Organization

Admin

University of Michigan

Conductor

Brian Garman

Stage director

Mo Zhou

Set designer

Kevin Judge

Costume designer

Sarah M. Oliver

Lighting designer

Marie Yokoyama

Repetiteur

Peter Smith

Daniel Weber

Choreographer

Bohuslava Jelínková

Dramaturge

Karin Waidley

Chorus master

Sydney Mukasa

Singer

Tenor

Spencer VanDellen

Aristaeus / Pluto

Baritone

Amante Pando Girard

Jupiter

Soprano

Goitsemang Lehobye

Eurydice

Mezzo-soprano

Daiyao Zhong

Public Opinion

Alexander Nick

Orpheus

Tyrese Byrd

Jack Morin

Sohyun Cho

Carson Arcuri

Qirong Liang

Hannah Yan

Juno

Ian Pathak

Mercury

Pelagia Pamel

Diana

Yongxin Zhou

Venus

Veronica Koz

Cupid

Maggie Reed

Minerva

Loren Reash-Henz

John Styx

Bass

Thomas Long

Mars

Benjamin Isyk

Bacchus

Assistant Conductor

Luca Antonucci

Assistant Director

Rosanne Lee

Assistant Scenic Designer

Audrey Tieman

Assistant Lighting Designer

Sydney Geysbeek

Assistant Costume designer

Cole Carrico

Assistant Dramaturgs

Abigail Labbé

Orphée aux enfers -  (Orpheus in the Underworld)

Ann Arbor

United States

The Power Center for the Performing Arts

Orphée aux enfers Offenbach

Public

Orpheus in the Underworld

Matias Vergara Moyano

Approved

Orpheus in the Underworld (Orphée aux enfers) 

composed by Jacques Offenbach

libretto by  Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy

Department of Voice and the University Symphony Orchestra
November 2 – November 5, 2023 • The Power Center for the Performing Arts

Now, you’ve heard the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice in various forms, but get ready for something completely different. This time, we’ve got a cheeky twist for you, courtesy of French composer Jacques Offenbach. Orpheus is not the divine son of Apollo but instead a lackluster music teacher, and his marriage to Eurydice is far from harmonious. Eurydice secretly loves Aristée, who is actually Pluto in disguise. As Aristée serenades with a pastoral ode to sheep,  Eurydice suspects foul play, believing Orpheus plans to harm him. In reality, Orpheus and Pluto scheme to eliminate her. Pluto dupes Eurydice into the deadly trap, revealing his true form as she succumbs in. They descend to the Underworld, leaving a note for Orpheus. Just as Orpheus begins to revel in his newfound freedom, Public Opinion storms in, threatening to besmirch his name unless he goes to the Underworld to rescue his wife. Reluctantly, Orpheus embarks on his epic quest to bring Eurydice back from the depths, setting the stage for Offenbach’s delightful operatic journey.

Here’s the kicker: We’re singing this in French, but don’t worry, the dialogue is in good ol’ English. The production is set in the late 1950s, right in the eve of John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign – and trust us, it’s going to be a blast. So, mark your calendars, dust off your dancing shoes, and get ready to twist, groove, and laugh your way through “Orpheus in the Underworld.” It’s a special spin you won’t want to miss!

English

Orpheus in the Underworld by Offenbach, From (2023/2023), Directed by Mo Zhou,, Conductor Brian Garman, The Power Center for the Performing Arts, Ann Arbor, United States

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Program, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues