Mireille Lebel (Orpheus), Peggy Kriha Dye (Eurydice) and Meghan
Lindsay (Amour). Photo by Bruce Zinger.
Reviewed James Karas
Opera Atelier delivers a largely successful and imaginative production
of Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice at the gorgeous Elgin Theatre. Director
Marshall Pynkoski has produced the Hector Berlioz version of the opera having
already staged the earlier two versions of the work.
Orpheus is considered the first “reform” opera. It was premiered in Vienna in
1762 and contains the first hit song in opera, “J’ai perdu mon Eurydice.”
Opera Atelier is in its element with this masterpiece and Pynkoski with
Choreographer Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg and Set Designer Gerard Gauci deliver
an opera and a ballet with some splendid sets.
Most of the singing of the opera falls on the vocal chords of Orpheus
who has a tough job indeed. The role has been sung by voices from castrato to
tenor but for this production Pynkoski has chosen mezzo-soprano Mireille Lebel.
It is not an entirely happy choice. Lebel sings correctly and usually very
prettily. But Orpheus goes through a gamut of emotions from deep grief at the
death of his bride, to singing with such ravishing beauty that he convinces the
Furies to let him go to the underworld, to elation and back to despair.
Lebel does not have a big voice and there were times when she came
perilously close to not being heard. But the real issue is lack of coloration
and emotional depth. We need to feel Orpheus’s anguish and elation. His appeal
to the Furies must be like the Sirens’ song to Odysseus – unbearably alluring.
Unfortunately Lebel’s emotional appeal on all those levels, though good, lacked
the breadth that one hoped to find.
Mireille Lebel (Orpheus) with Artists of Atelier Ballet. Photo by
Bruce Zinger.
Soprano Peggy Kriha Dye sings an outstanding Eurydice. She has a full,
lovely voice, expressive and impressive. When Orpheus and Eurydice sing
together we hear the difference between the two singers quite dramatically.
Soprano Meghan Lindsay sings the relatively smaller role of Amour and
she does a fine job.
Zingg does her usual best in providing ballet dancing throughout and an
extended piece at the end. The opera can be static but Pynkoski and Zingg never
allow it to become so. Pynkoski adopts choreographic
moves for the three characters and Zingg supplements those with the corps de
ballet. The result is a colourful and splendidly paced production.
Gauci provides a colourful set with the scene in Hades being especially
effective. Margaret Lamb’s costumes are colourful and delightful.
The Tafelmusik Chamber Choir and the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra
conducted by David Fallis do superior work.
No comments:
Post a Comment