'Galileo' journeys to the stars All Edition

• Published in: Milwaukee journal sentinel
• Main Author: Strini, Tom
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Milwaukee, Wis Journal Sentinel Inc 30.06.2002
• Subjects: Berneche, Alicia; Galilei, Galileo; Glass, Philip; Zimmerman, Mary
• ISSN: 1082-8850

Imagine the life of a flower filmed in fast motion, to show in minutes the cycle of bud, bloom, closing and decay -- run backward. By reversing the timeline, [Philip Glass] and [Mary Zimmerman] create not only a happy ending for the opera, they also show that whatever the disappointments of [Galileo Galilei]'s life, his vision and work made his life an exemplar of the purpose of humanity. The thesis of the opera is: Our job as a species is to understand the universe. The concept forms fully in the gorgeous, closing set piece. The conceit is that the child Galileo and the child version of his future patroness, Duchess Christina, are attending a court opera by his father, Vincenzio Galileo. The subject of the opera-in-opera is the love of the hunter Orion for Merope, who represents the moon. Her enraged father, played by Andrew Funk -- who, tellingly, also plays the scheming Pope Urban VIII -- blinds Orion. Orion, of course, is an allegory for both Galileo and humanity, whose blindness will eventually be cured by the sunlight of science. As Galileo takes his place beside his dear [Maria Celeste] -- who preceded him in death and who is now an angel -- his sight is restored. The entire company ends the opera with a minimalist chorale that is a paean to both clarity of thought and wonder at the miracle of the universe. The text is from an old English hymn Galileo once quoted in a letter: