Oregon Music News

One of the principles we founded OMN on was that everybody likes more than one kind of music. It is also true that everybody hates more than one kind of music. I do. But I’m not going to tell you what I hate because I want to appear fair here.

Ask me if you run into me. I might tell you.

My attitude about that is reflected in the fact that, though you may miss it, and though they are fun to read (unless they’re about you), you won’t find mean and/or snarky reviews at OMN.

I was thinking about that at the Portland Opera’s production of Philip Glass’ Orphee at the Keller this weekend. I know perfectly fine humans who hate Philip Glass beyond anything else in the world. I am not one of them, but some of them are friends.

I realize that Dorothy Parker, et al, gained their fame being mean but that’s why god invented blogs. I also realize that entire books like The Lexicon of Music Invective by Nicholas Slominsky have collected mean reviews from the 17th century on. For instance a review of Straus’ Till Eulenspiegel from 1800 said:

The tone-picture, with all its abnormal and hideously grotesque proportions, is that of a heavy, dull and witless Teuton. The orchestration of the work is sound and fury, signifying nothing, and the instruments are made to indulge in a shrieking, piercing, noisy breakdown most of the time

Straus.

See, that’s mean and it’s also wrong, but that’s how the writer heard it that night.

I’ve been guilty of the same thing, although not for many years. When I was young and much more obnoxious than I am now, also much more full of myself, I had a job with Maryland Public Broadcasting as a jazz and pop music critic on a show called The Critic’s Place.

I disliked Carly Simon’s work so much that I said (on television) that she deserved to marry a junkie like James Taylor. Shortly after that, I chucked the whole idea of mean reviews as total bullshit. I mean, what the hell do I know anyway? And why should I get in anyone’s way of enjoying themselves?

So for decades I wrote only about stuff I liked, avoiding being put in the “critic’s place.” Even in the past year or so when I got critical assignments from the Oregonian, I reviewed only music I liked. The editor had to tell me to be more critical.

So if it’s mean-spirited snark you’re after, give me a call and I’ll be mean to YOU. Otherwise, for the most part, OMN writers write about stuff they want you to hear. If they want to excercise critical judgement, fine. Just make sure you don’t end up looking stupid in a collection of bad reviews in 2209, friends.

Last Tuesday, I joined several journalists and opera bloggers in a roundtable discussion with Philip Glass at Portland Opera’s headquarters. Bob Hicks (Art Scatter), Marty Hughley (The Oregonian), Brett Campbell (Willamette Week), Stephen Llewellyn (Operaman), Bob Kingston (dramma per musica) and I got to pepper Glass for 30 minutes with a variety of questions. We found Glass to be witty, self-deprecating, and a fascinating fellow. What follows is almost the entire roundtable discussion. I jumped in right away to ask Glass the first question. (more…)

Photo credit: Portland Opera/Cory Weaver

It has been a pretty heady week for Portland Opera. The company took a gamble in producing Philip Glass’s Orphée on Friday evening (November 6) at Keller Auditorium and emerged a winner. This rarely heard opera retells the Orpheus legend according to the vision of Jean Cocteau, and it held a near-capacity audience spellbound.

On top of all the commotion that surrounded this production, Philip Glass stopped in town to take a look at how the rehearsals for his Orphée were going and quickly decided that the opera should be recorded by Orange Mountain Music for a CD that will be released to the public in the spring of next year. This recording will be the first ever for Portland Opera, and it will also be the first for this opera.

The orchestral music is harmonic with some dissonance used to accent conflict and to give a sense of no real resolution at the end of the story. Certain patterns of sound and rhythm subtly add to the context of the story. The principals sang no memorable arias, but what they sang was more like a recitative. Because of the repetitive patterns of music in the orchestra, the singers could easily get lost, but conductor Anne Manson was always spot on and would flick her left hand to cue the singers at just the right time.

Set in a chic living room that could pass for one of the condos in the Pearl, the story concerns a famous poet Orphée who is no longer popular. People are now enthralled by the poetry of his rival, Cégeste, who is only 18 years old. Cegeste, however, dies and is escorted by The Princess through a mirror to the underworld. Orphée follows but returns to the real world with a radio through which he hears poetic messages meant only for him. The story gets more complicated because Orphée becomes obsessed with the messages from the radio, and this displeases his wife, Eurydice, greatly. In the meantime, she falls in love with Heutebise, the Princess’s chauffeur, and Orphée falls for The Princess. Then Eurydice dies, and Orphée travels to the Underworld to find her.

Although the opera has a serious tone, it also has humor sprinkled here and there. For example, Orphée leafs through a book of poetry, but each page is blank. One of his colleagues explains that this kind of poetry is called Nudism.

All of the acting and singing in this performance was top-notch. Philip Cutlip created a conflicted Orphée who could be passionate one moment and distant and obsessed the next. Lisa Saffer brought to the role of La Princesse a palpable sense of someone who is emotionally constrained by a weird set of rules. Looking cool and haughty, Saffer could smoke a cigarette and still sing gorgeously. Georgia Jarman as the attention-starved Eurydice was superb. Ryan MacPherson cut a sharp, almost double-agent look, as Heurtebise.

Before his character died, Steven Brennfleck’s Cégeste careened about the party scene wildly. Aglaonice, the pregnant and opinionated friend of Eurydice, was conveyed with a sense of urgency by Daryl Freedman. Konstantin Kvach created a decisive but not overbearing judge in the Underworld.

Even lesser roles were finely honed. Jeffrey G. Beruan conveyed a brutally honest Poet. Carl Halvorson’s Reporter quickly revealed his nervous frustration. Marc Acito’s Glazier sang and moved across the stage with a wink in his eye.

Stage Director Sam Helfrich showed all sorts of inventive ways to tell this story through the characters. The Princess in the ordinary world moved in straight lines and turned corners sharply as if she were guided by something else. The doubling of actors created the real and unreal effect of looking at a mirror. I loved the comic timing of Eurydice as she barely avoided the gaze of Orphée after they return from the Underworld. Also intriguing was the zombie-like movement of the characters when they went to the Underworld.

This production by Portland Opera used the scenery and costumes that were originally created for the Glimmerglass Opera production in 2007. The projected English subtitles were written and produced by Kelley Rourke for Glimmerglass Opera. (FYI: Rourke, is also the editor of Opera America magazine.)

One of the intriguing things about Orphée, is that it raises questions about what happens to us when we die, what happens to us when we become obsessed with something, what is art and love all about anyway.

There are two more performances of Orphée (November 12 and 14) and I highly recommend them to you.

Portland Opera today announced that its production of Orphée will be recorded for commercial release. This is the first time that Portland Opera has been involved in such a recording, and it certainly shows the savvy of general director Christopher Mattaliano, who was interested in bringing this Philip Glass opera to Portland after hearing it at Glimmerglas a couple of years ago.

Orange Mountain Music will record all four Portland Opera performances. Michael Riesman, music director and principal keyboardist of the Philip Glass Ensemble, will produce the CD for Orange Mountain Music. The recording is scheduled to be released to the public in the spring of 2010 in a two-disc CD complete with
libretto and production photographs.

Here are the details from the press release:

In an historic first for the company, Portland Opera’s upcoming production of the west coast premiere of Philip Glass’ Orphée will be commercially recorded by Orange Mountain Music.

Portland Opera General Director Christopher Mattaliano noted the historic aspect of this recording as well as its significance in the world of contemporary classical music. “It is an honor,” he said, “to have Portland Opera’s production of Orphée complete the recording collection of Philip Glass’ entire Cocteau Trilogy. Mounting the west coast premiere of Orphée has been a project that has energized the company and our community. This recording puts the exclamation point on that excitement, especially since it will make our work available to a world-wide audience. It is also a source of pride for our staff, board, orchestra, and guest artists to be involved in such a worthwhile project.”

Philip Glass, following his attendance at the Orphée orchestra dress rehearsal, expressed his pleasure about the upcoming recording. “This recording,” he said, “happily completes the Cocteau Trilogy and will admirably reflect my hopes and intentions for this piece. The Portland Opera production features a brilliant cast and an inspired conductor. My great compliments to Christopher Mattaliano who has brought this production together.”

Mr. Mattaliano was also clear in his appreciation for the cooperation from all of the unions involved—the American Federation of Musicians, the American Guild of Musical Artists, and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. “This recording would not have been possible without their welcome and appreciated participation,” he said.

Michael Riesman, music director and principal keyboardist of the Philip Glass Ensemble, will produce the CD for Orange Mountain Music. Mr. Riesman was also the producer for the other two commercial recordings in the Cocteau Trilogy: La Belle et la Bête and Les Enfants Terribles. Orange Mountain Music’s mission is to archive all of Philip Glass’ music so that as many of his compositions as possible are available commercially. The commercial release of the Portland Opera Orphée is currently set for the spring of 2010 in a two-disc CD complete with libretto and production photographs.

Portland Opera’s production of Glass’ Orphée opens Friday, November 6, with additional performances on Nov. 8, 12, and 14. All four performances in the 3,000-seat Keller Auditorium will be recorded live.

“Orphée,” a rarely performed yet much praised opera by American composer Philip Glass will be produced by Portland Opera and open on Friday evening (November 6) at Keller Auditorium. Inspired by the famous 1949 film by Jean Cocteau, “Orphée” retells the Orpheus myth with highly accessible music and a life-enhancing twist in the story line. The opera will be sung in French with English translations projected above the stage.

Here a brief synopsis of the story from the press release:

Orphée, a famous and wealthy poet, is facing a creative crisis and the backlash of critics. He is distracted by a mysterious and alluring Princess (Death) and her chauffeur, Heurtebise. After his wife Eurydice is killed, Orphée is taken to the Underworld. The couple is released on the condition that Orphée not ever look at Eurydice again—they fail, but The Princess of Death sacrifices herself to send the two back to the world of the living.

Glass is considered the leading composer of so-called minimalist opera. Since the 1980s, he has also been one of the most widely performed composers in the world. “Orphée,” however, has only been performed a few times, and that may be part of the reason that Glass himself is coming to Portland to see it.

For audio/video glimpses into this opera, take a look at the Portland Opera web site. There are no recordings of this opera, but the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra has recorded the Interlude from Act II.

Portland Opera’s production of “Orphée” opens on Friday, November 6 at 7:30 pm. Other evening performances are November 12 and 14. The November 8 performance is a matinee at 2 pm.
All performances take place at the Keller Auditorium (222 SW Clay in downtown Portland)

Portland Opera and NW Film Center present this intriguing film about Philip Glass. Glass is widely credited with bringing art music to the masses. This film explores his creative process in opera, concert, and film (Errol Morris, Woody Allen, and Martin Scorsese are among the interviewees), and offers a uniquely intimate view of an inquisitive and deeply spiritual man.

November 1 at 7:00pm
Whitsell Auditorium (1219 SW Park Ave. in downtown Portland)
$8 GA, $7 PAM members, students, seniors, $5 Friends of Film Center

OMN Classical Editor James Bash has been invited to a roundtable discussion with Philip Glass which will be hosted by Portland Opera on November 3rd at 11 am. The location has

Philip Glass

not been determined yet, but he will update as soon as he knows. A few other journalists have also been invited. More soon!

Philip Glass will be in P-town because Portland Opera will present his opera Orphée (November 6 through the 14). People from all over the world will be coming to Portland to hear this work, partly because it has only been performed a few times. There is no recording of the piece, but the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra has recorded one piece from the work, the Interlude from Act II. “I’ve got the recording and it’s really great – sort of light and fluffy like a souffle that percolates,” Bash noted.