REVIEW: 555: Verlaine en Prison, Grimeborn Opera Festival at Arcola Theatre 4 - 7 September 2024

‘An unbalanced, if fascinating, story of love, passion, and violence’ ★★★
 

Full disclosure: I am about to review an opera, having never seen an opera before in my life. This might mean that I use the wrong terminology, or don’t have the context to fully know the conventions of this form – but it might also be useful to come at it with completely fresh eyes (and ears). So, bear with me.

I was initially drawn by the story, which I was dimly aware of, and about which, thanks to ‘555’, I have now learnt so much more: the tempestuous, violent affair between the poets Paul Verlaine (Logan Lopez Gonzalez) and Arthur Rimbaud (Anna Sideris, who also plays the other minor roles), resulting in Verlaine shooting and wounding Rimbaud, leading to his incarceration for 555 days. This opera, spoken and sung entirely in French, charts Verlaine’s marriage to Mathilde, his introduction to and relationship with Rimbaud, and his time in prison, when his wife decides to separate from him.

We have a thrilling start: Verlaine in court, Rimbaud’s testimony damning him, even if he tries to minimalise the violence of his lover’s actions, and Verlaine’s sentence, leading to a wonderfully timed moment as he slumps onto a chair, and the lighting changes to reveal prison bars lacerating the floor. Performed three quarter round, we are almost surrounding Verlaine. The stagecraft of this production was a highlight throughout, successfully conveying, and evoking, the emotional weight of each scene. The set was sparse, with just a single chair, with some minimal, if essential, props, such as the letters between Verlaine and Rimbaud, and Verlaine and Mathilde, which eventually lie tattered on the floor.

Countertenor Logan Lopez Gonzalez’s voice was undeniably incredible, and he sang, from what I can tell, Verlaine’s own poetry set to music. This is a lovely touch, and an effective way to celebrate his work. I found it unusual, or unexpected, that he was the only performer to sing: Anna Sideris is a lyric coloratura soprano, and it seems a shame to not utilise her abilities. This also meant that the emphasis was on Verlaine, and I wanted to hear more from Rimbaud, and, in particular, the impact of the affair on Mathilde. The men’s actions are well documented, and it feels like a missed opportunity not to tell the story from a fresh perspective.

In this sense, the actual narrative felt unbalanced: hearing Verlaine sing ostensibly creates sympathy for him, yet his actions were violent, fueled by jealousy and alcohol, and I was not inclined to want to hear more about his broken heart when it seemed largely self induced. The potential theme of attitudes towards homosexuality and resultant repression at this time was not explored. The summary of the production explains that ‘From his cell, [Verlaine] forged the future of French literature and inspired a generation’, and, sadly, this was not clear from this opera.

Whilst the story itself is certainly a fascinating one, and I greatly admire the skills of these performers without fully ‘getting’ opera as a form, I was not convinced that this was the most effective way of conveying the experiences of these people. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy Wikipedia-ing their lives on the train home.

555: Verlaine en Prison
Written by Logan Lopez Gonzalez and Eleanor Burke
Arcola Theatre
4-7^th September
https://www.arcolatheatre.com/whats-on/555-verlaine-en-prison/