Now if you do not like modern music do not go to see Albert Herring — it will bore you to death. Benjamin Britten’s music is an acquired taste and his story lines run parallel. This opera seems to take hours to say nothing, with singers struggling with notes attached to words which are at times unintelligible, but you have to give the singers praise for trying to make something out of nothing. If you are a singer and see this particular opera enough it may convince you it is something extraordinary and you will become an addict — you will not know why, but you will.

So what is it all about. Well a carnival committee of the village hierarchy are trying to find a May Queen for the annual village pageant and they cannot find any young lady suitable so they make a compromise... The opera has innovations, the most notable of which is to have the orchestra on the stage with the singers — it makes something to look at when Britten’s music has lost its way and conductor James Holmes struggles to keep it together. Iain Paton as Albert Herring the greengrocer brings his considerable tenor voice to the part and gives a memorable performance. He is aided and abetted by mezzo-soprano Heather Shipp as Nancy from the bakery and baritone Richard Whitehouse from the butcher’s. Diction is always a problem with balancing the music with what you are singing, especially for some of the women, with Josephine Barstow, soprano, as Lady Billows wanting to show her high notes at the expense of the words. She made a good case for using surtitles on all productions in the UK whatever language they are sung in.

You will not leave the theatre remembering one of the songs or indeed any of the music, but you will leave feeling something, as this audience did. It is a try it and see opera which comes with a health warning. Have fun. © BA

“Albert Herring” is in Hull on the 22nd of March, 2002.