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Article: Rescuing the fairies, the Rolls Royce way
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- April 23, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1995 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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"WHAT'S the use of being half a fairy?" asks Strephon the
romantic lead in Iolanthe, and we all know how he feels. Compromise
can be debilitating: better everything or nothing. And better,
usually, to do music theatre pieces as proper theatre or pure music
than mess around with semi-staged half-measures where you stand a
group of soloists in line and and expect them to make instant drama
on the spot. It rarely works.
But when it does work it can bring the score into a strikingly
close focus. The Iolanthe at the Festival Hall last week showed how
engaging concert theatre can be if - and it's a great, resounding
if - it's done with unselfconscious energy and strong, resourceful
singers.
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