Name: Orphée aux enfers
Start: 1997-11-19T00:00:00.000Z
End: 1997-12-31T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Opéra

Organization

Direction d'orchestre

Marc Minkowski

Mise en scène

Laurent Pelly

Décors

Chantal Thomas

Costumes

Michel Dussarrat

Chorégraphie

Dominique Boivin

Lumières

Joël Adam

Chanteur

Mezzo-soprano

Cassandre Berthon

Cupidon

Ténor

Etienne Lescroart

Mercure

Soprano

Virginie Pochon

Diane

Alketa Cela

Minerve

Maryline Fallot

Venus

Baryton

Laurent Naouri

Jupiter

Yann Beuron

Orphee

Natalie Dessay

Eurydice

Steven Cole

Styx

Opéra de Lyon

Others

Lyon Opera Choirs

Orchestra

Lyon Opera Orchestra

Orphée aux enfers

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.

Crédits de représentation (Distribution et équipe de production )

Distribution

Équipage

Ensemble