by Guest Reviewer T.E. Klunzinger
MSU Opera Theatre literally kicks off its current season with this show which is often cited as being the first operetta (as opposed to opera) and which features the iconic music which everyone has come to associate with the can-can dance. It’s a lively, colorful and very fun night at Fairchild Theatre.
When it premiered in 1858, “Orpheus” was viewed as bawdy, licentious and disrespectful of authority which of course helped at the box office. For composer Jacques Offenbach, it was his reaction against the ponderous, boring operas about tragic love triangles between gods and goddesses.
In case you don’t know, here Orpheus is a famous violin teacher whose wife Eurydice can’t stand him; she is coveted by a shepherd who is actually Pluto, god of the underworld. He takes her there, Orpheus follows, and many other godly beings from Mount Olympus descend to Hell to join in the fun. (This plot was borrowed for Broadway’s current “Hadestown.”)
This rather randy English translation by Buck Ross preserves the irreverent tone of the original while adding in a goodly number of contemporary political references, and several passages are laugh-out-loud funny. The 40-piece MSU Symphony Orchestra directed by Stephen Mosteller illuminates the classic score with precision.
Director Melanie Helton marshals her 27-member cast (most of them undergraduates) with equal verve and precision which produces engaging performances from all. (It must be noted that as always, there is an “A” cast of principals which performs Wednesday and Saturday, and a “B” cast which performs Friday and Sunday.)
In the “A” cast, Justine Alexander’s soaring soprano make her a very endearing Eurydice, who is really the only lead character as everyone else is mostly supporting. First among those equals is John Henrikson as Pluto, who has at times the biggest voice on the stage, even managing a killer soprano.
Ben Reisinger is a suitably heroic Jupiter and Savannah Hegyi an endearing Cupid. Cole Harvey as Mercury wonderfully channels Squidward from the “Sponge Bob” musical, while the eponymous violinist is endearingly played by Sean Holland whom Riverwalk fans will remember as Seaweed in last season’s “Hairspray.”
The resourceful Ms. Helton also designed the vibrant, glittery costumes and those, combined with the lighting design of Brent Wrobel, give the production great sparkle. And then there’s the bang-up can-can choreography by Grace Reberg.
An esteemed critic once observed, “In an opera, it’s all about the music; in a musical, it’s all about the words.” As an operetta, this is somewhere in between, so you should thoroughly enjoy both.
Three performances left:
Friday, November 22 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 23 at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 24 at 3:00 p.m.
Preview lectures are held 45 minutes prior to each performance.
Reserved Seating Tickets: $22 for adults, $20 for seniors, $7 for students and those under age 18. Add a $1.50 convenience fee for each ticket ordered online or over the phone. Tickets may also be purchased at the door if available. College of Music Box Office: 517-353-5340, mailto:musicboxoffice@music.msu.edu