For centuries, people have been fascinated by the story of Orpheus and his descent into the Underworld in order to retrieve Eurydice.
Plato was not a big fan. Orpheus, he thought, took the easy route. If Orpheus wanted to be with Eurydice forever, he could have killed himself. He was only showing half-hearted dedication by descending into the Underworld to retrieve his wife while still enjoying an earthly life. Orpheus wanted to eat his cake and have it too.
Ovid, a Roman poet, was responsible for transforming this story into – the romantic tale we know and love today. In Ovid’s version, the gods of Love forbid Orpheus from accepting the death of his beloved and encourage him to travel to the Underworld. Orpheus’ passionate song charms the Furies and the rulers of the Underworld. They cry for his loss and let him take Eurydice into the sun.
The only proviso was the famous interdiction: Orpheus must never look back as he undertakes the treacherous climb to the mortal realm. Despite this warning, overcome by his passion and fear that he might lose his beloved, Orpheus makes the fatal mistake of turning to look at his wife. In doing so, he loses her for eternity.
The story of Orpheus & Eurydice is confusing on many levels. Why would you throw out everything that you have worked so hard for? Offenbach, a composer who is remembered for his humorous comic opera Orpheus in the Underworld and its can-can music, thought the story fundamentally ridiculous.
It is only one of many operas that are based on Greek myth. The most popular is the 18th-century composer Christoph Willibald Gluck.
A study of tragedy
Gluck’s opera, based on Ovid’s version, is currently being performed in Brisbane by Opera Queensland in a radical re-invention. It’s raw, physical, and confronting.
Gluck is known for adding a happy end to Ovid’s story. Orpheus is so distraught by his double loss that the goddess of Love breaks the laws of Hell to reunite him with Eurydice.
This production is not a place for such pure moments of joy. This version focuses on the tragedy that lies behind this tale. This myth is about Love and death or power. This production claims it’s both.
Orpheus and Eurydice may be the name of the opera, but it is not a two-hander. Owen Willetts, a British countertenor who plays Orpheus with passion, vulnerability, and desperation, is the dramatic center of the opera.
The decision to stage the opera in an eerie, stark asylum reinforces the focus on Orpheus in this production. Sometimes, the only thing on stage is Orpheus and his anguish.
Orpheus is portrayed as falling into madness. Circa artistic director Yaron Lifschitz was able to cast the roles of Love and Eurydice cleverly by staging the opera as a psychodrama. The result is a more significant female role, which balances Orpheus. Natalie Christie Peluso sings the twin roles with a high level of assurance.
Orpheus & Eurydice have not been traditionally associated with strong physicality. So, the decision to pair circus performers with opera singers is interesting. Overall, it’s a great partnership. However, the novelty of the circus acts can sometimes distract from the singing.
You can’t lament the death of Eurydice while you applaud that triple somersault that you just saw out of the corner. The athleticism and vibrancy of the circus performers can also make the chorus look bad. The circus troupe’s pirouettes, tumbles, leapfrogs, and other tricks on stage make the hook appear flat-footed.
As the opera continues, the importance of collaboration becomes apparent. Orpheus, Eurydice, and the acrobats clambering up their bodies and stumbling as they take every precarious foot – while balancing on shoulders and heads and reaching out with outstretched hands – evokes powerfully the physical demands that descend into the Underworld.
It is an amazing performance when the chorus, principals, and circus performers come together to perform the dual triumph of death and Love. The concert was deeply moving and completely captivating.
Lifschitz’s production team deserves praise for trying to take the story seriously. They have created a cerebral drama by placing this opera between two opposing poles: Love and death. This allows us to reflect upon what it is to be mortal.