Classical music fans received a special new offering early this month when composer Danae Xanthe Vlasse released her new album, Mythologies II through Studio Hill Records. Originally scheduled for release July 29, its official release was pushed back to Nov. 1. The 8-song record, which spans roughly 43 minutes, is the sequel to Vlasse’s 2021 album, Mythologies. It offers plenty for classical music fans to appreciate, beginning not the least with its songs, which will be discussed shortly. The companion booklet that accompanies the album adds to that engagement and entertainment and will be discussed a little later. The record’s production rounds out its most important elements and will also be addressed later. Each item noted is key in its own way to the whole of Mythologies II. All things considered they make Mythologies II a welcome addition to this year’s field of new classical music offerings.
Mythologies II, the recently released sequel to Danae Xanthe Vlasse’s 2021 album, Mythologies, is a work that most classical music fans will appreciate. To that point, it will also appeal to fans of opera, who overlap with classical music audiences. That is due in no small part to its songs. The songs initially tell the story of the infamous mythological Gorgon, Medusa and how her death at the hands of Perseus would also play into the love story of Persus and Andromeda following her rescue from the clutches of Poseidon. To that end, the primary story here is in fact that of couple’s love. The overarching story is told through a distinctly operatic style with musical backing from none other than the famed Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Tenor Omar Najimi and sopranos Sangeeta Kaur and Hila Plitmann expertly compliment one another throughout the tale. The tale, which is outlined in the album’s liner notes skews the story of Medusa somewhat. This will be discussed shortly.
The tale of Perseus and Andromeda is only one of the stories featured in Mythologies II. Along with that tale, that of Odysseus’ voyage home from the Trojan War (which is originally told in Homer’s Odyssey, is also shared here in the form of ‘Dreams of Ithaca.’ That story, too, offers plenty through its musical retelling.
The musical content presented throughout Mythologies II is just part of what audiences will appreciate about the album. The album’s companion booklet adds to the appeal through its liner notes, which tell each story in brief but concise terms. This ensures that even the most casual listener will gain some appreciation for the recording especially considering such background is provided in both radio and television opera broadcasts and even on stage in playbills.
While the stories outlined in the booklet do much to help immerse audiences in the album’s stories, there is at least a little bit of inconsistency in the story of Medusa shared here. According to the telling presented here, Medusa was turned into a Gorgon by Athena in order to protect the virgin priestess from men. In fact the real myth tells a different tale. The real myth states Medusa was turned into a Gorgon by Athena as a punishment because Athena did not believe Medusa’s allegation that she had been assaulted by Poseidon in her [Athena’s] temple. Additionally, Medusa’s head was not turned into armor as is told here, but used as by Athena on her shield, “Aegis.” These are minor inconsistencies but still key to note in fully appreciating the story of Medusa and how it played into the bigger story of Perseus and Andromeda’s romance.
Understanding the importance of the album’s companion booklet and the information presented therein, one can understand why the presentation is critical to the listening experience and appreciation for the album. There is still one more item to note here, that of the recording’s production. The way in which the strings so expertly balance against the vocals in each performance is extraordinary. The heart and the life that each brings thanks to the production makes listening to this album just as good as experiencing it in person on stage. Audiences who listen closely can hear the sounds echoing through the various studios, the result being that it sounds just like the whole was recorded in one of the world’s top performance venues. The aesthetic that this develops is crucial to the whole of the recording. It really is that proverbial cherry on top for the recording. When this element is considered along with the album’s songs and their telling within the album’s companion booklet the whole therein makes Mythologies II a wonderfully immersive work that any opera and classical music fan will find engaging and entertaining.
Mythologies II, the latest album from Danae Xanthe Vlasse, is an impressive offering from the composer that will appeal just as much to her established audiences as to classical music fans in general. That is due in no small part to its stories, which tell both the story of Perseus and Andromeda’s romance and separately of Odysseus’ voyage home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. The stories are told, mostly accurately, through the liner notes provided in the album’s companion booklet. This is just as good as receiving an opera’s story through a playbill or an announcer on radio and television. The album’s production puts the finishing touch to the whole of the record. That is because it makes the recording sound just as strong as if it had been recorded at one of the world’s top concert venues. It is that strong. Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered they make Mythologies II a record that any classical and opera fan should hear at least once.
Mythologies II is available now through Studio Hill Records. More information on the album is available along with all of Danae Xanthe Vlasse’s latest news at:
Website: https://danaevlasse.com
