Ariadne Auf Naxos – Edinburgh International Festival

Picture: Matt Beech

Ariadne Auf Naxos continues at the Edinburgh Academy Junior School Outdoor Arena as part of the Edinburgh International Festival until 29 August 2021.

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

Richard Strauss’ operatic comedy is presented in a staged concert performance in the impressive temporary arena in the northern part of the city. Louisa Muller’s staging is witty and bright in a reasonably sized performance space in front of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

The setting is a Duke’s mansion where two companies have been invited to perform after dinner. The first, to perform the new opera of “Ariadne Auf Naxos”; the second, a comedy dance group to perform a short comedic piece before the firework display is due at 9pm. Neither company is happy with this arrangement – especially as the wealthy Duke has also commandeered musicians to play whist his guests have dinner.

The composer of the new opera (played by Catriona Morison) is livid as she has refinements she must make before the performance; Ariadne (Dorothea Röschmann) is less than happy to be followed on stage by a cheap ‘showgirl’ while Zerbinetta from the dancing company is happy to follow the opera to cheer the audience up.

The composer is torn between comforting Ariadne, admiring Zerbinetta and finding pen and paper to capture a new melody in her head. Morison is such a delight, holding the stage in masterful indignation.

The plot becomes more farcical as the dinner seems to be over running, so the Duke sends the message that both performances are to run simultaneously so that the firework display can go ahead as planned. Further, the Duke has let it be known that a desert island such as Naxos is probably not a fitting choice of scene in his sumptuous mansion.

Meltdown ensues, with the comedic troupe celebrating the chance to liven up the desert island with brightly coloured beach balls, only to be chased off as Ariadne laments her lost love, surrounded by her chorus of protective ladies.

One of the comical highlights is where the men from the dancing troupe appear with a mini-forest of inflatable palm trees in an effort to cheer Ariadne up – palm trees have seldom been used quite so suggestively! From desert island to Love Island, the efforts to stir Ariadne’s ardour fail miserably.

Here, Zerbinetta (Brenda Rae) takes the initiative saying all women know heartbreak. Her solo, embellished with sweeping cadenzas is truly spectacular and stops the show as the audience shower her with appreciation – deliciously flirty yet vulnerable too, the character is well-judged and beautifully realised.

Lothar Koenigs is an attentive and sensitive conductor, working beautifully with his soloists and orchestra to achieve perfect accord to keep the pace flowing beautifully.

An absolute pleasure to hear and see, this is an Ariadne Auf Naxos that is so easy to relate to the here and now.

Fiona Orr