Program

Jacques Offenbach, Orpheus in the Underworld

Overture

I-1: "La femme dont le cœur"

I-1: "Ah ! C'est ainsi !"

I-1: "Moi, je suis Aristée"

I-1: "La mort m'apparaît souriante"

I-1: "Libre ! Ô bonheur !"

I-1: "C'est l'Opinion publique"

I-1: "Viens à l'Opinion"

I-1: "Viens ! Viens !"

I-Entracte: "Dormons, dormons !"

I-2: "Par Saturne !"

I-2: "Et hop ! Et hop !"

I-2: "Heureuses divinités"

I-2: "Aux armes, dieux et demi-dieux !"

I-2: "Pour séduire Alcmène"

I-2: "Il approche ! Il s'avance"

I-2: "Gloire ! Gloire à Jupiter !"

II-Entracte

II-1: "Ah ! Quelle triste destinée"

II-1: "Quand j'étais roi de Béotie"

II-1: "Pour attirer du fond de sa retraite"

II-1: "Il m'a semblé sur mon épaule"

II-2: "Vive le vin ! Vive Pluton !"

II-2: "Allons, ma belle bacchante"

II-2: "J'ai vu le dieu Bacchus"

II-2: "Maintenant, je veux, moi qui suis"

II-2: "La la la. Le menuet n'est vraiment si charmant"

Can-Can

II-2: "Ne regarde pas en arrière"

Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld

Barrie Kosky (stage director), Enrique Mazzola (conductor) — With Joel Prieto (Orpheus), Kathryn Lewek (Euridice), Léa Desandre (Venus) ...

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Cast

Barrie Kosky — Stage director

Rufus Didwiszus — Set designer

Victoria Behr — Costume designer

Franck Evin — Lighting designer

Otto Pichler — Choreographer

Joel Prieto — Orpheus

Kathryn Lewek — Euridice

Marcel Beekman — Aristee / Pluto

Program notes

Unlike the tragic lovers written by Monteverdi or Gluck, Offenbach’s Orpheus and Euridice are disillusioned and can’t stand each other anymore. Yet, when Euridice (Kathryn Lewek) dies and descends to the Underworld, Orpheus (Joel Prieto) puts aside his bitterness and decides to save his wife and bring her back. On his journey, he discovers the frivolous, decadent souls that dwell in the Underworld. These uninhibited mythological characters — a witty nod to the composer’s own contemporaries — are brought to life by a stellar cast featuring opera stars Anne Sofie von Otter and Lea Desandre. Barrie Kosky’s playful, burlesque staging at the 2019 Salzburg Festival is fuelled by the energy and extravagance of Offenbach’s score, performed to perfection by the Vienna Philharmonic under Enrique Mazzola.

A closer look: featured composers

Jacques Offenbach