"The Offenbach was altogether more satisfying, not least because John Owen Edwards secured really witty, well-balanced playing from an orchestra on notice-ably sharper form. The edition used has gradually expanded since 1992, when Opera North staged the unadulterated 1858 version in Jeremy Sams's saucy translation: Mercury's solo (irresistible), Eurydice's second-act couplets (ditto, especially as Sams managed to rhyme Pluto with prosciutto), and Cupid's couplets. William Relton's production-in modern dress (no wig problems)-was lively and energetic, enhanced by Gillian Gregory's brilliant choreography. The whole romp was executed with confidence and dash, more excellent experience for youngsters.
"Words, words, words: Charne Rochford (Orpheus), Andrew Jarvis (Jupiter) and Oliver White (Pluto) excellent in this respect, and good singers as well. Miriam Ryen sang strongly as Eurydice. The star of the show was Paul Carey Jones as John Styx, got up as a French maid with a neat black beard, singing through the lines quite beautifully, and underplaying the comedy almost entirely through the eyes-absolutely hilarious. Sergio Priftis's well-oiled Bacchus was, I think, wearing his fig-leaf upside down. A lovely show."
Rodney Milnes, Opera, November 2002.
"The singing was fine, the self-effacing orchestra under John Owen Edwards sensational, and Miriam Ryen's hard-working Eurydice, Alexander Grove's micro-scooting Mercury and John Styx (Paul Carey Jones) togged up as a French maid deserve a mention in dispatches."
Robert Thicknesse, The Times, Tuesday 3rd September, 2002.
