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Opera Atelier's engaging Gluck Toronto
Elgin Theatre
04/28/2007 - and 29 April, 2, 4, 5 May 2007
C. W. Gluck: Orphée et Eurydice
Colin Ainsworth (Orphée), Peggy Kriha Dye (Eurydice), Jennie Such (Amor)
David Baile (Producer), Marshall Pynkoski (Director), Jeannette Zingg (Choreographer), Gerard Gauci (Set Designer), (Margaret Lamb (Costume Designer, Kevin Fraser (Lighting Designer)
Andrew Parrott (Conductor), Ivars Taurins (Choir Director)
Toronto’s Opera Atelier really ought to call itself Ballet/Opera Atelier. Its founder/proprietors, Marshall Pynkoski and Jeannette Zingg, operate a dance academy in addition to running a company which mounts two productions a year in Toronto and, when possible, takes a production on tour as well.
The company’s focus is the 17th and 18th centuries, during which many works which contain both song and dance were created. One specialty has been a focus on reviving or restoring dance (and stage deportment in general) from the period prior such 19th century innovations as the point shoe.
For Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice they have chosen the dance-rich Paris version of 1774. In keeping with their view of Gluck as an avant garde composer of the day (as evidenced by his famous reforms on display in this work) they have broken free of period restraint with respect to the dance, with some barefoot numbers for the denizens of Hades, as well as post-1800 footwear and technique. As a result the many numbers have a new fluidity and vigour compared with many of the company’s earlier productions.
A danger with this music is that it can become merely pretty, conducted with a classical detachment or even languidness in more pastoral scenes. Thanks to conductor Andrew Parrott’s energetic, sinewy approach, and the urgency of the choreography, the overall result is gripping. The 37-member orchestra has both nimbleness and a big full sound.
The stage of the Elgin Theatre is small compared with its seating capacity size (1500+ seats). For this reason the stage was given over to the three singers and 15 dancers, with the chorus relegated to the stage boxes. Maestro Parrott is thus compelled occasionally to conduct in two directions at once and things got out of synch - but only fleetingly.
The company hires singers who look like dancers (i.e., they are slender) and are then coached to move - or stand still - like dancers. As a result the movements of singers can meld seamlessly with the dancers, sometimes with great effect as when, after Orphée and Eurydice are reunited they join the dancers in a graceful series of steps during which Orphée is careful not to look at Euridyce. A beautiful moment.
A puzzling lapse occurs when the music for Dance of the Furies is used simply to introduce us to Hades. One would think this would be a prime moment for bravura dance.
Colin Ainsworth expresses all the varied moods demanded of Orphée. The coloratura in Amour, viens rendre à mon âme is more serviceable than stellar, but showy vocalism is hardly the point of this role. His lowest notes don’t project well, but 98% of the voice is most attractively right where it should be. Jennie Such is a sprightly Amor and Peggy Kriha Dye makes the most of the rapturous moments allotted to her character.
Gerard Gauci’s backdrops and Margaret Lamb’s costumes complete the attractive stage picture. This 233-year-old work is new to Toronto and having surtitles in both French and English helped put it across. Its main strength, however, is that as attractive as this production is, it avoids being simply a pleasurable diversion and succeeds in being fully engaging as well.
Michael Johnson
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