点评:Reviews of Opera North look like someone is writing about a Marmite experience and I guess this will be no different. We went to the last performance of Opera North's winter tour held at the Hull New Theatre for Mozart's Magic Flute. We were a family group and the younger children had some familiarity with the story and the music as they were introduced to it at school and had performed some pieces themselves. We also went with a grandparent whose last opera experience was very off-putting and was not looking forward this show.
We had not expected it, but on the opening of the performance it was explained that this was a signed and audio described performance so that it was fully accessible. We have some limited signing as a normal hearing family, but were intrigued. Once the music started we were clearly engaged and enthralled. Everyone in our party loved it from the first note, the first words, the first sight of the staging. A wonder.
The signers were fully part of the performance and in our view just enhanced and amplified everything we saw and heard. I was left thinking: every show should be like this. It just improved the whole theatre experience. I met acquaintances later in the week who also were there and felt likewise.
Well done Opera North.
翻译:北方歌剧院的评价就像有人在写关于马麦酱体验的文章,我想这次也不例外。我们去看了北方歌剧院冬季巡演的最后一场,在赫尔新剧院上演莫扎特的《魔笛》。我们一家人一起去看,年纪较小的孩子们对故事和音乐都比较熟悉,因为他们在学校接触过,也自己表演过一些曲目。我们还和一位祖父母一起去看,他上次的歌剧体验非常糟糕,对这次演出并不期待。
我们之前没想到,演出一开始就解释说,这是一场手语伴有音频解说的演出,所以完全可以理解。我们一家听力正常,手语能力有限,但还是很感兴趣。音乐一响起,我们就全神贯注,完全被迷住了。我们一行人从第一个音符、第一个歌词,到第一眼看到舞台,都爱上了这场演出。真是太棒了。
手语伴奏者完全融入了演出,在我们看来,他们增强并放大了我们所见所闻的一切。我当时就想:每场演出都应该这样。这提升了整个观剧体验。那周晚些时候,我遇到了一些也去的熟人,他们也有同样的感受。
北方歌剧院做得真好。