Monteverdi’s famous opera Orfeo is one of the earliest operas to still be performed today. It has persisted for centuries and been performed countless times, but one particular performance of Orfeo in 2015 stands out as one of the most unique renditions of the timeless opera. Opening January 13, 2015, almost 408 years after the initial premiere in Mantua Italy, the Covent Garden production of Orfeo turned heads in the theater world. It was performed at the Roundhouse Theatre in London, a venue that Lady Gaga once performed at. It was a self proclaimed “experimental production” that casted young actors and dancers to add a new flavor to the opera. The production even incorporated aerial theater.
Most notably however, this production is especially unique because of its ulterior motive to engage young people in the arts. Director Michael Boyd speaks in an interview stating that he fears the withdrawal of arts education from schools will result in the arts only being accessible to the independently wealthy. This performance of Orfeo was his first foray into the world of opera, and he set out to not only put on a performance of Orfeo, but to expose the youth to the arts and bring awareness to the substandard arts education that many children receive. The production itself embodied the spirit of accessibility, being performed on a 360 degree round stage and translated into English.
The production had mixed reviews as well, with The Guardian praising it for its “simple and superbly effective touches, with a strong cast of soloists and vivid playing” while The New York Times felt it fell short, claiming “you can only go so far with inexperienced performers and community ideals”. The production allows for an interesting dialogue about the future of opera. Some may enjoy new interpretations and argue that adaptation and change is an essential part of performing old works. Others may disagree and argue that it is the duty of the performer to uphold the composer’s vision, but is there any way to truly know what Monteverdi’s vision for Orfeo was? In the original performance, Eurydice was played by a castrato, but the score never specifies that the role must be played by a castrato. It only indicates vocal range. Did Monteverdi write Orfeo with the intention of future interpretation? Where is the line between interpretation and desecration of the original work? Was the negative feedback for the 2015 production due to a lackluster performance, or due to an unwillingness to entertain new interpretations of the opera? Would Monteverdi have liked that performance? Does it even matter? There is no way to be certain. And there is no way to know what the right path for opera is. Was this performance the start of a movement to modernize opera and make the arts more accessible for all, or was it a simple footnote in the history of Orfeo? Only time will tell.
