Orpheus and Eurydice by Gluck, ons. 27 dec. 2017, Fra (2017/2017), Instrueret af Ester Ambrosino, Dirigent Zoi Tsokanou, Theater Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany

Orpheus mourns the death of Eurydice. Cupid announces to the mourner that he may lead Eurydice out of the underworld, but not look at her while doing so. Arriving in the realm of shadows, furies surround the approaching Orpheus. Undeterred, he makes his way to Elysium, where he meets Eurydice. Without looking at her, he takes her with him to bring her out into the open. Irritated by this behavior, Eurydice doubts his love. In dire need, Orpheus turns around - Eurydice dies again. Lost forever, his beloved, Orpheus is left alone in endless pain. The history of the opera is inextricably linked to the legend of the singing Orpheus. In 1607, Claudio Monteverdi created an exemplary basis for the still young form of opera with his “Favola in musica” L'Orfeo. In 1762, a good 150 years later, Gluck and his librettist Ranieri de' Calzabigi also referred to the Orpheus myth in order to subject the genre to thorough reform. Her efforts to bring opera back to the foundations of drama were to have an effect right through to Wagner's reflections on musical drama. In its striving for truthfulness, Gluck's music dispenses with virtuoso arias and prefers simple song forms. The chorus advances to become a central protagonist, and the dance also experiences a radical dramaturgical appreciation.