Name: Eurydice
Start: 2021-11-23T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2021-12-16T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Metropolitan Opera House

Organization

Conductor

Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Daniela Candillari

Stage director

Mary Zimmerman

Set designer

Daniel Ostling

Costume designer

Ana Kuzmanic

Lighting designer

TJ Gerckens

Choreographer

Denis Jones

Dramaturge

Paul Cremo

Projection Designer

Katy S Tucker

Soprano

Erin Morley

Eurydice

Baritone

Nathan Berg

Eurydice's Father

Joshua Hopkins

Orpheus

Countertenor

Jakub Józef Orliński

Orpheus Double

John Holiday

Tenor

Barry Banks

Hades

The Metropolitan Opera

Others

Metropolitan Opera Choir

Orchestra

Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Lincoln Center

English

New York City

United States

Metropolitan Opera House

The myth of Orpheus—who takes a perilous quest into the Underworld to rescue his beloved, Eurydice, only to lose her a second time on their trip back to the land of the living—has inspired operatic composers for centuries. During the 2021–22 season, the Met unveiled an inventive new take on this classic tale from American composer Matthew Aucoin, who worked with playwright Sarah Ruhl to reimagine the story from the heroine’s point of view. In this spellbinding Live in HD transmission, soprano Erin Morley stars in the title role, joined by baritone Joshua Hopkins as Orpheus and countertenor Jakub Józef Orlinski as his otherworldly double. The remarkable cast also features high-flying tenor Barry Banks as Hades and bass-baritone Nathan Berg as Eurydice’s compassionate father. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin is on the podium to lead the Met Orchestra and Chorus in an explosive score that brings the Underworld to life like never before.

Eurydice Aucoin

Public

German

Spanish

Approved

Composer Matthew Aucoin joins members of the Met Orchestra’s percussion section to discuss the diverse instruments featured in his new opera. Production: Mary Zimmerman. Conductor: Yannick Nézet-Séguin. 2021–22 season. Videography by Pete Scalzitti.

Eurydice: A View from the Percussion Section

The ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, who attempts to harness the power of music to rescue his beloved Eurydice from the Underworld, has inspired composers since opera’s earliest days. Brilliant American composer Matthew Aucoin now carries that tradition into the 21st century with a captivating new take on the story—a product of the Met’s commissioning program. With a libretto by Sarah Ruhl, adapted from her acclaimed 2003 play, the opera reimagines the familiar tale from Eurydice’s point of view. Yannick Nézet-Séguin oversees the momentous Met premiere from the podium, leading Aucoin’s evocative music and an immersive new staging by Mary Zimmerman. Soprano Erin Morley sings the title role, opposite baritone Joshua Hopkins as Orpheus and countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński as his otherworldly alter-ego. Bass-baritone Nathan Berg is Eurydice’s father and fellow resident of the underworld, with tenor Barry Banks as Hades himself.

Orpheus is almost the archetypical operatic tale, and composers throughout history have adapted it for the operatic stage. But in his evocative new opera, celebrated American composer Matthew Aucoin reimagines the story from Eurydice’s point of view and imbues these familiar characters with surprising new dimensions.

Matthew Aucoin, a conductor, pianist, writer, and, most notably, composer, is an emerging force in music and formerly served on the Met’s music staff from 2012 to 2014. He was honored with a MacArthur Fellowship in 2018 and served as LA Opera’s first-ever artist-in-residence. Playwright, professor, and essayist Sarah Ruhl, also a MacArthur Fellow, created the libretto for Eurydice, adapting her highly successful 2003 play.

The opera takes place in both the world of the living and the world of the dead, as well as in the space between. It is not set in any specific time period, suggesting that this myth can, and does, take place in all eras.

The score of Eurydice creates a world analogous to the tale: equally at home in both the realm of appearances and in the deep subconscious. The impressive vocal solos range from the witty to the emotional, and the writing for orchestra and chorus is notable for its rich coloration. One of the most striking aspects of the score is the use of two singers in intertwining musical lines to express the dual character of Orpheus.

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble

Co-Producer