25/10/2024 - The melodrama of opera, the surrealism of digital effects and the boldness of fashion meet in Davide Livermore and Paolo Gep Cucco’s retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice

l-r: Erwin Schrott, Maria Battistelli and Valentino Buzza in The Opera!

Davide Livermore, a director with over two decades of experience in major opera houses, and Paolo Gep Cucco, a creative director specialising in video design for operas, take their partnership forged on the theatre stages to the film medium in The Opera!, selected as a special screening at the Rome Film Fest. The cinematic medium serves as a vehicle for a grand operatic story to be staged with modern sensibility. The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice thus constitutes the framework for a metaphysical journey through the afterlife.

The film opens with the joy of a wedding day, only to take a tragic turn when Eurydice (Maria Battistelli) is killed and abducted by Mephistopheles (Erwin Schrott). Orpheus (Valentino Buzza) embarks on a quest to reclaim her, aided by cheeky taxi driver Charon (Vincent Cassel). The opening sequence, set in a town inspired by Giorgio de Chirico’s metaphysical paintings, unfolds with dramatic intensity, using greenscreen techniques reminiscent of Sin City, culminating in a car chase that leads to the underworld’s Hotel Hades.

Much of the film's underworld is crafted through CGI, as almost the whole movie was shot on a virtual set, with only occasional use of practical elements like vehicles or minimalist sets. Livermore's signature visual opulence is evident throughout, with each scene standing as a distinct episode separately staged with its own visual symbolism. Some references are universal, such as Orpheus playing chess against Mephistopheles in a nod to Ingmar Bergman’s iconic scene in The Seventh Seal, while others are more modern, like Orpheus being trapped in an oversized industrial washing machine in the hotel’s basement.

The Opera! combines traditional arias with contemporary electronic soundscapes, blending classical pieces from Puccini, Handel and Verdi in a more pop rendition, including being heard next to Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “The Power of Love”. The blending of a tragic operatic story of a love challenged by fate and death with contemporary musical arrangements and surreal imagery results in a musical that transcends the ranks of opera aficionados.

Despite the film's reliance on digital sets, Livermore’s extensive experience in theatre is evident. Many scenes feel like theatrical stagings, enhanced by the flexibility of video production, allowing the characters to inhabit otherworldly, immersive environments. The film also acts as an homage to the theatre itself. The directors have embraced the meta-narrative approach of Orpheus and Eurydice being opera singers in the underworld while adjusting the climactic moment of the original myth. In Livermore and Gucco’s rendition, Orpheus must sing “Nessun Dorma” without forgetting whom he is singing it for to save his love.

As the convergence of theatre and cinema continues – exemplified by the increasing popularity of filmed concerts and theatrical performances in cinemas – The Opera! bridges the gap between musical spectacle and plot-driven storytelling. In addition to the digital dreamscape of Orpheus’s journey through the underworld, the involvement of Dolce & Gabbana as a co-producer played a role in shaping the film’s visual identity. The company’s costume designs bring an opulent aesthetic to the screen, merging the grandeur of opera with a flair for fashion. This convergence of fashion, cinema and musical theatre thus transforms the classical myth into a modern spectacle.

The Opera! is an Italian production staged by Showlab, with RAI Cinema and Dolce & Gabbana. Pulsar Content handles its international sales.