Double-degrees convene to celebrate Orfeo and Porgy

The original concept for the production of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice being performed this weekend in Peters Hall was to do complete opera scenes. Then, the plan was to scale down to a select few recitatives and arias. And now, the final product has emerged to include songs from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, too. Quite a contrasting repertoire, but its singers - a tight group of double-degree fifth-years - are determined to make a musical mark before they graduate.

Double-degree fifth-year Derrick Gay was cast as one of the original members in Emeritus Professor of Opera Judith Layng's Commencement Weekend production of Orfeo. However, things didn't exactly go as planned. "We had production problems in terms of the orchestra and time commitments," said Gay, "so I had decided to do a scene from Orfeo and some scenes from Porgy and Bess."

Orfeo's cast members were gung-ho about going through with the production, and Gay commented that he was already familiar with Porgy and Bess since it was performed last Winter Term. However, it was not publicized to a very large audience. After discussing the possibility of putting on the show with a fellow double-degree fifth-year, Maleata Carson, the two pulled together the rest of the group to follow through.

The fact that cast members of Porgy and Bess were already familiar with their roles, and their all being double-degree fifth-years was encouraging to Gay, as well as the key factor that all cast members were black; the opera requires a cast of black singers.

"We didn't want to just scrap the whole thing," said Gay. "It just evolved."

The story of Orfeo is not a complicated one. In short, Orfeo (Gay) and Euridice (Carson) are in love, Euridice is bitten by a snake, dies and is sent to Hades, and Orfeo is so distraught he wishes to kill himself as opposed to living without her. So, a bargain is struck: Amor (Keisha Hutchins, also a double-degree fifth-year) offers Orfeo the opportunity to go to Hades to retrieve Euridice, only there's a catch - he is not allowed to look at her or explain his indifference to her. The story concludes with Orfeo giving in and looking at her, which kills her, but alas: Amor saves the tragedy-struck couple once again, bringing Euridice back to life and they all live happily ever after, in true Baroque style.

From Orfeo, "Chiamo il Mio Ben Cosi," sung by Gay, reflects Orfeo's deep lament over losing Euridice to eternal death in Hades. In addition, Gay and Carson will sing a recitative and duet from the third act of the opera, which expresses the frustration of Orfeo's "gift" of being able to visit Euridice in Hades, but not being able to look at her. Finally, Gay and Carson will collaborate with Hutchins for a rejoiceful trio.

Porgy and Bess' numbers to be performed tonight and Saturday are more recognizable: Carson, as Clara, will sing "Summertime," double-degree fifth-year Tobias James will sing "A Woman is a Sometimes Thing," and "Bess, You is My Woman Now" with Hutchins, double-degree fifth-year Limmie Pulliam, who plays Sportin' Life, will sing "It Ain't Necessarily So," and double-degree fifth-year Mirna Valerio, as Serena, will sing "My Man's Gone Now."

Gay said that he and the cast have received excellent "artistic guidance" from Lyang, as well as financial support from the president's office and the Student Finance Committee. The hour-long production concludes with two spirituals.

Selections from Orfeo and Euridice and Porgy and Bess will be performed tonight in Peter's Hall at 7 p.m. with a reception to follow, and Saturday, May 23 at 3 p.m. The event is free.