English National Opera’s Orpheus series begins with a well-sung, but poorly judged, production of Gluck’s opera and it’ll be all downhill from here
Orpheus And Eurydice
London Coliseum Until November 19
This Orpheus And Eurydice is the first of four Orpheus-themed operas running at the Coliseum this autumn, in which English National Opera is taking formidable artistic and financial risks.
Compared to the rest of the programme, this opener, Gluck’s 1762 opera, is a pussycat, and presented pretty well, despite the usual ENO misjudgments.
For instance, why, in an era of authenticity, is Berlioz’s mid-19th century reconstruction used? And why employ a choreographer, albeit a distinguished one, Wayne McGregor, to direct an opera?
ENO’s Orpheus season kicks off with a production of Gluck’s 1762 opera with a strong singing cast consisting of Sarah Tynan, Soraya Mafi and Alice Coote (above with Mafi)
It’s true that Orpheus has a lot of dancing, but the music should be more than a backdrop to a ballet, especially one that is presented here in a random and unfocused way.
The singers – a good trio of Alice Coote, Sarah Tynan and Soraya Mafi – drift around between the dancers, trying to stop the plot being submerged. But only in the final section, with the dancers dismissed, do the singers dominate in the way they should.
Musically, things are pretty secure under Harry Bicket’s experienced direction. But the chorus, vital in this work, often sound muffled, hidden offstage.
I suspect, despite reservations, that this opera will be more recommendable than the other three to come over the coming months.
Offenbach’s Orpheus In The Underworld has been assigned to the controversial Emma Rice, whose tenure at Shakespeare’s Globe was cut short. She has, apparently, rewritten it. Buyer beware.
Harrison Birtwistle’s Mask Of Orpheus is a serious commercial risk for a cash- strapped company. Birtwistle can empty a theatre more effectively than bubonic plague. When last I looked there were 7,000 unsold seats!
Finally, Philip Glass’s Orphée is a squib that has never been either popular or successful. But ENO has a knack with Glass, so fingers crossed.