Bluebeard’s Castle
Fringe 25
Old St Paul’s Church
Catherine Backhouse (mezzo-soprano)
James Corrigan (bass)
Lliam Paterson (piano)
Calum Robertson (organ)
My 2025 Edinburgh Festival started with a bang in the unlikely setting of Old St Paul’s Church in the Old Town.
Emotionally Volatile Productions is presenting 11 performances of Bartok’s eerie masterpiece, ‘Bluebeard’s Castle,’ in a minimalist but riveting production with piano accompaniment, starring Catherine Backhouse as Judith and James Corrigan as Bluebeard. These two sensational Scottish singers delivered a spine tingling first performance on Friday 1st August at 4pm, and I really encourage any music lover to get along to the venue for one of the forthcoming performances (listed below).
Since its premiere in 1918, it was performed only sporadically for decades, but is now being recognised as one of the great operas of the 20th century. Lasting only an hour, it explores the age-old conundrum of love and power, through a symbolic adaptation of the horror story of Bluebeard and his wives. This version by the Hungarian poet, Béla Balázs, is far more nuanced than the French folk legend told by Charles Perrault in the 17th century, and its tale of a newly wed bride arriving at Bluebeard’s castle to find 7 locked doors before her can mean anything or nothing. Judith’s journey to self-knowledge via the keys of each door is a masterly exposition of a woman’s curiosity and a man’s delusion.
I seriously suggest that, when you go to a performance, you read up on the story before arriving. It will help immeasurably in understanding what Bartók and Balázs intended. The acoustic of Old St Paul’s is spectacular for the music, but unhelpful for the words. I can’t fault the singers for trying, but the text didn’t come through clearly for me.
The singers were terrific. Readers will know that I am a fan of Catherine Backhouse, and in this role she is simply magnificent. Her high and rich mezzo is perfect for Judith (her top C at Door 5 is breathtaking), and she acted with a gentle simplicity which tugged at the heart, even as her curiosity was taking her to her doom.
As Bluebeard, the young Scottish bass, James Corrigan, demonstrated a fine voice, an understanding of the role and a calm presence throughout, hinting at Bluebeard’s demons but ever hopeful of finding redemption with Judith. It is hugely encouraging to find exceptional talent like this in Scotland, and such a pity that our national professional companies so often ignore it!
Hero’s laurels go to Lliam Paterson, who played the extremely difficult score on the piano with precision and aplomb, and bravo to the singers who sang without a conductor.
Please go to this fantastic production. It’s on at 4pm on 2, 9, 10, 15, 17, 23 and 24 August, and at 9pm on 7, 14, 21 August at Venue 267 in the Fringe, Old St Paul’s Church, accessible from Jeffrey Street. It lasts an hour.
