In the play-within-a-play sequence the woeful wheezes of an accordion (played by Veli Kujala) are a forlorn musical presence. In addition to those coming from the orchestra – which includes a battery of unorthodox percussion instruments such as sandpaper, aluminum foil, temple bells, newspaper, and a frying pan – an array of otherworldly effects is provided by an eight-member choir located in the pit, other singing groups in the balconies, amplified beeps and chattering noises that periodically pop up in different parts of the house, and two instrumental trios – each composed of a percussionist, clarinetist, and trumpeter – stationed in upper boxes on opposite sides of the proscenium. With musicians positioned throughout the 3,800-seat theater, innovative sounds surround and constantly surprise the listener. And the distinctly dramatic score is weird and wonderful. Jocelyn’s libretto, a lean and lively refashioning of Shakespeare’s text, leaves plenty of room, as composer Dean has said, for the music to be the protagonist.

Set to a highly complex and confident score, sung by a formidable cast, and brilliantly directed, Neil Armfield’s production is nothing less than riveting.

Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center, New York Cityīrett Dean and Matthew Jocelyn’s operatic adaptation of Hamlet, which premiered at the 2017 Glyndebourne Festival, has arrived at the Met, and their daring reconfiguration of Shakespeare’s longest play is elegant and enthralling.

Hamlet met opera review