Review: ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, Opera Holland Park

At the age of 10, my daughter was completely spellbound by The Magic Flute at Opera Holland Park, striking up a lifelong love of opera, dance and theatre. So, what better way to introduce children to opera than down the rabbit hole of one of Opera Holland Park's most cherished productions, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Granting it will never meet the elevated standards of Mozart (after all, what will?), Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has had its own trajectory. Premiering on the Yucca Lawn at Opera Holland Park back in 2013, and then performed in Wales, Ireland and at the Royal Ballet and Opera's Linbury Theatre, Will Todd's reimagined production finally moves onto Opera Holland Park's main stage.

Visually compelling, with eye-popping colours by Costume Designer Leslie Travers and Victorian drab-meets-fabulously floral Wonderland sets created by Ceci Calf (based on original designs by Travers), tiny tots will be drawn into this vivid, imaginary world. There's much to admire, from the Queen of Hearts' bold crimson gown, a green satin-clad Caterpillar and well-groomed White Rabbit's snowy suit with sassy pompom for a tail.

Todd's opera, with libretto by Maggie Gotlieb, is at its best when the excellent 11 players in the band veer jauntily into a smoky blues number sung admirably by cabaret and opera bass singer Le Gateau Chocolat (playing Caterpillar), and a spiritual protest song by enslaved animal workers monotonously grating carrots and churning cream in the Queen of Hearts' tea factory.

While the whole ensemble, conducted by Dominic Ellis-Peckham, produce the equivalent of "six impossible things before breakfast"; Toby Coles on muted trumpet, Fran Hills' jazz piano and Glyn Matthews having a ball on percussion should be specially commended.

There's also Alice's gorgeous 'I flew high in my dreams' sung by Madeline Robinson at the start of the show – which is reprised again at the end. I would have liked this to appear more frequently throughout the opera as a leitmotif tying everything together.

All too often the chorus isn't acknowledged, but the group dressed as Victorians do more than just keep things moving during scene changes. They add depth and fun to proceedings in a suitably absurdist Carroll way.

Although some of the plot was a bit confusing, some of the music ho-hum and some of the characters less captivating than others (it took me awhile to work out who Humpty Dumpty was), Opera Holland Park is always a delightful venue – and the perfect place to take youngsters for the first time.

One young girl, aged about four, was so enthralled by Alice, she enthusiastically followed her along the stage during the curtain call – and then proceeded to clamber onto the stage in the hope of actually catching her. Such memories can influence a child for life, just like my daughter when she thought her first brush with opera at Opera Holland Park was the best thing ever.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland runs at Opera Holland Park until June 27

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