Cirque de la Symphonie
CLASSICAL AND OPERA
Orphée
Portland Opera
November 6, 8, 12, 14
portlandopera.org
With a libretto taken from Jean Cocteau’s 59-year-old retelling of the Orpheus myth, Philip Glass’s chamber opera is an unsettling addition to a season with the theme of “Love & Marriage.” Spirited baritone Philip Cutlip makes his Portland Opera debut as the famous and misunderstood Parisian poet. Ridiculed by his peers, the self-absorbed Orphée plunges into creative crisis and becomes obsessed with death, incarnated as the seductive Princessa (sung by soprano Lisa Saffer), who orders the death of Orphée’s wife, Eurydice. Glass composed the opera, a tribute to the passion and loyalty of married love, shortly after the passing of his own wife. The piece is performed entirely in French, and its expressive score and threats of motorcycle-riding agents of death make Orphée a bold leap into contemporary opera.—Addoley Dzegede
Cirque de la Symphonie
September 12–13
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
orsymphony.org
Veteran contortionists, aerialists, jugglers, and strongmen pair the magic of the circus with the music of the Oregon Symphony. This mesmerizing marriage is fueled by classical masterpieces conducted by Gregory Vajda, ranging from Georges Bizet’s Les Toréadors to pops performances that Jedi-loving fans will certainly recognize.
Thomas Hampson
October 6
Newmark Theatre
focm.org
One of the world’s top baritones and a protégé of Leonard Bernstein, Hampson headlines Friends of Chamber Music’s Vocal Arts Series. The recital features Hampson’s “Song of America” project, honoring the 250th anniversary of America’s first published song.
Haochen Zhang
October 4
Newmark Theatre
portlandpiano.org
The gold medalist at this year’s Van Cliburn International Piano Competition was also the youngest contestant. The fleet-fingered 19-year-old kicks off Portland Piano International’s season with a concert that features works from Beethoven, Brahms, Ravel, and Liszt.
