There is no mistaking James MacMillan has a popular hit on his hands with the cries of brava as the curtain fell on the world premier of his new opera.
The Sacrifice had a gestation of almost a decade from WNO approaching MacMillan and his librettist Michael Symmons Roberts to the baton being raised by the composer on Saturday night but the communication with the audience was immediate.
Yes, some of the music is redolent of a wide range of musical influences but MacMillan displays he is a master of orchestration and composes in a richly expressive musical language.
Smoothing melodies contrast with piercing dissonant sounds while liberal use of percussion drives the mood and pace of key stages of the drama.
The work has its inspiration in The Mabinogion, the collection of mythical Welsh folk stories. Sadly all the use of Welsh language that appeared in working versions of the libretto; only Welsh character names remain.
The story is transposed to a contemporary setting. The lights dim revealing a war battered building, reminiscent of Sarajevo in the wake of ethnic warfare. It could easily be Northern Ireland, Iraq or, we are told in the programme notes, our own society. The screen opens and closes revealing areas of a modern hotel setting for the unfolding drama, ranging from bedrooms to banqueting halls.
In the story, the leader of one family hopes that by marrying his daughter into the other, peace can be brought about. A marriage is celebrated, a son is born, but waiting in the wings is the spurned lover.
The strong cast of singers centred on Sian and Evan, sung by striking soprano Lisa Milne and expressive young baritone Leigh Melrose.
Lisa agrees to marry Mal, powerfully sung by Peter Hoare, the leader of the rival tribe in the hope, that their offspring wound unite their peoples.
This is opera so such optimism is doomed and the ultimate sacrifice is made by Sian’s father, the General, sung with characteristic aplomb and dramatic style by Christopher Purves.
However, MacMillan also creates music of great beauty and the Act Two love duet between Sian and Evan is mesmerising as are the songs given to Megan, Sian’s child-like sister, sung exquisitely by Sarah Tynan.
Dramatically at times the work struggles to hold itself together particularly with some laboured scene changes. And perhaps surprisingly from Katie Mitchell the staging is at times fussy with just too much rushing around, ear-holding secret service agents babbling into thin air and excruciating naff strumming of an electric guitar in the wedding banquet.
But overall it is an in your face hard-hitting production, strong in both theatricality, not afraid to shock and jar, while musically big, bold, and audience pleasing.
There is a further performance at Wales Millennium Centre on October 6 before the show tours including Venue Cymru, Llandudno on October 31 and Sadler’s Well, London on November 26.
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