Acito breaks back onto stage in dreamy ‘Orphée’

Portland Opera premiere reflects an ancient, surreal story

By Jason Vondersmith

The Portland Tribune, Nov 5, 2009

Portland Opera's “Orphée,” starring Philip Cutlip as Orphée and Lisa Saffer as the Princess, will take place at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6, 12 and 14, and 2 p.m. Nov. 8 at Keller Auditorium.

George Mott / Glimmerglass Opera

Writer/radio contributor Marc Acito, returning to the stage after a six-year hiatus, has only a bit part in Portland Opera’s “Orphée.”

But it’s significant in his eyes. He plays Glazier the glassmaker, who greets Orphée upon his arrival in the Underworld as he seeks reunion with his wife Eurydice.

“He goes through a mirror, and the first person he sees is a glassmaker,” Acito says. “It’s a really, wacky, almost random moment in the play. I sing, ‘Vitrier!’ — glassmaker.”

Acito, a two-time novelist and playwright and frequent contributor to National Public Radio, says opera fans should not miss “Orphée,” based on the 1949 movie and scored by Philip Glass.

“It’s dramatic, very compelling, very short — hour and a half,” Acito says. “People sometimes get intimidated by Philip Glass, his difficult works, but it’s gorgeous music. I’ve been lucky as a writer, to sit and work on my next book in the rehearsal hall, listening to it.

“It’s a huge deal, I can’t stress how sublimely gorgeous this music is and how easy the opera is to follow. It’s not avant- garde, it’s surreal and dreamy. This is a major cultural event happening (in Portland).”

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