United Kingdom Gluck, Orfeo ed Euridice: Chorus and Orchestra of Opera North / Antony Hermus (conductor). The Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays. 18.11.2022. (MC)
Production:
Director – Sophie Gilpin
Cast:
Orfeo – Alice Coote
Euridice – Fflur Wyn
Amore – Daisy Brown
Shepherds, Nymphs, Furies, Spirits and many others. – Chorus of Opera North
This Opera North live performance efficiency of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice makes use of the legend of Orfeo or Orpheus. Unusually engaging and evocative, that is undoubtedly one of many best tragic love tales of all Greek mythology. This well-known fable was the topic of one of many first ever operas and has proved enduringly in style with quite a few musical theatre composers.
Opera North is a agency advocate for the Orfeo legend which it has used a number of occasions. This efficiency of Orfeo ed Euridice is a part of a wider celebration in partnership with South Asian Arts staging a ‘re-imagining’ of Monteverdi’s Orpheus (1607) which mixes baroque opera and Indian classical music written by Jasdeep Singh Degun.
Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice utilizing libretto by Ranieri Calzabigi based mostly on the Orfeo legend, with the castrato Guadagni within the function of Orfeo, was premiered in 1762 at Vienna within the presence of Empress Maria Theresa. There are a number of variations of Gluck’s masterpiece and for this manufacturing Opera North selected to make use of the unique Italian model.
Orfeo a poet, musician and singer marries the gorgeous nymph Euridice who’s bitten by a venomous snake and dies. Racked with grief and indignant on the gods, Orfeo journeys into the underworld to rejoin his deceased spouse. Orfeo’s enchantment is granted by the god Jupiter, however with strings connected, as they go away collectively, he isn’t allowed to take a look at her till she is again residing on earth.
Although Orfeo ed Euridice is described by Opera North as a ‘concert performance’ that is actually a semi-staging, and a handiest one too. There are placing costumes for the three soloists, some modest stage props and a black backdrop with twinkling stars. Members of the Opera North refrain, all wearing black, have been the shepherds, furies, nymphs, and spirits. Acknowledgement is because of Sophie Gilpin who did a first-class job directing the restricted stage and costume preparations.
Standing out within the demanding trouser function of Orfeo was famend mezzo-soprano Alice Coote. An skilled Orfeo, Coote’s performances for English National Opera again in 1999 have been extremely counseled. Dressed in a kimono jacket over black trousers, Coote’s innate appearing potential combining together with her singing prowess and a wealth of stamina made for a charming portrayal of the heartbroken hero. Striking was Coote’s singing of the arioso ‘Che puro ciel’ the place within the underworld Orfeo is in awe of the purity of the sunshine and alluring panorama. A real spotlight was the affecting and melting magnificence that Coote bestowed to ‘Che farò senza Euridice?’ as Orfeo expresses his profound grief in one of the vital well-known arias in all opera.
Soprano Fflur Wyn sang creditably as Euridice, a job with reasonably restricted alternatives to shine. In the aria ‘Che fiero momento’ Euridice conveys her sorrow at Orfeo’s potential unfaithfulness and Wyn demonstrated her attributes of heat tone and agreeable ranges of sincerity and expression. No stranger to the trouser function of Amore (god of affection) soprano Daisy Brown was praised for singing the function on the Buxton Festival in 2014. Amore has the arias ‘Dalla cetra tua’ suggesting Orfeo goes to the underworld to acquire Euridice’s launch from the gods and ‘Gli sguardi trattieni’ the place Amore persuades Orfeo to rescue Euridice. Making essentially the most of her alternative Brown stood out for her readability of supply, contemporary engaging tone and pure stage presence. Dressed in fitted crimson jacket and black trousers I did get pleasure from Brown’s appearances, sadly all too transient.
Opera North’s trio of soloists particularly Alice Coote have been most spectacular as have been the refrain and pared down orchestra directed by principal visitor conductor Antony Hermus. My solely downside lies with the opera Orfeo ed Euridice (or ‘theatrical action in music’) itself. As with many operas it isn’t alone for its longueurs; there are solely so many occasions that the bereaved Orfeo can discuss with his grief and sorrow earlier than it loses some affect and turns into tedious.
Michael Cookson