The Opera Locos at Sadler’s Wells Review
Written by Steph for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Opera has a somewhat unfair reputation for being serious and dour. But Spanish company Yllana seeks to change this by creating the new romantic comedy opera, Opera Locos. This show is filled with whacky characters and all the exaggerated expressions of love that only Opera can deliver. Opera Locos has been created by Artistic Directors David Ottone and Joe O’Curneen and Musical Directors Marc Álvarez and Manuel Coves.
The storyline is simple but engaging to get immersed in. We follow the lives and dreams of Alfredo(Jesús Álvarez), an aged tenor with a golden past; Enrique (Enrique Sánchez-Ramos), the baritone precise in his larger than life performances; Franelli (Michaël Koné), a free spirited counter-tenor; Maria (María Rey-Joly) a starry eyed soprano; and Carmen (Mayca Teba), a fiercely independent mezzo soprano.
We see a short window into their daily lives, their romances and their frustrations with each other. At turns the story is funny, tender, romantic, wistful and full of melodrama. The cast have excellent chemistry together and work well to create a spectacular performance.
The show is in a mix of languages, with English, French and Spanish being the most common used. Even if you cannot remember your languages learnt in school you can follow the majority of this show without difficulty. While this show is more closely related to cabaret and comedy sketch shows than Opera, it is enormous fun. There is plenty of audience interaction, so avoid the front row if you wish to escape going on stage. There is also an impromptu singing lesson, and regardless of whether you know opera well or not, you would have heard these songs before. They include songs from Rossini’s ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’, Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’, Mozart’s ‘Die Zauberflöte’ and Bizet’s ‘Carmen’. There are also many modern classics sung as well including Whitney Houston’s ‘I will always love you’ and Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’. It was a fabulous mix of traditional opera and modern pop music which had the audience in stitches and cheering loudly.
Another strong element was the choreography by Carlos Chamorro, ensuring that every dramatic moment and use of physical comedy was maximised for the largest comedic effect. The Sound Design by Luis López de Segovia and Costume Design by Tatiana de Sarabia also worked well together to create a fabulous atmosphere of the world of opera. The set design by Tatiana De Sarabia, David Ottone and Yeray González was fun and brightly coloured and cleverly showcased a lot of opportunities for physical comedy. The pacing was fun but offered steady progression instead of what you’d expect from faster paced West End musicals.
This show was split into two acts of 40 minutes, with a running time of 90 minutes altogether. This made Opera Locos far more accessible for newcomers than many traditional operas would be.
It’s an easy introduction to opera and its sincere joy in the art form helps to make it fun for everyone, whether you are new to opera or a devoted fan. Overall, this is a fabulous evening out filled with the fun of opera without the incredibly long running time and, most importantly, filled with spectacular performances. If you enjoy theatre that is an affectionate opera tribute, witty comedy, a fantastic cast and an evening filled with hilarious fun, then this is the show for you.
Running until 28th February at Sadlers Wells
★★★★