La fanciulla del West, Freeze Frame Opera ·
Centenary Pavillion, Claremont Showgrounds, 19 August 2022 ·

Freeze Frame Opera, the brainchild and performance platform for founder and soprano Harriet Marshall, has developed a rightful reputation for imaginative, relevant presentations of traditional opera repertoire in very cool venues. For La fanciulla del West (The girl of the West), the company returns to Centenary Pavilion at Claremont Showgrounds, under the direction of Adam Mitchell, to present a performance of Puccini’s lesser-known opera that at times seemed almost too close to home. 

The story revolves around Minni (Marshall), a bartender at the Polka Saloon; local sheriff Jack Rance (world-renowned bass Teddy Tahu Rhodes, making his FFO debut), who is in love with Minni; and bandit Dick Johnson, alias Ramerrez (Jun Zhang), who is on the run. 

Other cast members are drawn from FFO regulars, including baritone Robert Hoffman (as Jake Wallace, a travelling camp minstrel), and classical voice students from WAAPA – enabling a much larger cast than budgets might otherwise allow. 

The opening set is riveting. Miners at the local tavern look so familiar in their hi-vis clothing with their mullets, the footy on the TV in the background next to the pinball machine. The energetic, covered-in-dirt and tattoo-clad male chorus made me wish singing was the norm on mine sites it is so good. And Tahu Rhodes towers over them all with his physical presence and powerful vocals that gave me goosebumps as soon as he sang.  

Marshall’s entry is also impressive, as she storms in above the bar (on a fabulous double-height set designed by Bryan Woltjen) wearing blue overalls, firing a shotgun – not just with her full and creamy vocals, but from the stark contrast of a voluptuous red-headed woman in such a masculine setting.  

The setting did make me reflect a moment on the reality of life in the mines for women, and the recent news stories of ongoing harassment. However, all the men seemed to be in love with Minnie, holding her in such high esteem I was able to relax a little.  

Mitchell’s decision to set the opera in a WA mine site is pure genius, ensuring it is very relatable. When miner Jim Larkens (Brett Peart) reveals how homesick he is, and the rest of the men pass the hat around to get him back to the farm, I couldn’t help but think of what so many people sacrifice in order to work away from home so much. 

Act 2 is dominated by Minnie, Johnson (now being hunted in earnest) and Rance, in the confines of Minnie’s donga. It is during this set – where Minnie and Johnson profess their love for one another and Minnie and Rance play poker to decide Johnson’s fate – that Puccini’s music comes to the fore.  

Known for having fewer ‘big hits’ than most of his other works, La fanciulla del West still has some beautiful music (many critics maintain it’s his magnum opus). The tiny Trio Tiramisu (Cathie Travers, accordion; Sophie Curtis, cello; Tommaso Polio, piano) do a wonderful job of distilling a huge orchestral score to capture its essence with imaginative arranging and lovely playing. However, there’s no doubt the full orchestral experience would take it to another level. 

The final set is wonderful, if a little jarring. After Johnson’s capture, Rance and the men demand he be hanged. This narrative clearly doesn’t gel with the contemporary setting. But then Zhang steps forward to melt our hearts, singing “Ch’ella Mi Creda”, and begging the miners not to tell Minnie of his fate. When Minnie enters, her lover’s fate is hanging in the balance. 

Harriet Marshall is a true standout in a very male-dominated opera as our very own Woman of the West, rightly taking her place front and centre of the company she created. Tahu Rhodes’ gravitas and pure talent are powerful additions, ably supported by the stars of tomorrow from WAAPA. 

If Freeze Frame Opera can keep presenting core works in ways that resonate with contemporary audiences, reflecting our way of life, then this company will continue to grow patronage at speed. And, with the current shortage of workers, if BHP or Rio Tinto need some extra hands, I know where to find a few who might just transform the workplace by breaking into song in the mess hall! 

La Fanciulla Del West continues at Claremont Showgrounds until 27 August 2022.

Harriet Marshall makes the Wild West her own in a standout performance in ‘La Fanciulla del west’. Photo: John Marshall