Matthew R. Reis: Film and TV Critic

Actress Henly pushes this already solid opera over-the-top. As featured in: The Ithacan 3 1/2 Stars Opera had only been around for 10 years when Claudio Monteverdi debuted “L’Orfeo” to an Italian audience in 1607. As one of the earliest opera’s still performed today, Ithaca College’s goal was to make this centuries old classic appeal to a modern audience. With the combined talents of theater and music students, the college gave this opera a fresh new spin. “L’Orfeo” tells the story of Orfeo (Daniel Bates and Alex Canovas), who loses his wife Euridice (Laura Gladd) to the conniving and ghastly Hades. This blow undermines Orfeo’s powerful physique and commanding presence. Thus, he departs from his comfortable, Garden of Eden-like reality and enters the underworld as a mortal. As he tries to take Euridice back he must control his lust to appease Hades (Stephen Lovell) or risk losing his wife forever. Each year, the music school and the theater school collaborate to produce a show,...

It's working. Here's to more progress. No rating As featured in: "The Ithacan" All of the drama, love and despair of the Orpheus myth return to Ithaca College for a third time. After staging “Euridice” in 2009 and “Metamorphoses” in 2008, the theater department takes on the Italian opera “L’Orfeo” by Claudio Monteverdi, another retelling of the tale. Running just under two hours in length, this rendition combines gaudy aspects of post-Renaissance culture with modern pizzazz with a large cast of 48. Written in 1607, “L’Orfeo” is one of the earliest operas still performed. Sung entirely in Italian with English supertitles, the college’s theater and music students combine their talents to bring Monteverdi’s opus to life. Set in an ethereal world of pleasure, Orpheus — also known as Orfeo — has his life torn apart when his bride Euridice dies. The opera focuses on his dangerous journey through the Underworld to try to rescue her while grappling with his own inner ...

George Clooney is the American 4 Stars As featured in: The Ithacan As Batman George Clooney was laughable, as the American, he’s no joker. Dark and brooding from the get-go “The American” is a film with sparse action, but plenty of burning passion. Anton Corbijn, famous for directing music videos such as Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box” helms the picture. Adapted from the 1990 novel “A Very Private Gentleman” the film takes place during the 2000s. Remarkably original for a film whose trailers marketed it as a gray haired Jason Bourne flick, the plot simmers over a long period of time, gradually building tension, momentum and intrigue. One of the many things to savor in this film is its distinctly non-American feel. From the minimalistic dialogue, wandering, free flowing camera and sparsely populated locations “The American” mirrors European cinema to a tee. It’s only logical that the film takes place in Europe with stops in Castel del Monte, Italy, Rome, Italy and Dalarna, Sweden. ...