A big part of Ory‘s appeal is getting so up close and personal with the performers. It’s an offering that other, more traditionally established composers and directors, like the Metropolis Ensemble’s Andrew Cyr, are experimenting with too. Cyr, who was nominated for a Grammy in 2010, and a group of twenty musicians recently staged the second iteration of a show called Brownstone, a multi-room party-concert at the American Irish Historical Association. Violinists, xylophonists, and harpists performed, and vocalist Ariadne Greif sang a haunting solo while standing just inches from the audience. Combined with a light show, DJ, and food-and-cocktail pairings, it was a synesthetic experience, calibrated to toe the line between awesomeness and sensory overload.
The idea, in Cyr’s words, was for the audience to circulate freely and “take control of the experience.” The music and setting were perfectly suited to that: In each room, you heard a different version of the same song. That seems fundamental to this new crop of classical ensembles: It’s not about gimmicks, it’s about feeling allowed to break with convention and enjoy the music as you like.