Orpheus and Eurydice San Francisco 2022 Jakub Józef Orliński, Meigui Zhang, Nicole Heaston

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: Orfeo ed Euridice or French: Orphée et Eurydice  
• Composer: Gluck Christoph Willibald  
• Libretto: Ranieri de' Calzabigi    Libretto Text, Libretto Index
• Venue & Opera Company: War Memorial Opera Hiuse, San Francisco, California  
• Recorded: November 20, 2022
• Type: Staged Opera Live
• Singers: Jakub Józef Orliński, Meigui Zhang, Nicole Heaston
• Conductor: Peter Whelan  
• Orchestra: San Francisco Opera Orchestra  
• Chorus: San Francisco Opera Chorus  
• Chorus Master: John Keene  
• Choreographer: Rena Butler  
• Stage Director: Matthew Ozawa Choreographer * Set and Projection Designer Costume Designer Lighting Designer * Chorus Director   
• Stage Designer: Alexander V. Nichols  
• Costume Designer: Jessica Jahn  
• Lighting Designer: Yuki Nakase Link  

Information about the Recording

• Published by: San Francisco Opera  
• Date Published: 2022  
• Format: Streaming
• Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
• Subtitles: yessubs, ensubs  
• This Recording is NOT AVAILABLE from a proper commercial or public source
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

SYNOPSIS from San Francisco Opera:

OVERTURE

Orpheus is unable to find an outlet for his immense emotional grief following the death of his wife, Eurydice. Lost in his thoughts, he replays memories of their relationship and the final moments before her passing.

ACT I

At Eurydice’s funeral, Orpheus remains lost in his trauma. As the unbearable loss turns to anger, he cries to the gods to restore Eurydice to him. Amore, goddess of love, appears and comforts him. Pitying Orpheus, the gods allow him to traverse the land of the dead to retrieve Eurydice on condition that he not look upon her until they have reached the land of the living. Orpheus agrees and begins his journey.

ACT II

Orpheus approaches Hades, where the Furies and lost souls try to deny his passage. However,

Orpheus’ singing softens their pain and elicits their compassion to grant him safe passage. In Elysium, Orpheus is moved by the surrounding beauty but feels emptiness after not finding his beloved. Eurydice is brought back to him, and without looking at her, Orpheus leads her away.

ACT III

Orpheus leads Eurydice through a labyrinth out of the underworld. Eurydice yearns for Orpheus to look at her, but he is forbidden to do so and unable to explain why. Eurydice suggests that eternal death would have been preferable to his coldness toward her. Unable to bear it, Orpheus turns to look upon Eurydice, only to see her die again. Orpheus contemplates how he can live without her and decides to end his life. Amore stops him and gifts Orpheus wholeness and acceptance.