Organization

Conductor

Marc Minkowski

Stage director

Laurent Pelly

Set designer

Chantal Thomas

Costume designer

Michel Dussarrat

Choreographer

Dominique Boivin

Lighting designer

Joël Adam

Singer

Mezzo-soprano

Cassandre Berthon

Cupid

Tenor

Etienne Lescroart

Mercury

Soprano

Virginie Pochon

Diana

Alketa Cela

Minerva

Maryline Fallot

Venus

Baritone

Laurent Naouri

Jupiter

Yann Beuron

Orpheus

Natalie Dessay

Eurydice

Steven Cole

John Styx

Opéra de Lyon

Others

Lyon Opera Choirs

Orchestra

Lyon Opera Orchestra

Orphée aux enfers -  (Orpheus in the Underworld)

Lyon

France

Opéra Nouvel de Lyon

In his famous "opera bouffe" Orpheus in the Underworld, Jacques Offenbach explores in a comic way the tragic story of lovers Orpheus and Eurydice. It is staged here by Laurent Pelly at the Opéra National de Lyon and performed by Natalie Dessay (Eurydice) and Yann Beuron (Orpheus).

In this funny version of Orphée's ancient myth, his highly famous complaint "I have lost my Eurydice" seems to be a victory roar... In this opera composed after a libretto by Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy, premiered in 1858 at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens, Offenbach and the librettists give characters back to life in a highly humorous way.

It is the story of a domestic squabble between bitter lovers Eurydice and Orpheus: Eurydice is fed up with Orpheus musical talent, but they cannot break off. So that Orpheus decides to ask shepherd Aristaeus – who is Pluto himself disguised – for his help. He wants him to seduce Eurydice to lead her die in a trap. Eurydice dies and goes to the Underworld. Everything is for the best in the best of all possible worlds, but Public Opinion comes to moralize Orpheus: he must save his honour in saving Eurydice...

The fanciful staging perfectly highlights Offenbach's Genius and humor: indeed he was the composer who created the genre of French "opéra bouffe". Natalie Dessay and Yann Beuron remarkably perform this opera with voices full of expressiveness and a beautiful stage presence. They really transform this domestic squabble into a funny story.

Orphée aux enfers Offenbach

Public

Orpheus in the Underworld

Approved

Production booklet

Further reading