{"id":112667,"date":"2025-03-14T15:50:48","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T19:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=112667"},"modified":"2025-03-19T10:02:07","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T14:02:07","slug":"interview-transcendance-project-presents-ophis-bold-retelling-medusa-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/03\/14\/interview-transcendance-project-presents-ophis-bold-retelling-medusa-story\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Transcen|Dance Project Presents Ophis: A Bold Retelling Of The Medusa Story"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"L-R:
L-R: Composer Owen Belton; a scene from Transcen|Dance Project\u2019s Ophis; dancer\/choreographer\/Artistic Director Julia Cratchley (Photos courtesy of the artists)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Transcen|Dance Project will debut a new immersive dance\/theatrical event titled Ophis. The work takes the ancient Greek myth of Medusa and reimagines it for the modern day.<\/p>\n

The key to the new story is that Medusa is no longer just the bitter victim of a curse, but a symbol of resilient empowerment. It\u2019s a journey about love and vulnerability, and transformational self-discovery, and takes the stage from April 4 to 13.<\/p>\n

The company was responsible for the well received productions of Eve of St. George and A Grimm Night<\/a>, and like those productions, Ophis will take place on four levels of the atmospheric The Great Hall while the audience wanders in and out of the story.<\/p>\n

As you enter, you\u2019ll be assigned an area where your story will begin. The actors and dancers will perform the work around the audience, through richly decorated sets on each floor.<\/p>\n

Ophis (which means serpent in Greek) includes an original score along with dance and performance, and opens on April 4, 2025.<\/p>\n

We spoke to creator and company Artistic Director Julia Cratchley<\/strong> and composer Owen Belton<\/strong> about the production.<\/p>\n

\"Scenes
Scenes from Transcen|Dance Project\u2019s Ophis (Photos courtesy of the artists)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ophis: The Interview<\/h2>\n

\u201cIt’s exciting to dive into a new world,\u201d says Cratchley. Previous productions have revolved around the fairytales of the Brothers Grimm, and Stoker\u2019s Dracula, both far removed from classical Greek mythology.<\/p>\n

Ancient Greek mythology already comes with a wide range of interpretations over the centuries. Julia says Ophis is quite different from Transcen|Dance Project\u2019s other productions. \u201cIt’s made it harder and easier,\u201d she says. In the end, it also offered the opportunity for artistic freedom. \u201cIt’s so varied.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cratchley immersed herself in research of the time and period, as well as the various interpretations of the Medusa legend.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel that this production is very different from very Grimm Night and Eve of St. George,\u201d she says. That goes to both story and aesthetics. Grimm Night and Eve of St. George shared certain characteristics in an overlap of fantasy and goth.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat being said, I don’t want to give too much away.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Music<\/h3>\n

By the time Julia contacted him last summer, Owen Belton knew the story he\u2019d be writing music to.<\/p>\n

Owen says the music has a contemporary feel, rather than being inspired by any historical period. \u201cSomewhat similar to the previous two shows,\u201d he says. \u201cThere’s a bit more voice in the score this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Belton describes his influences as being all over the map, from pop music and bands like Radiohead to contemporary classical stars like Philip Glass, Arvo P\u00e4rt, and Michael Nyman.<\/p>\n

His electroacoustic music is atmospheric, the score alternating between melodic and rhythmically driven sections. \u201cOne of my teachers was Barry Truax,\u201d he says. Truax, an electroacoustic composer and researcher, is considered a pioneer of granular synthesis.<\/p>\n

Owen\u2019s task is not only to provide music for the performance as it unfolds, but to weave it around the multiple ways that the same story is experienced across four floors.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s one score throughout,\u201d Belton explains. He\u2019s devised it so that it can serve the purpose of everything that\u2019s going on in the show at any given time \u2014 on each of its four floors, in other words. \u201cIt has to be somewhat flexible in some way,\u201d he says. There are key moments where the music reacts in specific ways.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely on the first pass of the music, I’m focusing on the main story line,\u201d Belton says.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes we do have to go back and adjust,\u201d Cratchley adds. That happens during rehearsals, when the music might be fine tuned to accommodate the various storylines as they unfold. \u201cThis is the beauty of having a composed score.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Medusa for the 21st Century<\/h3>\n

The original story of Ophis takes many familiar elements from the myths, books, and stories, adding its own distinctive stamp. \u201cWe start with Medusa as an immortal human,\u201d Julia explains. The story takes her from before the curse that gave her a head of snakes to her emergence afterwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut there are definitely elements that I’ve pulled from various interpretations,\u201d Cratchley adds. \u201cWe’ve taken our own liberties to flesh her out as we want to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s definitely a modern retelling. We’ve reimagined her as a symbol of power and resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rather than revolving around destruction and vengeance, Medusa\u2019s story is one of self-discovery. \u201cWe’re really trying to challenge those traditional narratives.\u201d No more damsels in distress, in other words. \u201cSo far, how we’re creating Medusa, she has a lot of grit.\u201d<\/p>\n

The snake itself, the symbol she carries on her head, can be interpreted in various ways. \u201cIt’s interesting that she’s known as this monster, but she’s also known as a symbol of protection.\u201d<\/p>\n

The music follows the scenes and the action rather using character-based themes. Owen has a tip for the audience members who want to follow the story along.<\/p>\n

\u201cListen for the voices, I’d say,\u201d Belton explains. The vocals, he adds, help to drive the narrative. But, at times, a little mystery is what\u2019s called for. \u201cWe’ve made it intentionally not always super clear, what’s being said. But, there are moments of clarity.\u201d<\/p>\n