Music Scholars trip to ENO

Music Scholars spent the afternoon with the English National Opera and enjoyed a dazzling performance of Jeanine Tesori’s ‘BLUE’...

The trip

We arrived at the theatre and were instantly (it was really impressive just how instantly) greeted by one of the conductors who would stay with us until the start of the show. We were then taken to a VIP room and were introduced to Sarah-Jane Lewis, who played Girlfriend 2. We got to ask her some questions about the show as well as about opera as a whole and then she gave us a recital of Summertime by Gershwin. I was standing quite near her and I found it incredible just how both beautiful and loud her voice was. She then left and we were introduced to Tshabalala Zwakele, who played the son. He told us about how he related to the show, having lost his father at 15 and now has his own son. We were then taken around the theatre on a short but detailed tour which culminated in us being taken backstage and then onto the stage just before the doors opened. It was amazing to see just how many people and how much space that the audience doesn’t see is needed to make the show possible. I was also very intimidated by being centre stage and seeing all the 2359 empty seats staring straight at me.  

Hannah M Y9

The production

‘Blue’ was definitely one of the best pieces of theatre I've ever seen. I found so many of the techniques surprising and extremely effective - musically, in terms of set and lighting and also within the story-telling. Because it wasn't all in chronological order - the flashback of the scene after the Father and Son's fight was right at the end. This was really moving for me; how the audience already knew the sadness that was to come as we watched the 'happy' scene, and how it defied the cliché of having the saddest point in the show directly after everyone's been happy in the joy of domestic normality, just made it all the more heart-breaking. 

As well as this, using a sometimes-spinning wheel on the centre of the stage was thrilling and I felt like it symbolised the focus of the moment, and it seemed like a camera fixed on the centre which then angled into the centre of the heart of the scene. It was very powerful how the congregation sat outside the wheel during the funeral, representing that inside the centre could be anyone's son.

I have thought a lot about prejudice against females lately and not so much about prejudice against boys. I feel this story of black boys in America is extremely important.

Darcey F-B Y8

The music

Blue is a modern opera that doesn’t shy away from exploring different styles of music thought its course. By using elements of jazz, blues and gospel singing it immerses the audience in the scene that is played out on stage. In Act 1, the story is centred around a young couple living in Harlem as they are expecting a child and later around The Son as he grows up, but the dark twist takes place behind closed doors and in Act 2, as the audience faces the brutal reality of the murder of The Son by a police officer. This tragic narrative is explored thought poetic lyrics of arias, but the conversations between characters are generally more naturalistic and conversational - this change in tone was supported with the changes in musical style. Arias that told of the characters inner thoughts and emotions were more operatic, while conversations tended to explore different styles. Elements of gospel singing in the church scene and blues influence in the dialogues made the characters appear more alive and true. 

Maria Donchenko Y12