Page 14 - GALIET MUSIC´S METAPHOR: The House of Atreus IV

minor detail, we shall add two observations. First, Clytemnestra’s murder weapon is a machete rather than a sword or axe. Second, the tapestries are not shown, as we would have expected, when Orestes, in Libation Bearers, addresses them as “the woven thing that killed him [Agamemnon]” (LB. 1015). Yet, these textual and theatrical representations, including these minor discrepancies, do not disfavour the filial-socio-political tensions and realities felt by the classical audience.
Beyond the superb musical and theatrical-textual representations, Cassandra’s candid “cry of distress” becomes equally effective in its realistic representation of anguish. She tugs her hair, beats her breasts while her heart moans aloud giving a huge cry of grief. Her portrayal of kommos is not only deeply touching, but also as accurate as that of Achilles’ and of his women slaves after Patroclus’ death in the Iliad. Although in the Oresteia the actor would have worn a mask, Cassandra’s kommos, in a way, is more effective to modern audiences without one. As an example, in traditional, open-air temple performances of the Ramayana in Ubud, Bali, emotional projection is imperceptible beneath a mask, becoming a detriment in the overall success of the production. However, in non-traditional performances, where intricate face painting replaces masks, the effect on the audience is ten-fold. Even the tiny fireflies stop and clap while the audiences are left mesmerized at the renowned, superb facial, body and hand contortions of Balinese actors. While Cassandra’s act is not at their level, what chiefly pleases in Cassandra’s 8.5-minute-long9 performance, is to hear her range of deep, sudden dramatic alternations from lyrics to broken speech, from reason to despair in eloquent synchronicity with drums-lyres
9 After seeing the play twice, I measured time on the second viewing of the play. I had been so fascinated by the stagecraft of its music and lyrics and by the overall performance of all actors. I found Cassandra and the head of the chorus particularly striking.
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