Review: Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice (Opera Atelier)

Kicking off Opera Atelier’s 2023/2024 season is a fantastic remount of the French 1774 version of Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice, staged at the lavish Elgin Theatre. This production is a dramatic love story, embellished with gorgeous scenery, beautiful costuming, a full corp de ballet and top-tier performances from Opera Atelier.

Orpheus and Eurydice is an opera composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck, first performed in 1762. The opera is based on the mythological story of Orpheus (in this performance played by Canadian tenor Colin Ainsworth), a musician so skilled that even animals and nature would listen to him, and his love, Eurydice (played by Soprano Mireille Asselin). The tale revolves around Eurydice's untimely death and Orpheus's journey to the Underworld to bring her back to life with the help of the god of love, Amour (played by Soprano Anna-Julia David).

The opera begins at Eurydice's tomb where Orpheus is consumed by grief, lamenting her death. The god of love, Amour, appears and offers him a chance to reclaim Eurydice from the Underworld, on the condition that he must not look into her eyes until they are safely back on Earth. The corps de ballet, choreographed by Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg, grace the stage with their elegant port de bras and dynamic partner work, seamlessly blending technical precision with geometric patterns, resonating with the choreographic traditions of the era.

In Act II, the dance sections shift to being an integral part of this opera’s storytelling. Jeannette notes in the program that Gluck’s ideals for the choreography, (originally choreographed by the Paris Opera’s Gardel and Vestris), were to not just be virtuosic but to further the plot line—and they do just that. First in their role as the 'furies' guarding the gates of Hades. The dancers not only keep their virtuosic abilities, but also add in further texture and emotion to the battle. My favorite being a contorted pigeon pose-like crawl in the Hades sequence which gave them an otherworldly aura. Hades' vivid, fiery unitard is also a visual treat.

Also in the second act, is a performance of "Dance of the Blessed Spirits". Performed by the corps de ballet, encapsulating the serenity of this final resting place for virtuous souls, this scene is a famous piece that often stands alone in concert programs and is sometimes incorporated into dance performances. Here, the corps de ballet, adorned in beautiful white dresses, seem to float across the stage, entrancing us under their celestial spell. In the context of the opera, this dance serves as a transitional moment, a musical interlude that allows for emotional and narrative breathing space. Their bourrees evoke the early days of ballet, as if the dancers are floating across the stage, further entrancing us.

Post-intermission, Act III begins with an intimate, emotionally charged scene between Orpheus and Eurydice set against a starlit backdrop. The tension of withheld glances makes for a campy dramatic and emotionally charged scene showcasing their love and pain—definitely my favorite non-dance part of the performance.

I, of course, have been more focused on the movement, dancing and staging as part of the opera, yet must say the music and operatic singing was absolutely gorgeous. All three leads were incredible performers. Joining the music of the Tafelmusik and Chamber Choir, was Toronto's Nathaniel Dett Chorale – Canada's first professional choral group dedicated to Afrocentric music of all styles, as well as harpist Julia Seager-Scott.

Yet, really, the production shines brightest in its finale. An incredibly joyful ending in which we rejoice in knowing that love conquers all, or as they put it in translated lyrics, "love's sweet chains are preferred to freedom."

Bravo Opera Atelier, what a fantastic season opening performance.

Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice, presented by the Opera Atelier is playing at the Elgin Theatre (189 Yonge St, Toronto ON) until November 1st, 2023. Tickets range from $49 – $205, with a new discount for students of only $25 tickets. Tickets can be purchased online here.

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Photo one: Colin Ainsworth as Orpheus, Mireille Asselin as Eurydice, with Artists of Atelier Ballet. Photo by Bruce Zinger.

Photo two: Mireille Asselin as Eurydice, Artist of Atelier Ballet Xi Yi. Photo by Bruce Zinger.

Written by Deanne Kearney
DeanneKearney.com @deannekearney