Since we have been blogging mythology, a related subject to Orpheus and Eurydice (I leave it to Robert in his new blog, Matters Arising, to develop fully):
John Harbison's Symphony No. 5 premiered with the BSO on April 17 and 18 at Symphony Hall in Boston. Friday night it had its first Tanglewood performance. It's the story of Orpheus and Eurydice in the underworld, a story of loss. The work is set for mezzo-soprano, baritone and orchestra, and uses three poems: Czeslaw Milosz' "Orpheus and Eurydice" (baritone), Louise Glück's "Relic," focusing on Eurydice (mezzo-soprano), and Rainer Maria Rilke's Sonnet to Orpheus II, 13 (b0th). (The Milosz and Glück poems are not available online.)
I enjoyed both the symphony and the performance very much. The BSO was conducted by Leonard Slatkin sitting in for the ailing James Levine, and the soloists were Kate Lindsey, mezzo-soprano and Thomas Meglioranza, baritone. Not only did they sing beautifully – and Mr. Meglioranza's diction was such that one had not to follow the words from the program guide, but they also looked the parts.
Photos to follow . . .
