A FEW years ago, Leeds based Opera North and South Asian Arts uk, (SAA-uk) began to explore the potential for re-imagining one of Italy’s earliest baroque operas as a fusion of western classical and Indian musical traditions.

The creative partnership considered complex issues around the retelling of an enduring myth in a relevant contemporary setting combining ancient eastern and western musical traditions. Challenges to be met head-on meant accommodating within an ensemble company, rudimentary differences in training and voice projection. The nurturing of acting skills in Indian performers who mainly sing or play an instrument whilst seated was equally important.

A lengthy gestation has produced an enjoyable, ground breaking Orpheus that will surely resonate with today’s audiences. Scenic designer Leslie Travers’ vibrant setting of a suburban back garden overlooked by typical suburban semis and decked out with twinkling fairy lights, plants and flowers is the locale for a wedding party to honour the marriage of Orpheus and Eurydice. The nineteen instrumentalists equally divided between members of the Orchestra of Opera North and Indian classical musicians are seated around the acting area. The sonorities produced by strings, harpsichord, tabla, theorbo, sitar, santoor, flute, trumpet, harp and percussion add rich colours to the sewing machine textures of a conventional western baroque ensemble.

Vocal contrasts are even more striking. Pure English sounding tenor Nicholas Watts as Orpheus and the British-Tamil singer Ashnaa Sasikaran as Eurydice; bright-toned soprano Amy Freston as La Musica and Indian classical vocalist Chandra Chakraborty as Proserpina head a superb cast of British artists and UK based singers of Asian-British heritage.

Anna Himali Howard is the production director: joint music directors are Laurence Cummings (harpsichord) and Jasdeep Singh Degun (sitar). Jasdeep has replaced parts of Monteverdi’s original score with his own new music, including some pulsing rhythms for the Indian musicians.

In addition to Monteverdi’s Italian, audiences will hear characters singing in Urdu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Punjabi and Bengali. Last Friday’s delighted first night audience responded with a tumult of whistles, yelps, cheers, clapping and foot stamping as the artists took their bows.