by Steven Ang

Gluck’s most well-known opera Orfeo ed Euridice is widely acknowledged as the birth of ‘modern’ opera, revising the then contemporary form of opera seria which consisted of mainly show-off bravura arias and just enough recitative to get the story along and replacing it instead with music that pays special attention to the words so as to bring out heightened emotional aspects of the storytelling. After its 1762 debut in Vienna which was presented with Calzibigi’s Italian libretto, Gluck brought the work to Paris in 1774 with a French translation, making many changes along the way as well.

Historical context aside, Orfeo can be appreciated solely on its musical and dramatic merits - an intimate music-theatre chamber work scored for orchestra, chorus and only three soloists, two of whom only appear briefly. This piece has also been a showcase for many lyric mezzo-sopranos, countertenors and lyric tenors, as the performer playing Orfeo is on stage singing for most of the opera. Gaetano Gaudagni, an alto castrato who disliked vain displays of virtuosity, premiered the musically lean male title role with acclaim (although it must be pointed out that he was certainly no slouch in displays of virtuosity since his previous credits included the premiere of Handel’s Theodora and the popular alto revision of Messiah’s But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming.)

Naxos’ release of these two period-instrument recordings offer us a glimpse of the journey that the work went through, reflecting changes in its historical and geographical context, such as use of available talents and differences in tastes. This 1998 recording of the debut 1762 Vienna version in Italian by the Sweden-based Drottningholm Theatre under Arnold Östman is an adequate reading, played with period grace that brings out the best qualities in the music. Up tempo movements such as the festive overture could use faster tempi and a more defined sense of rubato, otherwise conductor and orchestra showed a generally good sense of tempi and dynamics, as well as admirable musical scene painting in Che Puro Ciel. The chorus weaves through the many harmonious dialogues with Orfeo skillfully.

As Orfeo, Ann-Christine Biel offered a satisfactory reading. A high mezzo whose roles include Cherubino and Oscar from Un Ballo in Maschera as well as soprano roles such as Fiordilligi and Susanna, her soft, milky timbre is well suited to the role. Parts of her performance showed close attention to the words, portraying the protagonist’s grief in an earthy manner especially in the Act 1 opening scene with the Shepherds. However, she showed difficulty in enunciating Italian consonants, crucially in the opera’s highlight Che faro senza Euridice where she repeatedly recites the word “Senza (Sen-zAH) as “Sen-zEH”. In the less familiar recitative this may be acceptable but in a chestnut as well-known as Che faro it is very detrimental to the listener’s enjoyment. At times, her soft-grained voice has hints of hardness, like chunky bits in a low-fat milkshake. Not that there is any screeching or scratchiness in her singing but one suspects that certain parts may be less than comfortable. Nonetheless, one feels a certain warmth and honesty in her portrayal, her main strength in this recording.

Maya Boog’s performance of Euridice, given only the first part of Act III to make her mark, nonetheless made the most of what little stage time she had and successfully brought out the character's paranoid heartbreak. Her bright soubrette soprano was sufficient for the role’s musical demands. Kerstin Avemo as Amor rounds up the trio with her spright soprano dancing around the role’s mostly recitative music.

In Orfeo’s move across the European continent, Gluck made numerous revisions to the score, among them its French translation, expanding Euridice’s role into the second scene of act II, composing a ballet The Dance of the Furies at the end of Act II scene I, adding high notes at the end of Je perdu mon Euridice and a bravura aria L'espoir renaît dans mon âme at the end of Act I. I personally prefer to hear the work in Italian, as the French translation may fit well in some parts (eg J’ai perdu mon Euridice) but not so ideally in others (eg Euridice’s aria Fortune ennemie aka Che fieri momento in Italian). In transposing the title role to a haute-contre, i.e. a high tenor, I feel that parts of the role are not such a good match musically as well, but this is probably just a matter of taste. (Later revisions by various editors included translating the new French material back into the Italian score, as well as Berlioz’s transposition of the French version for contralto voice.)

Contrary to its name, The Opera Lafayette is in fact a Washington-based ensemble dedicated to performances of Baroque works (note the decidedly English name of its director Ryan Brown). However, rest assured that the three featured soloists are of French origin, keeping in line with the group’s dedication to using authentic instruments. Under the direction of the aforementioned conductor, soloists, chorus and orchestra deliver a decidedly livelier account, though without as much intimacy achieved by its predecessor.

As Orpheé, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt shapes exquisite phrases with his refined, taffy candy high-tenor voice with occasional use of well-blended falsetto, although one wonders if he is emoting his lines as well. His lyrical tenor, high notes and agility are his unique selling points, with liberal interpolations and rapid coloratura lending much excitement to an otherwise serene score. This is in direct contrast with Biel’s earthy interpretation and Gluck’s point of rejecting all artifice in his reform opera, yet somehow it works as a whole. Perhaps Gluck was trying to find a middle ground when he added the bravura aria, pleasing the crowd while maintaining his artistic goals.

Catherine Dubose as Euridice provided a good counterfoil to Fouchécourt’s performance, surer of voice than Boog’s and handling the additional parts with grace. Suzie Le Blanc as Amour wasted not a minute in her bit part to bring out the best in her comic character.

I would recommend buying both sets for those curious to observe the historical progression of a well-known opera. Libretto and synopsis are provided in both CDs at budget price, making both recordings a worth-while deal. The French version is preferable as it contains more complete music, although a downside is that the CDs are not individually tracked, meaning that one has to fast-forward through a lot of music to get to the part he wishes to hear (CD 1 contains only six tracks for Act I to Act II part 1, while CD 2 contains four tracks from Act II Part 2 to Act III, compared to the 41 tracks in the Drottningholm Theatre’s single CD). The Drottningholm recording is a warm and intimate reading, its short length makes for a more concise story with surer dramatic impact. Though the performance is not perfect, it is nonetheless a satisfying musical package for your collection.

 

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