The Handmaid’s Tale opera review: Sensational

You will probably be familiar with Margaret Atwood’s seminal novel The Handmaid’s Tale. If you are not, this landmark of feminist literature follows the story of Offred, a Handmaiden, a woman forced by the Republic of Gilead to serve a prestigious family as a living, breathing incubator. It is a story that has inspired an award-winning television show, but before it was even a twinkle in Hulu’s eye, composer Poul Ruders turned it into an opera. 

Largely defined by a stretch of light blue clinical curtains, red raincoats, and a giant slab of a mural, the production combines American Christianity and traditional authoritarianism. Dripping with violence, the production is at its strongest during its big choral sections. The quieter moments, particularly the ones involving projected flashbacks, suffer musically, but they are kept together by common threads in the visual language. 

While the score has moments of eerie magic, the opera as a whole tends to feel overly saturated with sound. Relentlessly dissonant, with little variance and a curious libretto, the drama of the music relies all too heavily on the absolute success of its singers. Thankfully, however, they do deliver, as does director Annilese Miskimmon’s dystopian production. 

The most impressive aspect of this production is the central character of Offred. Kate Lindsey reprises her role as the lead, and much like last time, her beguiling mezzo-soprano voice continues to evoke great waves of emotion.  It would be remiss not to mention Nadine Benjamin’s Moira, and Rachel Nicholls’ Aunt Lydia for similarly captivating performances.

The first time The Handmaid’s Tale graced the ENO stage in April 2022, women in America were still entitled to an abortion under the Supreme Court ruling known as Roe v. Wade. As the curtain rises for this production’s first revival, this is no longer the case. Perhaps it is best to see this production as a little reminder that conversations concerning women’s rights are still ongoing, these battles are very much still being had, and they will probably have to be had forever. At times like these, it is also good to remember Margaret Atwood’s advice, ‘don’t let the bastards grind you down’.