Prom 64: An evening of compelling drama and wonderful music making, Dinis Sousa conducts Berlioz' Les Troyens at the BBC Proms

Berlioz: Les Troyens, Act 2 - Alice Coote, Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Dinis Sousa - BBC Proms (Photo: BBC/Andy Paradise)

Berlioz: Les Troyens; Alice Coote, Michael Spyres, Paula Murrihy, Lionel Lhote, Adèle Charvet, Alex Rosen, Ashley Riches, Beth Taylor, Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Dinis Sousa; BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall

From Alice Coote's mesmerising entry as Cassandre to Paula Murrihy's moving final notes as Didon, this was an evening of compelling drama and wonderful music making, all brilliantly presided over by Dinis Sousa

This was a much anticipated performance that threatened to be overwhelmed by the non-musical events surrounding it. But in the event, Berlioz proved once again that he is impossible to upstage, and from the opening notes of the opera, it was clear that this was to be a thrilling and mesmerising event. There were, in fact, two major changes to the performers; on Sunday 3 September 2023, Dinis Sousa conducted the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique in Berlioz' Les Troyens at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, with Alice Coote as Cassandre, Michael Spyres as Énée, Paula Murrihy as Didon, Lionel Lhote as Chorèbe, Adèle Charvet as Ascagne, Alex Rosen as Narbal, Ashley Riches as Panthée, and Beth Taylor as Anna. The semi-staged production was by Tess Gibbs with lighting by Rick Fisher.

This was not only a rare chance to hear Berlioz' masterpiece in London, but the first opportunity to hear it her performed on period instruments. John Eliot Gardiner conducted the work at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris in 2003 with the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique (on DVD on Opus Arte), which was the first time since the 19th century that the ensemble of saxhorns was used for the stage band, and this was repeated, to thrilling effect, in this performance (alas, no pictures of the saxhorn ensemble).

Berlioz: Les Troyens, Act 4 - Laurence Kilsby (Iopas), Alex Rosen (Narbal), Beth Taylor, Paula Murrihy, Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Dinis Sousa - BBC Proms (Photo: BBC/Andy Paradise)

The BBC billed this as a concert performance but movement director Tess Gibbs had come up with a very effective concert staging that managed to use the full extent of the Royal Albert Hall stage. All the soloists were off the book (including Alex Rosen as Narbal, standing in for an ailing William Thomas), and for key moments the chorus was too. There was only a relatively narrow space in front of the orchestra, but soloists (and at times, the chorus) used the interstitial spaces amidst the orchestra too. 

The seriousness of this staging is indicated by the fact that in Act One, we had the silent role of Andromaque (played by a member of the Monteverdi Choir) with a young boy as Astyanax, and during the Royal Hunt and Storm in Act Four there was action too. Throughout, when the soloists were on-stage, they were involved, part of the action and the whole very successfully told the story whilst at the same time allowing the singers the space to simply perform. Despite the large orchestra and the, at times, considerable noise that Dinis Sousa encouraged from his players, there were few of the balance problems that occurred in the recent BBC Proms performance of Poulenc's Carmelites, and many of the singers were able to project significant quantities of Berlioz' words, thus adding to the experience.

We began with just the orchestra, the chorus running on, their excitement filling the stage for the opening chorus. But from the moment she came on, delivering her first lines from the midst of the orchestra, it was clear that these first two acts were Alice Coote's. Her Cassandre was mesmerising; sung with great focus and clarity, every word counted and Coote's declamation was superb. This wasn't a mad Cassandre, but quite a grand one yet clear in her sense of what was to come, her otherness. In Act One, Coote was finely partnered by Lionel Lhote's stylish Chorèbe, the two managing to combine drama and lyricism in their long scene.

Berlioz: Les Troyens - Michael Spyres, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Dinis Sousa - BBC Proms (Photo: BBC/Andy Paradise)

Dinis Sousa and the orchestra showed their metal in the subsequent orchestral passages, the dances having a surprising sense of bounce and vivacity, and the pantomime for Andromaque being rendered with great sensitivity. When Michael Spyres as Énée erupted into the scene, it was clear that his espousal of heavier roles has not cost him his elasticity at the top and this most tricky of opening phrases was finely done. The act developed with a real sense of drama crowned by the appearance of the saxhorns in the organ loft above the orchestra, giving us aural and visual splendour.

The first scene of act two is profoundly concentrated, and here we really got to relish the sound-world Berlioz created, hearing it on the sort of instruments that he would be familiar with, creating magical and otherworldly sounds. Alex Rosen was suitably dark and implacable as the ghost of Hector with Spyres remarkably ardent Énée supported by Ashley Riches fine Panthée. But it was in the closing scene that the screw really tightened, as Coote continued her mesmerisingly intense performance supported by the fine women's chorus, who abandoned their scores and came to the front of the stage.

When the scene moved to Carthage, we were mesmerised in a different way by Paula Murrihy's distinguished and stylish Didon. Sousa and the orchestra managed to make the initial ballet surprisingly involving, whilst Murrihy remained wonderfully engaged. Her duet with Beth Taylor's Anna was equally well done, the two contrasting voices combining stylishly. The appearance of the Trojans and the eruption of the Numidian invasion produce one of the opera's more compellingly dramatic moments, here rendered with fine musicality as Spyre's strong Énée was supported by the winning Ascagne of Adèle Charvet and Riches' fine Panthée. Also in the mix were Laurence Kilsby's lyrical Iopas and Alex Rosen's dark-voiced Narbal.

Berlioz: Les Troyens, Act 1 - Adèle Charvet, Alice Coote, Rebecca Evans, Lionel Lhote, Michael Spyres, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Dinis Sousa - BBC Proms (Photo: BBC/Andy Paradise)

The fourth act opens with the Royal Hunt and Storm, and the sound world here from the orchestra was so vivid and rich, from the varied colours of the period horns to the strong timbres of the wind instruments, all played with engaging style, that you felt the element of staging was unnecessary. Sousa and the orchestra did everything needed and more. Rosen and Taylor were delightful in their sparring duet, making the piece's form (a slightly awkward mix of solo and duet) work quite naturally. The subsequent dances were again surprisingly engaging and compelling, which does not always happen. Laurence Kilsby was ardently lyrical in his solo as Iopas whilst the long final scene where quintet, shades into septet with chorus and then into final duet, was sensitively performed and staged, so that the soloists gradually faded into the background leaving Murrihy and Spyres centre stage for a passionate yet stylish account of the final duet. This was music performed with sensitive style yet with passion, neither singer pushing out of the envelope yet both conveying much.

The final act is the most Shakespearean of the five, with a series of diverse scenes including a moment of comedy, culminating in the final tragedy. Kilsby impressed again with his lyrical ardour in Hylas' solo. The comedy was well done by Alex Rosen and one of the Monteverdi Choir, both bringing a sense of humour to the dialogue. But it was, finally, in this act that Énée has an extended dramatic scene, enabling Spyres to show us his metal and impress by the strength and flexibility of his voice and the sense of ardent character that he brought to the role. At this stage in his career, Spyres is perhaps an almost ideal Énée, and he brought a sense of the character's identification with destiny alongside that wayward passion. His final confrontation with Murrihy's Didon was powerful, and whilst Rosen's Narbal and Taylor's Anna provided fine support throughout the act, it was Murrihy's Didon that dominated the closing scenes. Always stylish yet profoundly moving, she has quite a bright mezzo-soprano voice and certainly at moments did not quite ride over the orchestra, but rarely have I heard Didon sung with such a combination of intensity and style.

Whilst one concentrated on the main roles, part of the strength of this performance was that every single role was well cast. Various singers, not least Alex Rosen, sang multiple roles and some were quite small, but everyone was part of the drama and the sense of engagement with the ongoing narrative was paramount. 

The chorus was vividly involved, whether simply standing in place or erupting onto the stage. Throughout they sang with commitment, style and drama, making lithe yet dramatic sound and seemingly constantly engaged.

Berlioz: Les Troyens - Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Dinis Sousa - BBC Proms (Photo: BBC/Andy Paradise)

Given the relatively shortness of notice with which Dinis Sousa took over conducting the opera (this was his second or third evening in charge), it would have been understandable if there was an element of careful traffic policeman about his role. Not a bit, Sousa seemed in every way in charge and fully involved in shaping both details and the ongoing drama. What was noticeable about this performance was the mix of vivid colours and timbres with a sense of impetus. Even the smallest moments kept you engaged, and I have mentioned the way the various dances stood out, yet Sousa also gave you a feeling of large-scale architecture, that the opera you finished listening at 9.30pm was the same one you started with at 4pm, rather than a series of diverse scenes.

This whole evening was a terrific achievement all round, and the performance had a mesmerising quality, so that it gripped from beginning to end. For all its status as a masterpiece, there is an idiosyncrasy to Berlioz' drama that can sometimes muddy things, but here Sousa and his performers gave the piece with compelling intensity whilst Tess Gibbs' sensitive concert staging brought out the dramatic narrative without drawing attention to itself.

Berlioz: Les Troyens
Alice Coote - Cassandre
Michael Spyres - Énée
Paula Murrihy - Didon
Lionel Lhote - Chorèbe
Adèle Charvet - Ascagne
Alex Rosen - Narbal, Ghost of Hector, Mercure, Trojan Sentry
Ashley Riches - Panthée, Greek Soldier
Beth Taylor - Anna
Laurence Kilsby - Iopas, Hylas
Rebecca Evans - Hécube
Graham Neal - Helenus
Tristan Hambleton - Priam
Sam Evans - Soldier
Other roles played by members of the Monteverdi Choir

Never miss out on future posts by following us

The blog is free, but I'd be delighted if you were to show your appreciation by buying me a coffee.

Elsewhere on this blog

• Baroque rarity: Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre's Céphale et Procris at the Grimeborn Festival - opera review
• The Complete Hums of Pooh and more: Grant Doyle and John Kember's Enchanted Places - record review
• Back to Wonderland: Will Todd's Alice opera returns in an engaging new production at IF Opera -opera review
• Bayreuth Festival Ring: Tony Cooper revisits Valentin Schwarz’ Ring cycle and relishes it second time around - opera review
• Follies of youthful passion: Umberto Giordano's Fedora at IF Opera with Sky Ingram and Charne Rochford - opera review
• Klaus Florian Vogt is exemplary in the title-role of Tannhäuser at the Bayreuth Festival - opera review
• Prom 50: large-scale drama from Allan Clayton, Philharmonia Chorus, Academy of Ancient Music, Laurence Cummings in Handel's Samson - concert review
• Thrust into a new age, the digital age: Augmented Reality in a ground-breaking new production of Wagner's Parsifal at the Bayreuth Festival - opera review
• Revenge is the name of the Dutchman’s game: Dmitri Tcherniakov’s Holländer at the Bayreuth Festival - opera review
• Unbound and Unleashed: Hubert Parry's cantata Prometheus Unbound gets the glorious first recording that it deserves - record review
• Jerry Herman & Harvey Fierstein's La Cage aux Folles at Regents Park Open Air Theatre - music theatre review
• Home