Four Larks Performance – Orpheus
The Four Larks Theater troupe hailing Australia performed a residency and a special showcase of their talents of their interpretation of the classic tale of Orpheus at the Getty Villa last weekend. For those who missed the Getty Villa shows or for those interested in a unique and immersive theatrical experience should look into the very special underground shows in Downtown Los Angeles that will run from March 25th through April 2nd.
I had the pleasure to speak with Jesse Rasmussen, Sebastian Peters-Lazaro and Lisa Salvo regarding their interpretation of the mythological story of Orpheus. We met for an interview, out of connivence, at Moby’s Innocence opening at Project Gallery. The Getty Villa Orpheus performances will be expanded for the Downtown LA Loft performances later this week. The space to be used is in the fashion district and is a virgin space located in an old fabric factory. Jesse explained that the Orpheus experience starts right after the purchase of the ticket. The location is a secret. After the purchase of the ticket everyone will be given a specific location to meet to be guided to the location of the performance. The Orpheus troupe is composed of a 12 member cast who will perform, that both dance and sing, with 7 additional musicians drawn locally from the Indy, alternative, folk scenes. They will perform an original score and explore the myth of Orpheus in an immersive fashion using original choreography in this unique setting located in the DTLA. Jesse refers to the performance as a “Junkyard Operas” with a spine and the dance choreography offered in Orpheus will have a unique language for these performances. The script is original, the score is original and it’s a mix of classical and contemporary music. It’s not confined to opera, nor contemporary and it’s not musical theater. It expands across the genres!
Sebastian Peters-Lazaro, Jesse Rasmussen and Lisa Salvo
To give an illustration of Orpheus unique character as a performance Four Lark’s last performance in Australia was held in an auto repair garage. So expect the unexpected in regards to the space, the aesthetics of the scene and the performance itself, as it bridges contemporary, classical and innovative approaches to music, dance and performance for the imaginative explorations of this classical myth in a new way this coming Tuesday.
