Political correctness rules our campus: Safer Sex Night has become really safe, lewd humor can only be experienced in the attic of Noah and even the Grape has resorted to such stories as “Lunar Eclipse Disappoints,” though they previously filled the role as the #1 bawdy news source on campus.  The verdict is out.  Even with the plethora of activity in this tiny town, Oberlin is becoming more and more lame.  That said, 35 voice majors stripping down to their skivvies (um, in Hell) is not an event to be missed.  The Conservatory’s opera theater department has proven themselves wittier than anyone could have expected with their modern interpretation of Orpheus in the Underworld.  New reigning king of irony, director Jonathan Field, substituted Oberlin for Thebes, Washington, D.C. for Olympus and Cleveland for Hades (complete with a burning Brown’s stadium as a barbeque grill) to devise a set that resembled a cartoon.

Due to the unusual amounts of dialogue in the score, the opera was performed in English, though it was originally written in French). However, this failed to guarantee clarity of libretto.  There were a few instances when understanding the verse was near impossible, but this did not detract from the quality of the voices featured. Although sometimes overpowered by an energetic orchestra, every solo role was executed with verve, power and control.  Nicholas Bentivoglio, senior, was especially salient in the role of Orpheus. His vocal facility and convincing fake fiddling were truly splendiferous. No cast member managed to enchant quite like junior Colette Boudreaux, who played Orpheus’ unfaithful wife, Eurydice.  Prancing around in the cornfields, seducing insects and soaking up the bountiful male attention, her character was delightfully ridiculous.

Other high scores in the opera should be awarded to junior Michael Sansoni as Pluto, who proved himself a quite convincing badass, senior Marie Masters, who played the show-stealing role of Cupid-stuck-in-the-early-nineties and sophomore Damien Pass, who imitated a conglomeration of U.S. presidents as Jupiter, king of the gods.  Senior Jody Gage also lit up the stage playing the role of Diana, goddess of chastity/bubbly head camp counselor. The entire cast, made up of figures that could have walked right off of a comic strip, was spirited, consistently in character and quite endearing. 

Okay, okay.  I know all you care about is the panty party. You’ll have to sit through three acts before you see any skin, but when you do, it’s all garter-belts and cleavage.  I’m sure the production staff will be less than thrilled that underwear is the unifying motif of this review.  In reply, I say, “You asked for it.”

In conclusion, here are the reasons Orpheus in the Underworld comes highly recommended by yours truly: this is the (ahem...here goes...) “hippest” opera you will ever see, we happen to attend one of the best vocal institutions in the country, Hall Auditorium is right across the square and the show is practically free.  If there is ever going to be a time to go to the opera, my friends, this is it.