Marc Antoine Charpentier was a great Baroque composer but his operas were obscured by Jean-Baptiste Lully´s monopoly of Louis XIV´s opera company. Decades ago Christie´s Les Arts Florissants revealed his worth in our city. Now Andrés Gerszenzon´s Selva Vocal e Instrumental offered "La descente d´Orphée aux Enfers" ("Orpheus´ descent on Hades") at the small theatre of Hasta Trilce. Two short acts, 56 minutes, 1686, it stops when Pluto allows Orpheus to reclaim Eurydice. As H.Wiley Hitschcock says, "The little opera is full of musical charm and cunning characterization".
The playing was very good, the singing from admirable (bass Max Hochmuth, Pluto) to deplorable (Esteban Manzano, Orpheus). The staging (Alejandro Cervera), minimalist and ugly.
For Buenos Aires Herald
