Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, 21/07/2022

Gluck : Orphée et Euridice

Chœur Pygmalion

Ensemble Pygmalion

Raphaël Pichon

This was billed as being the 1859 Berlioz version, but in fact, it turned out to be yet another variation on the theme, because conductor Raphaël Pichon made his own editorial choices too.  Notably, instead of Gluck's Overture - admittedly very upbeat given how the opera proper starts - Pichon chose a dark-hued slow movement from the Don Juan ballet music (a reasonable choice, given that the famous Dance of the Furies also originates from that ballet).  More controversially, he ends the opera on a reprise of the opening mourning chorus, rather than the usual final scene beginning with "Arrête, Orphée", followed by the trio, chorus and ballet music.  The programme notes say that Berlioz cut this section, but the only recording I know that specifically claims to be the Berlioz edition (Gardiner, 1989) does nothing of the sort, and I know of no other that excludes the happy end, although the ballet music (which is substantial at this point) is frequently cut.  

This issue aside, there were no other real editorial surprises.  Pygmalion is a period-instrument orchestra, so we had the lowered concert pitch, the softness of gut strings, and a deliciously woozy quality of pitch in the oboes and clarinets.  The chorus also sang (very well) for Norma on Monday, but was at a different level here altogether, richly coloured and absolutely clear in diction.  Pichon's direction is almost balletic to watch, but the quality is undeniably there, with impeccably chosen tempi, and perfect coordination between orchestra and chorus.

Emily D'Angelo brought a rich, viola-like timbre to the role, a strong, brooding presence, and a nice gradation of dynamics, but there were times when I thought her attack was a little weak, when first notes of phrases seemed to be elided.  Because of that, the virtuosity of big showcase aria at the end of Act 1 seemed slightly muted, and without the precise articulation a singer like Cecilia Bartoli could bring to it.  However, on the whole, D'Angelo was a fine Orphée, particularly expressive in "Quel nouveau ciel".

L to R : Léa Desandre, Sabine Devieilhe, Eily D'Angelo
(© author, July 2022)

Sabine Devieilhe was announced as suffering from laryngitis at the start of the concert; she's been in Aix from the beginning of the festival, singing Ilia in Idomeneo, also with Pichon and Pygmalion, and I can well imagine that the long succession of passages between air-conditioned rooms and over-heated exteriors has not been exactly healthy for her voice.  However, she was still willing to sing, and apart from a slight frailty to her tone, which might well have been a deliberate choice, there were no obvious problems with her silvery soprano.  As is fairly habitual, she sang "Cet asile" in addition to Euridice's music, serene and tranquil, while her main scene at the start of the last act was eloquent and touching.  The trio of soloists was completed by the Amour of Léa Desandre, with a fresh, gleaming timbre that made the excision of final scene all the more regrettable, since that is where the remainder of the role lies.  

Although a concert performance, some judiciously chosen lighting effects brought additional atmosphere to the event, and for all its sombre conclusion, this was an Orphée et Euridice to remember.

[Next : 29th July]