The sounds of music by gay composers filled Twin Cities theatres during this past Gay Pride month
Orpheus and Euridice
by Steven LaVigne
On the Purple Circuit, Minneapolis Scene
Gay composer and lyricist Ricky Ian Gordon, whose opera “The Grapes of Wrath”
premiered here last season, excited audiences of Minnesota Dance Theatre and Nautilus
Music Theatre with the premiere of his dance-theatre piece “Orpheus and Euridice.”
Based on the classic myth, the evening was told entirely by Norah Long, serving both as
narrative voice and character, as eight dancers performed the work. The title characters
were costumed in white, but were still members of the ensemble. Choreographer
Cynthia Gutierrez-Garner, who co-directed with Ben Krywosz, brought the material to
vivid life, especially in the second act as Orpheus crossed the river Styx into Hades to
rescue his beloved. Kept simple — it often reminded me of “The Fantasticks” — this
was a beautiful production indeed.
by Steven LaVigne
On the Purple Circuit, Minneapolis Scene
Gay composer and lyricist Ricky Ian Gordon, whose opera “The Grapes of Wrath”
premiered here last season, excited audiences of Minnesota Dance Theatre and Nautilus
Music Theatre with the premiere of his dance-theatre piece “Orpheus and Euridice.”
Based on the classic myth, the evening was told entirely by Norah Long, serving both as
narrative voice and character, as eight dancers performed the work. The title characters
were costumed in white, but were still members of the ensemble. Choreographer
Cynthia Gutierrez-Garner, who co-directed with Ben Krywosz, brought the material to
vivid life, especially in the second act as Orpheus crossed the river Styx into Hades to
rescue his beloved. Kept simple — it often reminded me of “The Fantasticks” — this
was a beautiful production indeed.
