Much applause for selkie opera
Songs and stories inthe Seal-woman show
The most unusual and interesting event on this year’s Perth Festival of the Arts programme was Scots Opera Project’s The Sealwoman.
Taking place before a completely full Joan Knight Studio at Perth Theatre it was A Celtic Folk Opera, the co-operation of composer Granville Bantock and Gaelic song collector Marjory Kennedy-fraser.
Its staging was simple and effective: sharp geometric shapes as rocks with Gaelic designs, and in part two a whirligig with clothes and nets plus benches.
A selkie or seal-woman is a being who can shape-shift from a seal to a woman, shedding her, in the opera, magic robe to come on shore. At the start the old woman, the Cailleach, was well sung by Ulrike Wutscher, not acting convincingly old. An Islesman, tenor David Douglas was of pleasing voice, has seen and fallen in love and does not leave on the boat.
The selkie sisters appear and dance and sing. He steals their searobes but will give the sister her robe back, if the other will stay as his wife.
This first part was largely arioso or narration, with the notable exception of a lullaby affectingly sung to his baby by a water-kelpie, baritone Michael Longden. Throughout Hebba Banyaghia was the fine pianist-accompanist.
Part two, seven years later, the selkie, now married with a child, feels the urge to return to the sea.
This part had more set songs: marriage and work songs, a duet, an aria for the tenor missing his wife, one for her, torn between husband, child and the lure of the sea. The sister gives her the robe and she returns to the sea. The chorus returns singing as they did at the start.
An intriguing and enjoyable performance, it was much applauded.