A Scottish Adaptation of Pergolesi's "From Maid to Mistress"

By Madina Burkhanova

Photo courtesy of the St Andrews Chamber Opera Group.

Although I frequently haunt the second-floor practice rooms of the Laidlaw Music Centre, I reluctantly admit that before last Thursday, I had never entered the famous McPherson recital room. For those not familiar with the music centre, the McPherson recital room is an architectural marvel of acoustics and staging, often used for instrumental and vocal performances. Room is actually an understatement. The ceiling extends past multiple stories, the floor levels are adjustable, and it is technically a reverberation chamber. Sometimes when I peek in post-practice the grand pianos are being tuned; other times, there are evening choir sessions. It is a delightfully organic space. My first visit came with the opportunity to attend the opening night of the St Andrews Chamber Opera Group’s rendition of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s From Maid to Mistress - my first ever experience with the opera! From Maid to Mistress is apparently representative of a shift into a more ‘farcical’ movement of Italian opera. Translated by the Chamber Opera Group into English and set in a modern Scottish era, this show was commandeered by three main characters. I found it both innovative and highly entertaining. The story follows the unconventional romance between Uberto (Ben Buckner) and Serpina (Hanna Ward), the latter being the maid and eventual mistress of the former. Alongside is Vespone (James Ross), the comic relief and occasional ally to the other characters.

The main event was preceded by a vocal showcase that featured solos and duets from members of the group. This was a lovely way to be eased into the opera experience as a novice. The performances were brief but powerful, and although I’m not well-acquainted with the right terminology, I could appreciate the diversity of vocal range (and languages!) on show. Furthermore, it was during this showcase that I began to understand the multifaceted demands of opera singers. There was a great deal of acting that went into the performances, all of it very convincing. Having intentionally gone into this show without knowing too much, I was pleasantly shocked when the male lead in the first duet broke out in raucous laughter. The theme of the showcase was anticipation, which the performances exemplified, but it was the intermittent light-heartedness that I thought to be an apt precedent for the ‘farcical’ element of From Maid to Mistress.

I believe I’ve distinguished my two favourite facets of this performance of From Maid to Mistress, having reflected on it for a couple of days. Firstly, the attention to detail: body language and physical actions were as carefully composed as the singing. Although Vespone was silent, he was an extremely vibrant character. While Uberto and Serpina argued, he’d be in the corner taking swigs out of a flask. Especially considering this was an opera, I loved seeing how loud a voiceless performance could be. Serpina and Uberto were marvels as well; even I know that to sing for an hour straight is no easy feat, especially when you’re tasked with filling a room like the McPherson recital room. The second of my favourite things was the characters’ interactivity. I will admit that my impression of the opera was that it was a high-brow type of art form that maintained a degree of detachment between audience and performer - and maybe that is still true in some contexts. However, Uberto, Serpina, and Vespone paced the wings of the room and even sang directly at some audience members. It underscored the modern twist that the Chamber Group had worked into the classic opera. The choice to modernise the play with contemporary sets and traditional Scottish clothing was another way to connect the performers and spectators. 

The title of the opera somewhat gives away the fact that Serpina ultimately does become Uberto’s mistress, or wife. I still very much enjoyed seeing the events that led up to that pinnacle, and I especially enjoyed seeing how Vespone became a critical member of Serpina’s plot to transcend the role of maid. As a whole, the performance was without any hiccups, and I include the vocal showcase in this conclusion. The instrumental accompaniment from the orchestra was a triumph, too. It did not overpower the singing but was equally impressive. 

It was only when I gave the programme a proper read-through after the show that I began to understand how much of a collective effort went into this seamlessness. In her note, the director Valentine Salinger tells of how the group hunted down an English translation of the original opera, La Serva Padrona. Written by PhD candidate David Stockton in 1999, all the way in Miami, they thought this translation to be the only one that did the original justice. They obtained permission from the professor to use his work, but I was particularly struck by Valentine’s mention of their supporting the more widespread availability of Stockton’s translation. 

The show programme also brought to light the number of people involved in this production. I will reiterate that I’m not well-versed in opera - that being said, I somewhat expected some hitches on the opening night of a show. If there were any, they were certainly invisible to me. The show felt intimate, it was entertaining, and most importantly I was put in touch with a wonderful St Andrews initiative that was previously foreign to me. From Maid to Mistress was a resounding success. While I’m convinced to pay closer attention to the McPherson recital room, I am also now a definite follower of the St Andrews Chamber Opera Group.