HomeReviews and a sample of audience comments
Silky Epic of an Indian Prince
"...a meditatively powerful musical form... this tale of denial and spirituality is painted in simple and striking melodic colours. This is an epic story to capture theatrically, and much of the evenings pleasure comes from the 25 year old Lontano ensemble - which under the guidance of conductor Odaline de la Martinez weaves the Indian raga and flamenco influenced music into textures of silk and velvet. As Siddhartha, Sianed Jones's extrordinary and beautiful singing voice reflects her travels to places such as Kenya, Madagascar, Mongolia and Kazakhsthan to pick up different vocal techniques. ...top quality musical components..."
Rachael Halliburton (The Evening Standard)
"Though billed as an opera, Jenni Roditi's new work casts aside many of the operatic connotations in favour of a highly approachable piece, which would almost be as acceptable in concert form...The story, about the Indian Prince Siddhartha ...has an appeal to the young, and Rebecca Swift has made sure that her libretto does not delve too deeply into mysticism or religious philosophy, being of a decidedly humanist nature. The music too is non specific, with something of the New Age about its tonality and tunefullness. Odaline de la Martinez carefully controls her immacualte Lontano ensemble..."
Peter Hepple (The Stage)
"The music showed originality. Roditi's tiny chamber orchestra was dominated most notably by Duduk. This Eastern European wind instrument combines the sonorities of clarinet, saxophone and oboe with something wild and plaintive. Quite rightly Roditi made it the centre of attention, providing string figures as an accompaniment and allowing the percussionist to elaborate filigrees around it. As Siddhartha, Sianed Jones proved capable of extrordinary things: a soaring near falsetto, a cavernous chest register, a terrifying wail. Her voice required amplification... I wish more composers would investigate the possibilities of amplifying non-classical voices."
Nick Kimberley (The Sunday Observer)
A sample of audience comments
"...how impressed I was ...I hadn't realised the extent of your talent -inventively and emotionally. It's a higly accomplished score and appealed to me far more exciting than a good deal of stuff I've heard at Proms etc. penned by more established names...it would make a fine Prom in itself. Many congratulations.
Clive Swift (Actor)
"In my heart I felt that, like Messiaen's St Francis it is really an oratorio rather than an opera. ...In Siddhartha I feel a fervancy of belief that could not have contemplated introducing a character of comparable moral force to your hero. Thus I am forced to conclude that both you and Messiaen have written essentially devotional works...there were many moments of poignant beauty...the whole moral moral focus of the narraitve is on the characters' vocal expression of their inner world ..the timbral narraitve of the principle vocal part was intense..."
Maxwell Steer (Composer)
"Siddhartha was an enthralling, moving experiment, full of thought provoking images and shimmering sound. The performers played with an energy and assurance that was utterly compelling - an astonishing accomplishment altogether."
Eleanor Bron (Actress)
"...for unforeseen reasons, I only saw the first half, and more than usually, I hope there will be further chances to see it. My memory of that half is of really ravishing music, both for strings and instruments - the Indian element was most subtly felt, and the graceful athletic vocal music came back to me when I heard a performance by Maneckam Yogaswaran (?) a few weeks later. It was a completely right decision to cast Sianed Jones as the young Buddha, somehow transcending gender - which opera ought to be doing. It's such an unreal form, we have to make use of that wonderful quality. The performances were beautiful too. I felt the production diffused the energy somewhat - things were happening in far corners of that vast backstage which were a bit difficult to see sometimes from the unraked floor level. I have to say that I thought the Ocean (which I was longing to see, it's such an incredible enterprise to have opened in Hackney) was a rather brutal, dark venue - your piece deserves something lighter and more natural feeling. Keep me posted."
Judith Weir (Composer)
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