Domy Reiter-Soffer

“On the evidence of their sixth season at the Abbey Theatre, the Irish National ballet company is taking on the appearance of an excellent national institution, with a repertoire comparable with some of the world's leading companies.
The motivating force behind this success, Domy Reiter-Soffer's unique flair for creating exciting new works has been the magnet, which drew the audiences and held them. His latest work “Time trip Orpheus”, enters the repertory at precisely the right time. Like the highly charged and enjoyable “Chariots of Fire” and “Shadow-reach in recent years, it has the concentrated energy of the signature work.
This updating in time and place of one of the world's most agonizing love stories is choreographed and performed in a continuous flow of brilliant inventions, plunging into one emotional climactic scene after another with such a slick almost offhand mastery that when the curtain fell I immediately looked at my watch and said to myself as the applause thundered: “did he really do all that in just 43 minutes?”
What the purists will make of the disco-like opening with its psychedelic lighting and the dynamic Hell's Angels in the black leather as the furies in shorts with their piercing motorcycle exhausts accompaniment, I do not know.
I hope they view the ballet as I did: a true-blue blend of contemporary classical; a serious, enthusiastic production, which Reiter-Soffer makes, succeed on its own terms and adds to our experience. The dancing of Richard Collins as Orpheus and Kathleen McInerney was excellent, moving, lyrical and dramatic and so were the rest of the cast Anna Donovan as Persephone and Sean Cunnigham as Aristaeus. Time trip Orpheus is a powerful ballet and astounding piece of theatre that won't be easily forgotten”.
(Richard Bradley- The Tatler).

“The Piece de Resistance was Domy Reiter-Soffer's adaptation of the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, entitled “Time trip Orpheus” in up to date setting. The rather orderly disco in which the opening scene is introduced had its atmosphere heightened by the nerve jangling music, the voices which spoke monotone, and the exciting movements. Richard Collins as Orpheus danced with vigorous force and effortless skill throughout and was extremely moving in his death in the end scene. While Kathleen McInerney as Eurydice gave delicacy and charm to the role counterbalancing the agony and the despair of her lover. Sean Cunnigham as Aristaeus “Death” danced with fine rhythmic poise and the Corps who were angels, furies Motorcyclists, disco dancers were an important and integral part of the story danced their way through with conviction and unity. The choreography, well in tune with the ageless story danced with a spectacular power in a splendid creation”.
(Geraldine Neeson-The Irish Times).

“The opening night of the Irish National Ballet Company sixth annual season at the Abbey Theatre certainly puts this event well in the running for the title of the occasion of the year, and indeed it has achieved the distinction.
The piece de resistance, “Time trip Orpheus”, turns out to be a work demanding major consideration. It never loses the spider-thread by which it keeps its touch with tradition. The contemporary disco image in the opening never slides towards banality, never for an instant veers towards conventions of the modern musical and the electronic music when percussion makes a sound of motorcycles exhausts that is the hell's angels in the journey to the underworld all seem extraordinary and sheer theatre at its best. Her the choreographer has fashioned his own dance language, and fashioned it not merely to today's demands or the company's achievement, but as well to the timeless imagery of the classical theme. One can only applaud its sheer musicality and the brilliant fusion of design, the dancing as well as Domy Reiter-Soffer's choreography. The quality of emotion so controlled as to achieve not merely pathos at the end, but Katharsis as the wind throws Eurydice's scarf to Orpheus as a last and almost intangible token before he becomes all too-human figure, huddled against the wind-borne detritus and his own agony of self accusation.
It is difficult to single out individual dancers from a company so united in its belief and enjoyment of doing something that is theatrically unique and excellent.
Richard Collins dances a strong contemporary Orpheus to Kathleen McInerney lyrical and dramatic Eurydice. The superb Anna Donovan as Persephone AND Sean Cunnigham as Aristaeus were strong and convincing in their difficult roles. The whole extraordinary concept of the piece makes one sit on the edge of the seat wondering of the incredible theatrical experience one had just witnessed. The Irish National Ballet no Doubt will perform this piece in other capitals of the world”.
(Kane Archer-The Irish Times).

“It was definitely choreographer Domy reiter-Soffer's evening judging by the thunderous applause and the audience reaction for his spectacular “Time Trip Orpheus”. The Grecian love story was portrayed imaginatively with stage effects and excellent choreography. His interpretation combined psychedelic madness resembling a Disco of today with steam effects stage drops and some breathtaking movements in dream- like Elysian field.
The cast danced their way through astounding scenes from lyrical to powerful, from heart ranching dramatic climax to moving agony with such conviction that was unequalled in any theatrical venue seen here in Dublin. I urge everyone to get a ticket and witness this amazing production”.
(Mary Maloney- Evening Press)

“The most striking exciting and dramatic event of the year in Dublin has been a ballet, “Time trip Orpheus” at the Abbey Theatre. A premiere by the Irish National Company and a spectacular and inventive retelling in modern dance of the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice by the brilliant choreographer Domy Reiter-Soffer. No ballet quite like it for colour and movement has been seen on the Dublin stage.
(John Finegan-Evening Herald).

“Domy Reiter-Soffer's “Time trip Orpheus” is an intelligent impressive work danced and effectively designed and the opening scene in last night's performance was stunning. Music by Peter Bowman, Edgar Froese, and Chris Franke is exciting and impressively well used. Richard Collins as Orpheus was powerful and most impressive as was his beloved Eurydice Kathleen McInerney in her lyrical solo and last duet from the underworld. I was so impressed by Anna Donovan as Persephone, her authority and splendid solo guiding Orpheus to the underworld was moving and exciting. The scenes moved seamlessly from one to another with such impact and drama that one felt one was witnessing a true masterpiece. This is the kind of ballet that the company should be doing and with the brilliant inventiveness of choreographer Reiter-Soffer, the Irish National ballet company will continue to have winners”.
(Emmanuel Kehoe-Sunday Press).

“Domy reiter-Soffer's choreography in the Irish National Ballet premiere of his work “Time trip Orpheus” which was presented in the Abbey Theatre stage last night was superb. His Master piece is based on the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice updated in a modern context, was dramatically offset by the stylish lead interpretations of the dancers Richard Collins and Kathleen McInerney.
The ballet seamlessly moved from scene to scene with such power and style that by the time the curtain fell at the end, the audience were stunned by its sheer theatricality and choreographic inventiveness. The company are indeed deserving of kudos for their support performances, they were totally magnificent.
For sheer magnetism this work can hardly be outdone in its dramatic quality and lyrical sensibility. The agony of Orpheus at the end of the work when he realizes the loss of his beloved as the wind carries among the debris her scarf was a heart wrenching moment and coup de theatre. I urge people to go along to witness this worthy masterpiece”.
(Rose Costello-The Examiner).

“Time trip Orpheus” is the most opulent work the Irish National Ballet Company has staged, it is a further success story for its choreographer and Artistic Advisor Domy Reiter-Soffer. This ballet makes a stunning piece with music by three composers Peter Bowman, Edgar Froese and Chris Franke, for the retelling, in modern idiom of the legend of Orpheus and his passionate love for Eurydice. The opening is as up to the minute as you could desire- a disco, with Sean Cunnigham as Aristaeus (death-disc jockey) on a high ladder gazing down. Here Orpheus Richard Collins meets his Eurydice (Kathleen McInerney). When she eventually dies of snakebite, Orpheus follows her to the underworld, where he encounters the sinister Goddess of the Hades Persephone (Anna Donovan) in a spectacular solo and headdress, with a squad of Hell's angels, in black leather who torment Orpheus and eventually allow him to go on his journey. In the Elysian fields Orpheus meets the Heavenly Angels and Eurydice in a lyrical and moving duet beautifully danced and powerfully excuted. The ballet is moving and innovative and the rest of the cast gave a brilliant performance”.
(John Finegan- Evening Herald).

“The premiere of Domy Reiter-Soffers ballet “Time trip Orpheus” at the Abbey Theatre was a triumph with which The Irish National Ballet Company takes a huge leap forward. Nothing quite prepared us to the excellence that we have witnessed in last night's opening, setting such high standard and astonishing theatrical experience.
There is so much to say about this new ballet, for a start, lighting design and choreography leave nothing to chance and provoke so many gasps of admiration that the reviewer is left in a grave danger of Asphyxisiation. In a ballet which is a very modern rendering of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, these effects include a trance inducing Disco-like opening, with death as a DJ looming above on a ladder and Hell's Angels exactly at the arrival of threatening Motorcycles combined with smoke and effective lighting, makes a total theatre at its best.
The Ballet and the effects beat anything been seen on the Dublin stage for some time, they never interfere with the story and the agony of Orpheus as he struggles to lead Eurydice out of the underworld without looking at her face. The roles of Orpheus and Eurydice, innocents in a dark world of sado-masochistic freaks and threatening Gods are magnificently danced by the Corps and particularly Richard Collins and Kathleen McInerney in the title roles, but really all the Corps deserves the heartiest praise for this ballet with complete conviction and unwavering enthusiasm. It is this kind of dancing that will bring new and young audience to an art form that many have dismissed as akin to Opera in its irrelevance to the rock-music generation”.
( Lindie Naughton-The Irish Press)

“Domy Reiter-Soffer, the Irish National Ballet Company's Artistic advisor and the choreographer of “Time trip Orpheus” richly deserves the acclaim and hearty applause he received for the programme's main offering. A modern day interpretation of the classical Greek legend of love, ‘Orpheus' is a feast to the eye and the heart with its elaborate staging and synthesized music by Bowman, Froese, and Franke, and driving emotion so effectively depicted by the principals Richard Collins as Orpheus and Kathleen McInerney as Eurydice. Beginning with a disco setting, where the lovers are recognized and the young Eurydice is taken by death (Sean Cunningham), The frenzy and tension of the piece is stabilized, never to ease as the heartbroken Orpheus faces trials of the smoked filled Hades. There he barely survives the torment of the Hell's Angels appropriately garbed in leather and led by the talented Anna Donovan as Persephone brandishing a whip. In the set of the Elysian Fields he is finally rewarded by the presence of Eurydice, and the two dance a poignant Pas De Deux. Orpheus breaks the vow to Persephone by looking at his beloved in the face, and Eurydice is swept away to the underworld, lost forever. Orpheus heartbroken himself meets Death shortly afterwards, left alone on an empty stage scattered with wind-blown litter. An extravagant work, full of colour, gear, overwhelming emotions and solid dancing, “Time trip Orpheus” well deserves the enthusiastic reception it received. It is a compelling ballet, dazzling and subtle in its content and choreographically powerful”.
(V.K. Keogh- The Evening Press).

“The imagination of Domy Reiter-Soffer, using music by Bowman, Froese and Franks three visionaries of modernism, Lifts the mythical love story into this most terrible century, even whilst retaining its traditional character, young lovers parted by death, here the parting, mingling supernatural powers and modern realistic forces set in disco joint, a microcosm of the world as a kind of Hades, suggests corruption, confusion and evil. As the deus ex machina, Aristaeus, Death, corruptor, Sean Cunnigham, powerful and sinister, destroys the one shining thing left in the world-love: Eurydice dies and Orpheus, God of music, is brutalized out of existence. The dance is a savage comment on our society. The dancing of Kathleen McInerney as Eurydice is lyrical consistent with this young dancer, with a technical ability as well, maintains a character and emotional capacity. Richard Collins's Orpheus is wonderfully realistic, dramatically performed and very moving.
The whole production is repete with compelling images-Persephone, Anna Donovan and the rest of the cast equally compelling. In short, a brilliant conception of modern dance and total theatre at its best. A visionary choreography and up lifting experience that is rare and astounding”.
(Robert O'Donoghue- The Echo).