REVIEW: OPERA (LIBERATA COLLECTIVE) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Cathryn Bell
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Last month I had the absolute pleasure of attending a live concert at Chiswick House. The occasion? A one woman opera produced by Liberata Collective performed in Baroque Gesture telling the life of Marie Antoinette. As Lady Whistledown would say, Dearest gentle reader... I felt like one of the ton. This exquisite production is the creation of the female founded company Liberata Collective known for creating:
"visually striking productions rooted in historically informed performance practices.."
Masterminded by founders Olivia Doutney (performing the role of Marie Antoinette) and Susanna MacRae this is a performance you won't want to miss. I knew Susanna at school and I'm not surprised she has created art of this calibre. Her talent and passion was there from the start and in this production, which she produced, it sparkles to our delight.
Opera is often given a bad rep as elitist, outdated or as Timothée Chalamet virally put it... a dying art form. Liberata Collective's "Antonia: Behind The Myth of Marie Antoinette" proves that assumption could not be more wrong. Resplendent in a period appropriate gown, wig and beauty spot (à la mode in 18th century France) Olivia Doutney embodies the Queen of France in a performance brimming with heart and humour. It is an engaging highly immersive production. She enters the room from behind the audience, moving with a stately commanding presence.
I felt like I was part of the court at Versailles ... excitedly peering through towering elegant wigs and feathers to catch a glimpse of her.
As a composer it was thrilling to hear a live harpsichord! Accompanied beautifully by harpsichordist Petra Hajduchovà, this production paints a unique picture of Marie Antoinette. The nature of her demise has overshadowed what a complex brilliant accomplished woman the French Queen was. Particularly as a devoted champion of the arts.
I had expected the production to be formatted like a recital, a solemn stand and sing affair. Instead it is much more theatrical, bringing the music and the woman to life. The use of props, such as letters to and by Marie Antoinette, performed aloud by Olivia is a charming touch. We get a much better sense of her character, her wit, her passion, and her grief in times of despair. A particularly amusing moment occurs when she shares a letter of hers commenting on a new visitor to court, a young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart from Austria. Olivia fixes us with a wryly comical stare: "I wonder what will come of him...?" Indeed... We also learn Marie Antoinette was a fierce champion of the Chevalier De Saint Georges, Joseph Bologne an exceptional violin virtuoso, composer and polymath. Former US President John Adams called him "the most accomplished man in Europe". (You can read more about his life on ClassicFM https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/chevalier-de-saint-georges-joseph-boulogne-black-mozart/ or watch the biopic film, trailer below:)
In 1776 Marie Antoinette supported him to become the director of the Paris Opéra. Yet three singers petitioned the Queen, refusing to work under a black musician. Despite the scandal, she invited him to private musical events at Versailles. The inclusion of his story within the production is a timely reminder of the inequality and biases still present in the music industry today. Black composers and performers remain largely underrepresented in classical music. According to the League of American Orchestras Demographic Summary: "Black musicians make up just 2.1% of surveyed orchestra players". It is clear there is still much to be done. By including the Chevalier's story, Liberata Collective does not let us forget this injustice nor the importance today of lasting, meaningful action and change.
Prior to the performance, I was not familiar with baroque gesture. However, the use of it in this production heightens the emotions in an expressive, yet deeply moving way. Olivia's balletic movements are in keeping with her words. It's intimate and utterly enthralling to watch. Chiswick House with its stately architecture, gold trimmed paintings and twirling shimmering crystal chandeliers was the perfect setting for this music as Olivia's vocals soar through the space and through our souls. It is a production that has stayed with me in the weeks that have passed since I saw it. If you are a supporter of the arts, enjoy music, history, or want to support women in music, I urge you to watch this divine production which is currently touring the UK. It really is the perfect summer's day out. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
GET TOUR TICKETS ➡️: https://www.liberatacollective.com/current-projects
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