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Vampyress

Presented by Vortex Repertory Company at The VORTEX

October 15-November 13, 2010

Avg. Event Rating (3.9 Stars):
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For Halloween 2010, ethos, in association with VORTEX Repertory Company, announces the long-awaited revival of Vampyress by Chad Salvata, at The VORTEX.

 

Vampyress is based on the true story of Erzsebet Bathori, “The Bloody Countess”. This award-winning opera is a tale of horror, murder, and magic, created by ethos composer and Artistic Director, Chad Salvata. Born in 16th-century Hungary, Bathori murdered hundreds of young women and bathed in their blood in order to sustain her youth and beauty. This historical figure has been both vilified and honored over the centuries. Salvata’s embellishment of her notorious downfall produces a powerful and mysterious work of storytelling.

 

 

Vampyress received accolades when it debuted at The VORTEX in 2005, including winning B. Iden Payne Awards for Outstanding Original Score (Chad Salvata), Outstanding Lead Actress (Melissa Vogt-Patterson), and Outstanding Supporting Actress (Betsy McCann). Vogt-Patterson and McCann reprise their award-winning roles as Erzebet and her lover Stephan. Also featuring Mindy Rast, Chelsea Manasseri, kt Shorb, Krysta Gonzales, and Sharan Shively.

 

Directed by Bonnie Cullum. Lighting Design by Jason Amato. Scenic Design by Ann Marie Gordon. Costume Design by Talena Martinez. Sound Design by Roy Taylor. PR Photograph by Kenny Gall.

 

This project is funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division. Produced in association with VORTEX Repertory Company.

 

http://www.vortexrep.org

• At-a-
  Glance

  • Venue Info

    The VORTEX

    2307 Manor Road
    Austin, TX 78722

    Full map and directions

  • Admission Info

    Tickets:

     

    $30-$25 Priority Seating, $20-$15 General Admission, $10 Starving Artists

    Thursdays and Sundays 2-for-1 admission with donation of 2 non-perishable food items for SafePlace. Limited seating. Advanced purchase recommended.

    Info Phone: 512-478-LAVA (5282)

    Email

    Buy Tickets

    Check for Discount Ticket

  • Dates & Times

    Dates:
    October 15-November 13, 2010

    Times:
    

    Thursday-Sunday at 8pm

  • Accessibility Info

    ASL-interpreted Performance: Saturday, April 10, 2010, 8:00 pm Audio Described Performance: Saturday, April 17, 2010, 8:00 pm

  • Video & Image Gallery

    Currently, additional images/videos have not been submitted for this event.

  • Member Reviews

    Add review/comment

    • Event Name: Vampyress
      "Delightfully Outrageous"
      Review posted by: road warrior from rsmith3339@aol.com, Oct 21, 2010
      

      Had some great fun at the Vortex. Bloody good fun. Thanks to some amazing spectacle from every angle. Wow, performers who can really sing!! And lots of blood. My only issue was that I missed 50%... Expand

      Had some great fun at the Vortex. Bloody good fun. Thanks to some amazing spectacle from every angle. Wow, performers who can really sing!! And lots of blood. My only issue was that I missed 50% of the story because I couldn't understand the lyrics. Next time throw up some super titles just for those of us who can't sift through it all. Great costumes. Fab lights. Best set I've seen at the Vortex. Outrageous in your face opera. Drink up! Collapse

    • Event Name: Vampyress
      "Beautiful music lures you into an evil tale"
      Review posted by: Laura from Liberty Hill, TX , Oct 19, 2010
      

      I have two big complaints about Vampyress. The first is that there were often times when it was hard to hear the lyrics and made some of the finer points in the plot hard to follow. The second is... Expand

      I have two big complaints about Vampyress. The first is that there were often times when it was hard to hear the lyrics and made some of the finer points in the plot hard to follow. The second is by having just two people play all the minor characters it was sometimes hard to tell who there were at that moment. Other than that I thought it was an entertaining production with beautiful music and vocal performances. The nudity seemed excessive at times but I was able to find a way to justify it. The all female cast intrigued me. Everyone played their parts beautifully. I loved the set and the lighting. It created just the right atmosphere, somewhere between magical with a sense of wonder and pure evil. I was also impressed by how little blood was actually used. They kept you waiting for it until close to the end instead of drowning you in. Melissa Vogt-Patterson was truly amazing. Her eyes showed darkness of the character and her enchanting vocals kept you completely engaged. Collapse

    • Event Name: Vampyress
      "Dark, bloody but not too bloody"
      Review posted by: Crystal* from Austin, TX, Oct 18, 2010
      

      Vortex puts on another stunning production. Vampyress is a big opera, with pulsing lights, ritualistic music, strong vocalists, and gorgeous costumes and masks. The blood was certianly not over done -... Expand

      Vortex puts on another stunning production. Vampyress is a big opera, with pulsing lights, ritualistic music, strong vocalists, and gorgeous costumes and masks. The blood was certianly not over done - when I hear that a play is about a woman who bathes in the blood of virgins I expect to be covered in it myself by the end of the show - but to my pleasant surprise the subtly of it really made the show all the better. I'd have to say that my only complaint about the production was that in some of the songs the music drowned the vocals to a point where it made it difficult to understand the words. I was able to understand what was happening but I would have liked to have understood more of the lyrics. Overall my experience was good and I enjoyed the show. Collapse

    • Event Name: Vampyress
      "Much to like, but some foundational problems"
      Review posted by: A-Team Reviewer from Austin TX, Oct 17, 2010
      

      VAMPYRESS has become an Austin institution, so I was thrilled to get a chance to finally see it. While there was much to like about the blood-and-sorcery-drenched play, I was a bit disappointed with... Expand

      VAMPYRESS has become an Austin institution, so I was thrilled to get a chance to finally see it. While there was much to like about the blood-and-sorcery-drenched play, I was a bit disappointed with the music. The best way I can describe the music is as techno-hypno-trance, and VAMPYRESS as a whole works best when it goes into "ritual" mode, creating intensely theatrical moments of pure experience. The long, sustained notes of the score reverberate in the theater as blood drips from the ceiling onto naked bodies -- overwhelming, in a good way! The problem is the "story" scenes lose their 'character' in hypno-trance -- I longed for subtext, intrigue, self-doubt... Overall though, the design of the play is gorgeous, the staging is consistently inventive, and the talent on display is impressive. I especially appreciated the gender-ambiguous casting, and enjoyed the way the sex of the characters was alternately OVERLY emphasized and subtly critiqued. Good stuff. Collapse

    • Event Name: Vampyress
      "VAMPYRESS REVIEW"
      Review posted by: LindaM from Austin, Texas, Oct 17, 2010
      

      VAMPYRESS is based on the true story of Erzsebet Bathorik who lived in the 16th century Hungary. She murdered hundreds of young women and bathed in their blood in order to sustain her youth and... Expand

      VAMPYRESS is based on the true story of Erzsebet Bathorik who lived in the 16th century Hungary. She murdered hundreds of young women and bathed in their blood in order to sustain her youth and beauty.This is a very good opera; however, I would suggest anyone under 18 not be permitted to attend because of adult content. I have to admit, I was a little shocked when the play first began as I didn't expect anything like I saw. I thought it was going to be just a typical Halloween type play. Boy!! Was I wrong.!! I give it a 4* Collapse

• Media
  Gallery

  • All Media Gallery

    Currently, additional images/videos have not been submitted for this event.

• Member
  Reviews

  • Member Reviews

    Add review/comment

    • Event Name: Vampyress
      "Delightfully Outrageous"
      Review posted by: road warrior from rsmith3339@aol.com, Oct 21, 2010
      

      Had some great fun at the Vortex. Bloody good fun. Thanks to some amazing spectacle from every angle. Wow, performers who can really sing!! And lots of blood. My only issue was that I missed 50%... Expand

      Had some great fun at the Vortex. Bloody good fun. Thanks to some amazing spectacle from every angle. Wow, performers who can really sing!! And lots of blood. My only issue was that I missed 50% of the story because I couldn't understand the lyrics. Next time throw up some super titles just for those of us who can't sift through it all. Great costumes. Fab lights. Best set I've seen at the Vortex. Outrageous in your face opera. Drink up! Collapse

    • Event Name: Vampyress
      "Beautiful music lures you into an evil tale"
      Review posted by: Laura from Liberty Hill, TX , Oct 19, 2010
      

      I have two big complaints about Vampyress. The first is that there were often times when it was hard to hear the lyrics and made some of the finer points in the plot hard to follow. The second is... Expand

      I have two big complaints about Vampyress. The first is that there were often times when it was hard to hear the lyrics and made some of the finer points in the plot hard to follow. The second is by having just two people play all the minor characters it was sometimes hard to tell who there were at that moment. Other than that I thought it was an entertaining production with beautiful music and vocal performances. The nudity seemed excessive at times but I was able to find a way to justify it. The all female cast intrigued me. Everyone played their parts beautifully. I loved the set and the lighting. It created just the right atmosphere, somewhere between magical with a sense of wonder and pure evil. I was also impressed by how little blood was actually used. They kept you waiting for it until close to the end instead of drowning you in. Melissa Vogt-Patterson was truly amazing. Her eyes showed darkness of the character and her enchanting vocals kept you completely engaged. Collapse

    • Event Name: Vampyress
      "Dark, bloody but not too bloody"
      Review posted by: Crystal* from Austin, TX, Oct 18, 2010
      

      Vortex puts on another stunning production. Vampyress is a big opera, with pulsing lights, ritualistic music, strong vocalists, and gorgeous costumes and masks. The blood was certianly not over done -... Expand

      Vortex puts on another stunning production. Vampyress is a big opera, with pulsing lights, ritualistic music, strong vocalists, and gorgeous costumes and masks. The blood was certianly not over done - when I hear that a play is about a woman who bathes in the blood of virgins I expect to be covered in it myself by the end of the show - but to my pleasant surprise the subtly of it really made the show all the better. I'd have to say that my only complaint about the production was that in some of the songs the music drowned the vocals to a point where it made it difficult to understand the words. I was able to understand what was happening but I would have liked to have understood more of the lyrics. Overall my experience was good and I enjoyed the show. Collapse

    • Event Name: Vampyress
      "Much to like, but some foundational problems"
      Review posted by: A-Team Reviewer from Austin TX, Oct 17, 2010
      

      VAMPYRESS has become an Austin institution, so I was thrilled to get a chance to finally see it. While there was much to like about the blood-and-sorcery-drenched play, I was a bit disappointed with... Expand

      VAMPYRESS has become an Austin institution, so I was thrilled to get a chance to finally see it. While there was much to like about the blood-and-sorcery-drenched play, I was a bit disappointed with the music. The best way I can describe the music is as techno-hypno-trance, and VAMPYRESS as a whole works best when it goes into "ritual" mode, creating intensely theatrical moments of pure experience. The long, sustained notes of the score reverberate in the theater as blood drips from the ceiling onto naked bodies -- overwhelming, in a good way! The problem is the "story" scenes lose their 'character' in hypno-trance -- I longed for subtext, intrigue, self-doubt... Overall though, the design of the play is gorgeous, the staging is consistently inventive, and the talent on display is impressive. I especially appreciated the gender-ambiguous casting, and enjoyed the way the sex of the characters was alternately OVERLY emphasized and subtly critiqued. Good stuff. Collapse

    • Event Name: Vampyress
      "VAMPYRESS REVIEW"
      Review posted by: LindaM from Austin, Texas, Oct 17, 2010
      

      VAMPYRESS is based on the true story of Erzsebet Bathorik who lived in the 16th century Hungary. She murdered hundreds of young women and bathed in their blood in order to sustain her youth and... Expand

      VAMPYRESS is based on the true story of Erzsebet Bathorik who lived in the 16th century Hungary. She murdered hundreds of young women and bathed in their blood in order to sustain her youth and beauty.This is a very good opera; however, I would suggest anyone under 18 not be permitted to attend because of adult content. I have to admit, I was a little shocked when the play first began as I didn't expect anything like I saw. I thought it was going to be just a typical Halloween type play. Boy!! Was I wrong.!! I give it a 4* Collapse

• Media
  Reviews

  • Media Reviews

    There are currently no media reviews for this event.