- The Composer, The Singer, The Cook and the Sinner
A Joyous Celebration of Rossini's Life and Music
Listed under Theatre, there was a curious extravaganza in the second week. The Composer, The Singer, The Cook and the Sinner by Carles Santos is described as "a joyous celebration of Rossini's life and music." The composer of such famous operas as The Barber of Seville" and "The Thieving Magpie" as well as the Overture to William Tell (seen in caricature here), was apparently regarded as a fine cook, a party animal, socialiser and a great conversationalist.
The cast playing the four characters are three operatic singers and a pianist. Extracts from Rossini's work were sung or played against a continually changing set or backdrop. A grand piano was wheeled on and off. Singers were lifted and laid on the piano, even on to the keyboard. Water played a fundamental theme depicting nature and life. Water dripped rhythmically to the music against shafts of intense light on to the stage later developing into bucketfuls of water which were then poured over a singer's head. A short film showed intimate close ups of a naked body showering and washing in water. A trolley stacked with giant pasta pans is wheeled on to the resounding chorus of Stabat Mater. Large plastic heads of Beethoven and Wagner were slowly filled with water from a hose.
Fabulous costumes, spectacular lighting, glorious singing and a theatre filled with Rossini's music. But can you call this theatre? There was no play or dialogue but highly enjoyable as a bizarre, camp musical entertainment. In Italian, no subtitles. Think Monty Pythonesque Marx Brothers operetta directed by Peter Greenaway.
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