Originally derived from the Apocryphal story of 'Susannah and the Elders', Floyd's Susannah unfolds the tale of 19 year old Susannah Polk, and the destruction of her innocence in the wake of a disapproving township with the church at the heart of its community.

Set in the Applalchian mountains, Tennessee, folk songs, Applalchian square dances and revival hymns are woven together to musically encapsulate the rhythms and character of the Southern American community. By musically strengthening the elements of the spoken dialect Floyd's opera maintains a strong dramatic core that it intensely human at all times.

After a rather slow uneventful opening dance sequence, in which the chorus looked particularly uninterested the English Touring Opera's production rapidly picked up speed and continued to dramatically develop and intensify. Immensely effective set and lighting heightened the performances, which were generally of a very high standard. In particular Andrew Slater as Olin Blitch - the new preacher in town and Sandra Porter as Mrs McLean. However the evening was Donna Bateman's whose portrayal of Susannah vocally and dramatically continued to strengthen as the opera unfolded. In particular her second act aria, 'the trees on the mountain' was delicately conveyed.

Written over fifty years ago this opera is still immensely relevant to today's society. This production successfully worked both dramatically and musically and by the end of the evening the destruction of Susannah's innocence was mourned by more then just Susannah.

Alison Robertson