Tom Service, in a provocative critique, argues that Christopher Nolan's film The Odyssey is a visually bloodless, expressively monotonous epic that fails to capture the thrill of Greek myths. Instead, he directs readers to opera, where composers from Purcell to Birtwistle have created passionate dramas inspired by ancient stories. Service notes that the film's three-hour runtime without an interval is more demanding than any opera, even Wagner's Das Rheingold at two and a half hours.
Why Opera Outshines Nolan's Odyssey
Service finds the music of The Odyssey disappointing, criticizing Ludwig Göransson's score for relying on a falling tritone and descending fifth in conventional Hollywood fashion. He contrasts this with opera's rich musical storytelling, citing Richard Strauss's Elektra, which grabs the audience with savage orchestral dissonance and a devastating vengeance plot. Mozart's Idomeneo breaks conventions with magical tempests and unholy monsters, turning Greek myth into a contemporary parable. Purcell's Dido and Aeneas offers one of music's most moving laments, while Berlioz's The Trojans features shatteringly empathic characters and thrilling orchestral imagination. Harrison Birtwistle's The Minotaur humanizes the mythical beast, creating a fully dimensional character caught between worlds.
Opera's Advantages in Storytelling
Service emphasizes that opera provides intervals, unlike Nolan's film, and offers more compelling emotional experiences. He lists additional Greek-inspired operas, including Gluck's Telemaco, Handel's Teseo, Charpentier's Medée, Tippett's King Priam, and Jacquet de la Guerre's Céphale et Procris, as well as upcoming works like Tom Smail's The Odyssey. He concludes that live opera brings myths to life with better music, characters, and fulfillment, urging readers to visit the opera house instead of sitting through Nolan's epic.
