Rating:★★★.5
A tale of the utmost tragic love, two people divided by life and death, yearn to be reunited again. This opera based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice follows Orpheus who travels down into the underworld to reunite with his lover Eurydice and bring her back to the world of the living. However the gods place a cruel order that whilst retrieving his wife, Orpheus must not look into her eyes until they have left the underworld. Originally written by the composer Gluck, it was performed in English with English surtitles which made it easier to understand for an English audience.
It opened with Orpheus (played by William Morgan) typing at his desk, surrounded by the inner workings of a mundane corporate office. Transporting the audience into this white-walled monochrome set with ensemble characters wearing smart grey suits whilst Orpheus’s mournful voice carries over the stage created this lonely, uncanny feeling. In contrast to the cheerful expressions of the ensemble, Orpheus, grieving his lover in an environment hostile to his pain, slowly becomes disillusioned at the power and cruelty of the gods. In fact the lack of colour in the set and costumes cleverly reflected Orpheus’s depression.
I admired the elements of absurdism and nonsensical movements that the ensemble engaged in during the first act. Their coordinated dances around the office desks, strange gestures and facial expressions created humour at their absurd unusual behaviour. At one stage, the ensemble even mimic Orpheus’s lover by posing on stage in identical wigs and dresses and parading around like a catwalk, all to visually intensify the torment Orpheus endures to rescue Eurydice. Whilst these absurdist moments were very comical during Orpheus’s prolonged solo about his grief, it also felt quite jarring to watch.
The second act opened with the office converted into a modern apartment, and a duet between Orpheus and Eurydice begins. Galina Averina as Eurydice had a beautifully sonorous soprano voice, complimenting Orpheus’s strong tenor in their duet. But despite this being their first time reuniting, the chemistry on stage between them felt slightly lackluster. I also found the lover’s duet rehashed a lot of similar points as they go back and forth arguing why the other won’t listen or prove their undying love. This miscommunication is fuelled by the gods’ order that to rescue Eurydice, Orpheus cannot look into her eyes. Coupled together these aspects made the second act less captivating.
Furthermore, the dramatic tension in Orpheus and Eurydice’s duet felt minimised by their on stage imitation of a modern day couple’s quarrel. Carrying out ordinary actions such as Orpheus downing glasses of wine and Eurydice taking a seat to put trainers on her feet clashed with the distress on Orpheus and Eurydice’s faces and the pain in their voices. This drowned out the visual embodiment of their desperation to reconcile. Whilst beautifully sung, Orpheus and Eurydice’s heated miscommunication instead is overshadowed by the glaringly mundane set and actions.
Overall, this was both a nonsensical and heart wrenching experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the first act and the ensemble left a lasting humorous impression on the night. I admire the production’s creative choices but perhaps needed a clearer visual story for the classical opera to harmonise with.
Image Credits: English Touring Opera
