‘Orlando’ epitomizes Italian Academy’s mastery of operatic art

There’s something special about the Italian Academy’s Teatro Theatre. Perhaps it is the red drapes, the colonial-style chandeliers, or the carved ceiling. Yet it is more likely the world-class performances that take place there, such as “Cracked Orlando,” a new opera.

It was in this theater that the world premiere of this opera, which features a fusion of Italian Baroque and contemporary music by American composer Jonathan Dawe, took place from Oct. 15-17. Exploring feelings of aggressive love and jealous rage, the opera was powerfully received by audience members, reminding Columbia students that the Academy acts as a local outlet for high-quality cultural performances year-round.

“Cracked Orlando” tells the story of a pair of lovers, Angelica and Medoro, who somehow find themselves on an enchanted island. Orlando meets them, desires Angelica, and claims her aggressively. As the name of the opera suggests, the performance revolves around the internal turmoil of Orlando as he struggles with the love he feels for Angelica and the jealousy that torments him when Angelica reunites with Medoro. All of this has happened under the spells of the enchantress of the island.

Anthony Roth Costanzo, an acclaimed countertenor, played Orlando. When he first appeared on stage, audiences may have found it difficult to appreciate his high-pitched voice. But, as the opera proceeded, Orlando definitely became the star of the show—so much so that many audience members might have wished that Orlando would replace Medoro as Angelica’s lover.

Orlando really cracked open, as the title suggests—the music and Costanzo’s acting put Orlando’s internal struggles at center stage. To do so musically, Dawe combined Italian Baroque music with what he calls “compositional workings based on fractional geometry.” There are instances in which the songs recall traditional opera, but these instances quickly shift into experimental music studies.

Considering this mix of Baroque and new music, “Cracked Orlando” was a commanding experience for both traditional opera enthusiasts and new music lovers. In a way, this is what the arts at the Italian Academy are all about. It is a frontier at which talented players are brought together to explore nontraditional musical styles.

This cultural institution on campus also hosts events such as lectures, workshops, and concerts that explore Italian culture and art and allow students to understand Italy’s continuing influence. If students missed hearing countertenor Costanzo sing during the opera, they can check out his upcoming lecture-recital on Oct. 19.

For those in the Columbia community interested in more of these kinds of explorations—or just wishing to see the grand Teatro Theatre—the Italian Academy is right next door.