Cronenberg’s opera remake fails to fly

David Cronenberg's operatic debut, a remake of his 1986 film The Fly (pictured), received a muted reception at its premiere last night at the illustrious Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. With a score written by Oscar-winning composer Howard Shore, an orchestra conducted by the tenor Placido Domingo, La Mouche had seemed destined to win plaudits. But audience members interviewed after the performance by the Guardian were less than impressed.

"Honestly, I'm not as enthusiastic as I'd expected to be," said Marion Millet, a young opera fan. "It was a little static, a little heavy. Some scenes were magnificent - others lacked rhythm." Another, Pascal Aubry, agreed: "I liked the singing, and the direction was strong; but the music was a let-down. It was really lacking - more of a distraction than the music of an opera."

However, those who revelled in the schlock of the movie are unlikely to be disappointed. As in the film, the lead character's long and grotesque metamorphosis from human to fly allows Cronenberg to indulge his love of horror. Says the Guardian: “While David Henry Hwang's libretto spares the audience some of the stomach-churning moments - in particular, when Seth's fingernails start peeling off - there is enough gore for Cronenberg diehards. In particular, the scene in which Veronica shoots dead Seth's repulsive inside-out body."