So was the weekend a success? No, said Richard Tognetti, it was an abject failure – instead of Nothing we had an overabundance of Somethings.
Brecht’s play enters the 1920s world of cabaret, an entry thoroughly cemented by Kurt Weill’s biting, acerbic score.
His one hour program contained no fewer than 20 pieces, played without a break, mainly on piano but also on harpsichord and electric keyboard.
This wordless play has the pace of a symphonic adagio, starting in what might be late afternoon, traversing the night with its nightmares, and ending the next morning.
This show is delightful, touching, and expertly put together, and is a testament to the insight and skill of all involved.
In the aftermath of the Voice debacle, it is more than ever significant that this year’s Adelaide Festival has begun with two contemporary Indigenous ceremonies.
This show, devised by Robert Lepage in Canada fifteen years ago, forms the operatic centrepiece of the 2024 Adelaide Festival.