Along with the negatives, some appetising positives have come out of COVID-19 – and not just the sourdough. Chocolate cake – Gâteau au Chocolat, to be precise – was on the menu for Australia’s internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Deborah Humble. During the first lockdown, a colleague had sent her the music of Bon Appétit (1989), a 25-minute comic opera monologue by American composer Lee Hoiby, thinking it would suit her. How right that colleague was.
Humble embraced the opportunity to combine her twin loves, singing and cooking, to prepare for one of the most unlikely roles in the history of opera: American celebrity chef Julia Child. A depiction of an episode of Child’s TV show The French Chef, in which she demonstrates how to make a Gâteau au Chocolat, provided an even more unlikely “plot”. In the resonant acoustic of a kitchen area of the Melba Opera Trust premises, Humble and her partner in the art of Cordon Bleu opera, Sharolyn Kimmorely, showed us why they were probably destined to perform this hilarious operatic treat.
The kitchen set-up was less than ideal as it necessitated Humble being trapped behind the workbench for some time as the audience arrived, rather than making a grand entrance. But if any performer knows how to “vamp till ready” it would have to be this diva as she flourished a wooden spoon dripping with appetising chocolate and generally tweaked her “battle plan”. An array of her own props – attractive 50s era pastel-coloured canisters, tea cosy and other kitchen implements of the period – were in keeping with the original show, which was aired in 1961. A very convincing wig, a blue shirt sporting an “Ecole Des 3 Gourmandes” patch, an apron and Child’s signature string of pearls completed the picture.
Having seen the opera on YouTube, I wondered how Humble would manage without a convenient “sous-chef” like the one helping American mezzo-soprano Joyce Castle in the film. No worries. Ever resourceful and approaching the role with all the zest and optimistic abandonment of Child herself, Humble never missed a beat – even more impressive when you consider that Julia Child never had to sing a tricky score while cooking. You could relax, knowing you were in safe hands and just enjoy the ride from the first hearty “Bonjour, and welcome!” to the final “I’m Julia Child. Bon Appétit!”, no matter what happened. The “battle plan” worked a treat and broad smiles could be seen throughout what was a witty combination of text and music.
Humble’s extensive experience as an opera singer of outstanding vocal and dramatic power enabled her to colour her voice in such a way that Child’s ebullient eccentricity was convincingly portrayed. The immensely popular chef that brought haute cuisine into American homes also broke the mould when it came to unapologetic “shortcomings”, her mantra being “learn from your mistakes”. Whether licking the spoon with relish, over-the-top enthusiasm or the occasional not-quite-right outcome, it was endearingly all part of the fun, and Humble captured those dimensions of Child’s personality astonishingly well.
Musically speaking, there were no discernible not-quite-rights at all. Humble has a truly lovely, rich, technically assured voice, and Kimmorley is an accompanist of legendary skill and musicianship who knows how to make a Roland electric keyboard sound a great deal more than adequate. Since their first performance at the Newcastle Food Festival in 2021, they have performed Bon Appétit several times, but you had the feeling that even first time round the opera would have run as smoothly as the eggwhite-whipping Mixmaster, such was the seamlessness of their collaboration. In terms of pitch and tempi, which follow speech patterns and the action, the music presents its challenges, but the result equalled the finest Gâteau au Chocolat baked to perfection.
We did see a rather lopsided finished product with a base that had been prepared earlier in readiness for the final chocolate mixture applications. Someone might have had a taste later (minus the repulsive-looking aerosol cream), but we all enjoyed an excellent glass of wine, courtesy of Brycefield Estate.
Hopefully, this little gem of a comic opera will receive many outings in future – perhaps even in your own home with an open “kitchen” area full of family and friends. From the moment the clapboard announces “Action!” and “Julia” welcomes people into her domain, you can be assured of a Three Hat experience.
Photo credit: David Ng
__________________________________________________________
Heather Leviston attended the performance of “Bon Appétit!” presented at the Southbank premises of Melba Opera Trust on February 23, 2006.
