L'Orfeo
In the 2019-2020 season OPERA2DAY teamed up with the Nederlandse Reisopera and Studio Drift to produce Claudio Monteverdi's l’Orfeo. Hernán Schvartzman, OPERA2DAY's musical leader, conducted the performance and, together with Mike Fentross, he assembled the orchestra of La Sfera Armoniosa. The musicians used period instruments. Monique Wagemakers was responsible for the direction of this opera about Orpheus, who descends into the underworld to bring his beloved Euridice back to the living world. The motif is familiar to OPERA2DAY; fseveral years ago we used the story of Orpheus and Euridice for our opera La troupe d’Orphée. Design and installation are by Lonneke Gordijn (Studio Drift) and the choreography is by Nanine Linning.
The opera is about human mortality and the eternal life of art. The work opens with a prologue in which La Musica lauds the exceptional power of her form of art. Monteverdi emphasises this with the appearance of Apollo in the final act. The opera shows that music is the pre-eminent art form to touch our hearts and is capable of giving mortals like us joy or comfort in times of distress.
Press quotes: "Stunning in every aspect"
l'Orfeo received rave reviews. In our quotes, we mainly cite those about the musical contribution, the role of musical director Hernán Schvartzman (OPERA2DAY) and La Sfera Armoniosa, the baroque ensemble he assembled.
The gist of the reviews was nicely described by Theaterkrant: 'In the direction of Monique Wagemakers, Monteverdi's opera from 1607 became a 'total work of art' [...] It is as if the orchestra in the pit and the dancing canvas Ego high above the stage are one breathing organism, just splendid.' NRC newspaper: 'Conductor Hernán Schvartzman leads La Sfera Armoniosa with a sense of subtlety. […] In this way the musical approach connects with the theatrical approach.' Volkskrant newspaper wrote: 'The velvety sound of La Sfera Armoniosa conducted by Hernán Schvartzman coloured the entire opera beautifully.' Newspaper Trouw: 'The singers are great, as are the dancers and the musicians. In the pit, the 40 musicians of La Sfera Armoniosa led by Hernán Schvartzman provide the ultimate accompaniment.' Opus Klassiek wrote: 'this opera is a perfect collaboration of all involved.' And the Cultuurpers statet that 'this magnificent performance deserves to go on an international tour'.
The international platform Bachtrack was lyrical: ‘The instrumentalists of La Sfera Armoniosa added magic from the pit, displaying a wide array of colours. […] Period strings emitted a warm glow, clarions and cornetts snorted audaciously, theorbos throbbed under the precise baton of Hernán Schvartzman.' As was Arts Talk Magazine: 'The orchestra pit was a veritable cabinet de curiosités full of magic and wondrous instruments including antique brass trumpets and trombones, four ancient keyboards including organs, violas da gamba and three citterns which hovered like hungry cranes (the bird) waiting to swoop onto the choice notes as they swam past.'
ARTISTIC TEAM
Musical direction Hernán Schvartzman (OPERA2DAY)
Concept Monique Wagemakers, Lonneke Gordijn (Studio DRIFT) and Nanine Linning
Stage direction Monique Wagemakers
Scenography and installation Lonneke Gorijn (Studio DRIFT)
Choreography Nanine Linning
Costume design Marlou Breuls
Lighting design Thomas Hase
CAST
La Musica/Silvia Luciana Mancini
Orfeo Samuel Boden
Euridice/Speranza/Eco Kristen Witmer
Pastore/Spirito Nils Wanderer
Pastore/Spirito Kevin Skelton
Spirito Damien Pass
Caronte/Spirito Alex Rosen
Plutone/Pastore/Spirito Yannis François
Proserpina Luciana Mancini
Apollo/Pastore/Spirito Laurence Kilsby
La Ninfa Lucía Martín-Cartón
Orchestra La Sfera Armoniosa
Dancers Demi-Carlin Aarts, Mirko de Campi, Luca Cappai, Kimmie Cumming, Milan van Ettekoven, Anna Suleyman Harms, Boglarka Heim, Sergio Indiveri, Hang-Ceng Lee, Kyle Patrick (Dance Company Nanine Linning)
Thursday 20 Feb 2020 - 20:15 HOUR
Stadstheater Arnhem, Arnhem
Addres: Velperbinnensingel 10
City: 6811 BP Arnhem
Phone: 026 - 443 73 43
Saturday 15 Feb 2020 - 20:00 HOUR
Theater De Spiegel, Zwolle
Addres: Spinhuisplein 14
City: 8011 ZZ Zwolle
Phone: 0900-1435
Thursday 13 Feb 2020 - 20:15 HOUR
Theater Rotterdam (Schouwburg), Rotterdam
Addres: Schouwburgplein 25
City: 3012 CL Rotterdam
Phone: 010 - 40 44 111
Tuesday 11 Feb 2020 - 20:00 HOUR
Koninklijk Theater Carré, Amsterdam
Addres: Amstel 115-125
City: 1018 EM Amsterdam
Phone: 0900 - 25 25 255 (€ 0,45 p/m)
Sunday 09 Feb 2020 - 20:00 HOUR
Koninklijk Theater Carré, Amsterdam
Addres: Amstel 115-125
City: 1018 EM Amsterdam
Phone: 0900 - 25 25 255 (€ 0,45 p/m)
Friday 07 Feb 2020 - 20:00 HOUR
Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, Utrecht
Addres: Lucasbolwerk 24
City: 3512 EJ Utrecht
Phone: 030-23 02 023
Friday 31 Jan 2020 - 20:15 HOUR
Stadsschouwburg De Harmonie, Leeuwarden
Addres: Ruiterskwartier 4
City: 8911 BP Leeuwarden
DURATION
2 hours and 20 minutes, with an intermission
SUBTITLING
Sung in Italian with subtitles in Dutch and English
COPRODUCTION
De Nederlandse Reisopera with OPERA2DAY and Studio DRIFT
PREMIÈRE
25 January 2020 in Enschede, the Netherlands