Grabmusik The soul Ashley Holland The angel Sarah Fox Apollo et Hyacinthus Oebalus Jamie MacDougal Hyacinthus Sarah Fox Melia Sandra Zeltzer Zephyrus Ryland Angel Apollo Lawrence Zazzo Laconians Rachel Lindop, Darren Abrahams, Jonathan Gunthorpe Conductor Ian Page Director Olivia Fuchs The Classical Ensemble Classical Opera Company Mozart composed both Grabmusik and Apollo and Hyacinthus at the age of eleven. This double bill forms part of a short season of talks and master-classes called "Prodigy of nature -- a celebration of Mozart and childhood". The composer's age is the only thing about the two works that seems to relate to childhood, except perhaps for their simplicity of form. This was admirably reflected in Olivia Fuchs' linked productions, which beautifully used evocative symbols rather than a big idea. Mozart allegedly wrote Grabmusik as the equivalent of spinning straw into gold. The Prince of Salzburg, not believing that a child had composed the works attributed to him, locked him in alone with a libretto, and Grabmusik is the result. A departed soul mourns Christ's death, and an angel points out that as a sinner the soul has contributed to Christ's suffering, but can be forgiven. The settings are similar to the comparable material in the Bach passions, without the extreme musical evocation of emotions, or the orchestral richness. The performance included Haydn's symphony 26 as an overture. This evokes the passion narrative, and has some of the dramatic power that Mozart's settings lack. This might not be entirely down to his youth: the text of Grabmusik is reflective, and less dramatic than Bach's comparable texts. The symphony was accompanied by silent actors performing symbolic elements of the passion and burial of Christ. The framework of the action was an arch (a latter bent into a semicircle, used mainly for one actor to be briefly crucified by hanging from it), which looked like the rising sun, and a pile of earth downstage left, which the performers built up from the contents of flower-pots, which they had previously watered from a bowl. They moulded a figure with earth and water, then buried it and lit candles on the mound. The soul began Grabmusik proper on a ladder, and moved gradually towards the angel, who stood near the mound. Apollo and Hyacinthus was written to be performed as part of a school play (eheu, which is why it's in Latin). It's a slight, Ovidian romance which nevertheless involves the big themes of love, loss and friendship. Hyacinthus' pal Zephyrus mocks Apollo, and says he'd worship Hyacinthus instead. A sacrifice to Apollo fails, and when the insulted god himself shows up to explain why, he falls for Hyacinthus' sister Melia. A discus, thrown by Apollo, is carelessly misdirected by Zephyrus, and kills Hyacinthus. Melia blames Apollo, and is on the verge of falling for Zephyrus instead. The dying Hyacinthus reveals that Zephyrus is responsible, Apollo makes the flowers from the dead Hyacinthus and Apollo and Melia are reconciled. The music doesn't try to do anything difficult, but does what it is supposed to. Melia's aria on hearing that Apollo wants to marry her, Laetari, iocari, is a fine soprano show-off piece, exuberantly sung by a rich-voiced Sandra Zeltzer. The sacrificial ensembles and Oebalus' expression of mourning and vow of revenge were also suitably dramatic. Similarly, the production, in modern dress with trimmings, used simple emblems of the big themes. The mound of earth served for the sacrifice, and also as the focus for mourning for Hyacinthus, the arch for the sun, on which Apollo first appeared, hanging by his arms and singing. A green rectangle with small buildings (like a carpet) was lowered to represent the countryside which Apollo says he protects. Apollo himself performed easy conjuring tricks to show he was a god -- a bunch of flowers from nowhere for Melia, a cane for her father Oebalus, and sheep to go on the land. The transformation itself was slightly underwhelming (though I'm not sure if it worked quite as intended): Oebalus carried the dying Hyacinthus on wrapped up in a large piece of blue material and laid him on the ground. At the transformation, he rolled over to reveal a green surface with purple flowers, matching the colour of the costume he had worn. Sarah Fox was excellent in both parts, chirpy and boyish as Hyacinthus. In a sign of the times, both counter-tenors, Lawrence Zazzo and Ryland Angel, gave complete theatrical performances. Angel as Zephyrus with a punkish pointed hairstyle on one side, was stupid gauche, and had a substantial edge vocally over Zazzo, who was nevertheless pretty good in a lightweight way, and acted the golden boy delightfully. I think we have a promising young composer here.