Or Matias' Last Show at Great Comet

[aimeric]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 7:48pm

This one's for the Comet fans.  I just happened to get tickets for today's show (thanks, Jish!), and it turned out that it was Or Matias' last show ever.  One of the hardest-working conductors I've ever seen on Broadway, and he will be missed!

Dave Malloy gave a nice little speech for him after the curtain call (Or's been with the show for four and a half years now, so he's essentially one of the "originals" ), and it was a sweet send-off.  During the Balaga scene in the show, Lucas Steele even altered the lyrics for the "Goodbye my gypsy lovers" part to say "Goodbye my gypsy lovers,/All our revels here are over/Well, goodbye, Or Matias!"    It seemed that the cast gave him 100% and more today, and they looked like they were having a ball in the pit all show long.

 

Updated On: 7/9/17 at 07:48 PM

[leighmiserables]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 8:29pm

aimeric said: ""Goodbye my gypsy lovers" part to say "Goodbye my gypsy lovers,/All our revels here are over/Well, goodbye, Or Matias!" "

This just warmed my heart. Thanks for sharing that! Or's been the heart of the show (quite literally) this whole time and it's going to be so different without him! 

Updated On: 7/9/17 at 08:29 PM

[Eliza2]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 8:33pm

Some social media posts from the cast for him today:

Nick Choksi: https://twitter.com/NickChoksi/status/884118772881252352

Lucas Steele: https://twitter.com/TheLucasSteele/status/884120054882848772

Denee Benton: https://www.instagram.com/p/BWVXWtugaUw/

[Cfried]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 8:35pm

Was also there today and it was a nice send-off. It made me very happy. :) 

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 9:14pm

Or Matias is almost another character in the story. He's so animated in how he works, but still so precise. The nature of the show puts him and a few of the other orchestra members out so clearly that it's hard to not think if them as characters. Or's dancing and playing around during "The Duel" was fun to watch.

[sorano916]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 10:48pm

I loved Or's spirit in the show.

 

This tweet from Dave Malloy shows another side that we don't necessarily see too often. Bravo to all the music directors out there.

https://twitter.com/dave_malloy/status/884116497613848577

[Mediamaven2]

Posted: 7/9/17 at 11:12pm

Thanks for creating this thread and postings above. I lucked out to be there today too (just thought I was seeing Dave with alot of the original cast and newly cast Ingrid) and what a surprise that it was the musical director's last show. I noticed during the show that everyone seemed super energized - it is a super energy show anyway and it seemed more than just performing with Malloy which I've seen before and is maybe part of it -- today seemed  more. Everyone 110 percent. I had a front row mezzanine seat and could see the pit well; I watched them having a super great time. Now I realize in part why. Terrific show today.

[aimeric]

Posted: 7/10/17 at 10:02am

oncemorewithfeeling2 said: "Or Matias is almost another character in the story. He's so animated in how he works, but still so precise. The nature of the show puts him and a few of the other orchestra members out so clearly that it's hard to not think if them as characters. Or's dancing and playing around during "The Duel" was fun to watch.

"

This is so true.  I've always been sad if I get there and see that he's out for a show, even more so than some of the actors!  During his speech, Dave shared that Or first met the show's team when he auditioned for the role of Balaga at Ars Nova, and while that may seem crazy, it's not so much if you think about what an unstoppable little ball of energy he always is in that pit.  It's like he's doing "Balaga" all show long!  He was beating on that piano during his last "Charming," and just having the time of his life, which is so infectious for everyone around him.  Even Dave Malloy, who's sitting right behind him there in the pit during "Charming" and is supposed to be looking all dour and Pierre-ish, just couldn't hold character yesterday, and he just had the biggest smile on his face watching Or jam to his music in that last big chorus of the song.

While I feel like he's always played every show like it's his last, one of my enduring memories of him will be that last music/lighting cue of the last show, when he's holding and holding that last note of "The Great Comet of 1812" with his hands, while looking up at the glowing comet.  That light on his face while he holds the show in his hands, it's a very poignant image.  He's truly the center of that last tableau of the show, him, the comet, and Dave all alone in the dark. 

 

[schubox]

Posted: 7/10/17 at 9:45pm

Sad to see him go. Saw the show for the second time on Wednesday and he was one of the beet parts of both times I saw it. Happy I got to see him twice 

[bear88]

Posted: 7/11/17 at 12:16am

I don't have a lot to add, but he really did feel like an essential part of the show. Or is a very talented man with talent and charisma to spare and played a key role in making Great Comet such a delight for me.

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 7/11/17 at 2:09am

When I saw the show, I was seated in the stage right sunken tavern and thus, Pierre was facing away from me during the final number. So the final image of my perspective of the show was Or, with an insense, almost religious look, reaching up towards the comet to conduct the final bars of the show. I'll never forget it.