Death for Five Voices

Death for Five Voices is a chamber musical drama with Broadway ambition. It tells the story of a Renaissance composer named Carlo Gesualdo, famous for his musical genius as well as the fact that he entrapped and brutally murdered his wife with her lover.

There are only seven characters in the show played by seven actors: the troubled composer himself (Nathan Gardner), his wife Maria D’Avalos (Manna Nichols), his friend and, later, Maria’s lover Fabrizio Carafa (Nicholas Rodriguez), Carlos’s mother Giroloma Gesualdo (Meghan McGeary), his uncle Bishop Alfonso Gesualdo (Jeff Williams) and finally two servants, Pietro Marziale (Ryan Bauer-Walsh) and Sylvia Albana (L.R. Davidson).             

Voices intertwine into a beautiful and vibrant tapestry, which at times brings characters forward to tell their stories and then joins their voices into chorus for us to hear the storm of passions roaring in Gesualdo’s head. In the original score by Pitter Mills, we hear adaptations from music composed by Gesualdo, as well as some Renaissance inspired tunes. The solo and duet numbers are immediately followed by transitions without leaving any gaps for applause. Hence there is no chance to escape the oppressive atmosphere of Palazzo San Severo in Naples. 

Director Cara Reichel keeps up with the thickness and intensity of the score by making characters moving on stage in a ballet-like way impersonating voices in Carlo’s head. Two servants are moving furniture between numbers allowing for the seamless transitions between numerous scenes.

Scenic Design by Ann Bartek consists of a stone-coated columns cascading towards the depth of the stage. When somebody is exiting or entering the room, we see them serpentine between these columns, which gives us the impression of a dark and mazelike castle. The scenography utilizes the staircase leading to the balcony of the theater leaving no corner of the stage unused, which not only gave an opportunity to diversify the set, but also worked for the over all “thickness” of the show’s canvas.

Death for Five Voices features a bold lighting design by Susan M. Nicolson, which was a little disturbing. Saturated LED light and opposite color combinations that she uses aims to create something like Suspiria (dir. Dario Argento, 1977) but lands not far from catering hall lighting design.

With that said, I must admit that the contrast of this 21^st century lighting paired with costumes by Sidney Shannon, resembling clothes of 16^th-17^th century very closely, gives the Death for Five Voices its unique visual style and echoes the eclectic score. With that and a wonderful cast with no weak link the show is destined to make it to Broadway.