The Road to Orpheus
With the final week of Mardi Gras approaching fast,
last minute preparations are underway at some of New Orleans' biggest krewes.
Ranging from the final touches on float displays to the procurement of
elaborate throws, one of Mardi Gras' biggest krewes, Orpheus, recently welcomed
members and interested families alike to their annual Open House.
As rain pattered around the krewe den on Martin Luther
King Jr. Boulevard, guests were greeted by all manner of elaborate crafts,
costumes, and cocktails. A chance to meet up with members of the krewe
dovetailed with logistics planning and elaborate cocktail and food creations, it
was also a chance to see the theming and floats of Orpheus up close.
It wouldn't be a stretch to consider Orpheus the
operator of one of the most, if not the most, elaborately decorated float-crafts
in Carnival. Hearkening back to the elaborate float designs of the early 1900s Carnival
processions, Orpheus is known for its use of elaborate literary, mythological,
and (most importantly for a krewe led by Harry Connick Jr.) musical motifs. The
2024 theme, "Music of the Spheres," utilizes the symbolism of our solar system's
planets in combination with their tutelary mythological deities. Using motifs
linking the planets Neptune and Saturn with the Roman gods of sea and time, the
theme goes back to the classical namesake of Orpheus, the legendary classical
master of music. As for a more modern "classical music," float designer Derek
Franklin revealed that the theming also took inspiration from Gustav Holst's
1910s orchestral suite, The Planets.
Music Abound
As for the music one might associate with Carnival
today, Orpheus also has it in spades. The Open House reached its peak with a
procession of State Trooper motorcycles leading in the St. Paul's High School
Marching Band, whose lake-hopping escapades took them to two Southshore
performances within the span of 24 hours. The Orpheuscapade, the procession of
the parade through the Morial Convention Center and its musical afterparty, is
set with an all-star musical lineup of Harry Connick Jr., Taylor Dayne, Big Bad
Voodoo Daddy, and The Mixed Nuts. Between the parade and the afterparty, the
Open House proudly declared the event "Eight Hours of Music and Mardi Gras."
In an exclusive conversation, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
drummer Kurt Sodergren had a chance to reflect on the band's various Mardi Gras
performances, as well as the jazz music that was born in New Orleans and
continues to thrive on their home turf of the California coast, with their
performance for Orpheus serving as an almost perfect 25-year anniversary to
their performance at the 1999 Super Bowl in Miami.
"New Orleans has always been a favorite for us because
we always get to see so much good music ourselves," Sodergren said. "In our
past trips, we've loved seeing New Orleans jazz at places like Preservation
Hall and Snug Harbor; we always love it."
Harry Connick Jr. has also served as a good friend of
the band as well, with Sodergren recalling the time in which the two happened
to meet at Capitol Records and discussed the best way to bring out the melodic
chords for the compositions of Cab Calloway. "To hear the advice on how to play
classic jazz like that from Harry, that was amazing," Sodergren mentioned. "Of
course, being an actor, Harry also showed us a recreation of his role in the
1995 serial killer movie Copycat, so, of course, he's good at the
different sides."
With these artists preparing for the biggest rides yet
of one of Mardi Gras' biggest krewes, a great party is certainly in store.
Orpheus Parade
The Krewe of Orpheus rolls on Lundi Gras, February 12,
at 6 p.m. Beginning at the intersection of Napoleon and Tchoupitoulas Streets,
the parade will continue down to St. Charles Avenue, continuing for several
miles down towards Canal Street, returning back down Tchoupitoulas and Julia streets,
turning onto Convention Center Boulevard, past the Hilton Riverside's Whale Lot,
and completing its run through the end of the Morial Convention Center.
