi and limited shading. Only in the final dramatic death scene did they really sound at full stretch. In between there were some moments of fun with the 'oriental' effects, and of course the famous Meditation violin solo, coolly and sensitively rendered.

The role of Thaïs, an Egyptian courtesan converted to Christianity by the monk Athanaël, who then falls in love with her, was a great display piece for Renée Fleming. I'm not a huge Flemingista, but even I have to admit this performance was in some danger of turning into a big damp squib till Renée took the stage towards the end of the first act. She glided on in the most spectacular scarlet taffeta strapless gown/stole combo and took command. Her intonation wasn't always flawless but her energy and joie de vivre immediately lifted everybody. Especially Simone Alberghini, the last minute Athanaël drafted in to replace the sick Thomas Hampson. I missed the gravitas and sense of purpose that I think Hampson would have been able to bring. I think Alberghini was going for solemnity, but until Fleming came on and put a rocket up him, it largely came across as plain ole dull despite his rich mahogany tone.

Fleming changed tack (and frock -- see pics) for the third act. As the freshly converted Christian, she switched from the earlier froth and sparkle to an exquisite purity. Alberghini came more into his own here, and in the impassioned final scene where he declares his love for Thaïs as she lies dying he displayed a previously unsuspected range of expression.

The other big success of the evening was Joseph Calleja in the secondary role of Nicias. A huge voice and an easy confident presence, it's easy to see why he got such raves recently in Vienna standing in at short notice for a sick Villazon in La Traviata.

The smaller parts were generally sung with more competence than panache, the exceptions being Clare Shearer's Albine and the two slaves (Ana James and Liora Grodnikaite), who made the most of some of Massenet's most sparkling vocal writing.

Some more curtain call pics:

Simone Alberghini, Renée Fleming