Orfeo, crossing the Ganges Operas and Akadêmia in India

Anaclase (03/10/16)

Orfeo par-delà le Gange, Arsenal, Metz

“Designed by Françoise Lasserre, the founder of the thirty-year-old Akadêmia ensemble, Orfeo, Crossing the Ganges (2013) is based on the work by the man from Cremona (1567-1643), Orfeo (1607), performed by thirteen highly experienced artists on ancient instruments (viola de gamba, theorbes, cornettos, harpsichord, lirone, etc.). Not entirely, however, as several moments are missing (most obviously the opening fanfare and the Apollonian finale) replaced by music from the Republic of India. Looking down on the orchestra pit, stage right, seven virtuosos make their strings (sarangi, tampura), skins (tabla, pakhawaj), and reeds (shehnai) ring out, while Arushi Mudgal an Odissi dancer, dressed in red, with bells around her ankles, provides powerful and elegant interludes in a classical dance style from East India. (…)

Dávid Szigetvári plays the leading role with body, depth and nuance. In addition to playing one of the shepherds alongside the faithful Johannes Weiss and Jan Van Elsacker, Jean-Christophe Clair (Speranza) is a delight with his brave, rounded and agile voice as is Hugo Oliveira (Caronte) with his unwavering expressiveness. Jean-Claude Saragosse (Plutone) sings a steady bass in response to Harmonie Deschamps’ (Proserpina) youthful agility. Lastly, we should once more congratulate Dagmar Saskova (Musica, Messaggiera), a mezzo with unlimited qualities: breadth, ease, purity, as well as tenderness and expressivity in the Merula lullaby (1595-1665), that brings the two orchestras together in a magnificent ending to the evening.”

Laurent Berganch (Anaclase, 03/10/16)

Libération (03/10/13)

Orfeo Crossing the Ganges, Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi

Created in Delhi with Indian and European artists, ‘Orfeo beyond the Ganges’ transforms Monteverdi’s work into an enchanting performance, a tapestry of Western and Indian mythology and music (…)
With a cast of fifty artists, half of them Indian, this is an ambitious production, given the vast differences between these cultures (…)
As the show begins, we are transported to another realm: Monteverdi’s introductory toccata has been replaced with a solo danced by Arushi Mudgal, accompanied by the Indian musicians seated cross legged, to the left of the stage. A star of Odissi dance (…)
Françoise Lasserre chose to add a berceuse by Tarquine Merula, by way of an epilogue; it is sung by the soprano Dagmar Saskova, who interprets the Ninfa (Nymph). This is the only moment when the Western and Indian instrumentalists play together in this production that successfully avoids the pitfalls of fusion music…. Paradoxically, this Orfeo, which plays upon subtle overlaps to articulate these heterogeneous traditions, leaves us with a far greater sense of a meeting between two cultures than other famous and questionable attempts with Bach or Mozart’s music.
With his angelic features, the timbre of his clear voice and his dramatic intelligence, the Hungarian tenor, David Szigetvari is one of the most moving Orfeo’s seen or heard over the last twenty years….

Télérama (02 au 08/10/13)

Orfeo par-delà le Gange, Cité de la Musique, Paris

“L’ensemble Akadêmia partage la scène avec des instrumentistes et des danseurs indiens.
Fidèle à l’opéra et au livret d’Alessandro Striggio, Orphée, poète et musicien au pouvoir chamanique, déambule et s’éprend d’Eurydice. Une différence cependant, celle-ci s’est muée en danseuse sacrée du temple de Shiva ! Enlevée par son amant, elle provoque inévitablement la colère du dieu. Du mythe grec à l’actualité de la spiritualité indienne, on chante donc l’amour et la mort. Musiques baroque et hindoustanie se répondent, harmonie occidentale naissante d’un côté et transe du raga de l’autre. Soyez curieux et prenez votre ticket pour Bénarès sans plus tarder, ce voyage ne devrait pas vous laisser indifférent.”

JC (Télérama, 02 au 08/10/13)