Itch – Opera Holland Park, London

Based on the novels by Simon Mayo

Librettist: Alasdair Middleton

Music: Jonathan Dove

Conductor: Josephine Korder

A revival of Opera Holland Park’s 2023 commission, this is a performance by members of the company’s Young Performers scheme. The aim of this is the provision of opportunities for singers to bridge the gap between conservatoire and professional work. Only Eric Greene (fine bass), who sings Nicholas Lofte, is a member of the main cast, and his job here is partly to support the others with on-the-job mentoring. Moreover, this Sunday matinee is a relaxed performance, so there are a lot of children in the audience.

In a story which neatly unites art (it’s an opera) with science (it’s about elements), we get a goodie/baddie plot deepened by themes such as climate change and parenting. Itch (Sebastian Hill) collects elements and enthuses knowledgeably about them. When he explains them to his mother, they are illuminated one by one on the set to form the familiar castle-like table, and it’s surprisingly moving. Then he and his sister Jack (Madeline Robinson) think they’ve discovered a new radioactive one which would be number 126 on the periodic table. If they’re right, it would have world-changing commercial implications. Enter big business, ruthless skullduggery, ethical decisions and a near tragedy.

Most of the song-through piece is dialogue set to music rather than offering much in the way of “arias”, although Eleri Gwilym, as the villain in charge of the company which wants the element at any cost, gets some pretty forceful Queen of the Night moments. Jonathan Dove’s music unfailingly supports the mood of the moment, and his orchestrations are often delightful.

City of London Sinfonia is pared down to thirteen players, one to a part, including harp and piano. There is, for instance, a sinister musical conversation between bass clarinet and horn when the children are kidnapped and frightened. A disturbing fortissimo octet is sung on the tiers of the set before we meet Itch in trouble in a disused Cornish mine over glockenspiel and celeste, and it’s an effective contrast.

As usual at Opera Holland Park, the orchestra sits at the centre of a sloped annular playing space, which means, on this occasion, that conductor Josephine Korder looks backwards over her shoulder quite often because she is, presumably, not used to this configuration. It’s an engaging directorial idea, though, meaning that access to the mine involves picking a route through the band.

The orchestra plays well, of course, including some nice solo work by the first violinist, but is sometimes overpoweringly loud for this inexperienced cast, talented as each one of them is.

Runs until 13 June 2025