Monteverdi - L'Orfeo
by Trisha Brown
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Graciela Oddone, Juanita Lascarro, Martina Dike, Rene Jacobs, Simon KeenlysideDirector: Trisha Brown
DVD: Region Code 0
Audio: English (Unknown); Dutch (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); German (Subtitled); English (Subtitled); Italian (Original Language); Italian (Published)
Format: Classical, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 171 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-01-16
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
Movie Reviews of Monteverdi - L'Orfeo
Movie Review: An All Singing, All Dancing Orfeo!
Summary: 5 Stars
In a word: Wow! This is the much ballyhooed 1998 Trisha Brown "All singing All Dancing" production from Theatre de la Monnaie. Rene Jacobs leads chorus and orchestra in an absolutely dazzling performance capturing the essence of baroque flavor with flourish and sans fussiness. Orfeo's opening fanfare is one of my favorite moments in all of Western music and, like the Parsifal Vorspiel, La Traviata's Prelude and the Overture to Die Meistersinger, seizes and transports me immediately out of my own world and into theirs.
As La Musica sings (from the pit) her double, an aerialist, is seen flying high above the stage executing intricate, gravity defying feats against an immense circle of blue providing the first of many jaw dropping moments in
an evening full of them.
I was slightly disappointed by the costuming which for the ensembles (both chorus and dancers) seemed to be couture-like outsized white, wide lapelled jackets (think David Byrne). Euridice is given a blue, balloon-style gown
while Orfeo's costume can best be described as a mustardy nehruy-pajama like ensemble.
Within minutes the costumes are forgotten and focus is on the intricate and near perpetual movement/choreography, lighting, special effects and beautiful singing. Everyone is unshod, perhaps to minimize stage noise but, in mythological tales I always find bare feet an interesting symbolic choice.
Movement has rarely been better used and integrated in an opera than it is here. One madrigal has the singers each pushing the other out of the way in order to get to the front giving the effect of an endless boiling bubble, or a cell dividing and exploding/evolving into something else, injectingn an element of fun into what is often beautiful but static. The intricacy of movement is prevalent even for the chorus and at times I couldn't tell singers from dancers! How often does THAT happen?
As excellent as everyone was - and as self-effacing as he appears to be here - the evening nonetheless and easily belongs to Simon Keenlyside as Orfeo. His performance can only be called remarkable. Ms. Brown give Orfeo a lot to do and while some of the choreography immediately calls to
mind some of the more stilted Peter Sellars/Robert Wilson type gestures Ms. Brown's characters move "bigger": more Martha Graham with its quickly changing, sometimes violent angular movement and lots of intricate body weaving.
Mr. Keenlyside has several moments that might be less than perfect vocalism, but dear God the man's overall sound is as beautiful as anything I've ever heard and he offers a (seeming) sincerity and identification with the role so thorough and strongly felt as to make it difficult to separate artist from the role. Yes! This is one of THOSE performances." In addition, his attention to Baroque style is most impressive offering wonderful effects through trillo, coloratura of every stripe and even <gasp> straight tone singing.
Keenlyside executes his dance and movement with such natural ease that, at least for a while, it shall be difficult for me to imagine anyone else performing the role any other way. Indeed, at times my jaw would drop as
Orfeo simultaneously leaps high into the air, body twisting, arms in flight and I realize "he's singing, too!" At times Brown has him standing stock still and then - out-of-nowhere - execute a rapid series of movement to create another pose (my lame description might sound like "vogue-ing" but it's not!) At first the effect is jarring and seems almost attention-getting, but once warmed up to her language, Brown's direction (such as having all 3 acts played without pause) truly only serves to enhance the overall experience which is a joyous one, indeed.
So many moments stand out it's difficult to describe. As the shepherds dance the camera shoots from above and we see Orfeo at the center of the swirling mass and he shoots out from the circle leaping for joy. (Several times I was struck at the uncanny facial resemblance between Keenlyside and Nureyev, very similar broad, yet angular faces, lips and noses.)
The sparse set provides the cast with a most wonderful playing area and lighting and the few scenic changes make the effects feel all the more dramatic. At the news of Euridice's death, the sun (which dominates much of the opera from rear of stage) is eclipsed by a darker circle and adds to the mood of despair.
A sensational effect was made by having Orfeo's descent into Hades occur sideways. An immense, dark wall with Paul Gerimon - excellent as Caronte - sitting atop it, slides from stage left, slowly, but ultimately shutting off grief-stricken Orfeo from his world of light. It gave the impression that hell is not "down there" but a perpendicular or parallel world to our own.
Apollo appears to his son, precariously strapped to a smaller circle within the sun, giving the impression of a large, omniscient eye (and causing me not just a little worry for the safety of singer Mauro Utzer). Orfeo's tortured spirit is made manifest as his corpse stretches across the ground, earthbound and out of reach of his father/sun. Even as he accepts Apollo's offer of immortality, Orfeo slowly rises to reach his father. At once the chorus appears followed by the violently dancing Baccantes who, as Orfeo first recoils then falls backwards onto them, claim his now lifeless body. Stunningly powerful. The response from the audience is an overwhelming and extended ovation unlike that for most Baroque opera.
A remarkable performance.
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