School of Music

Orpheus in the Underworld - 2005
by Jacques Offenbach

Act I - The countryside near Thebes, with the house of Orpheus. Public Opinion parades herself as guardian of public virtue. Eurydice arrives, singing about her lover, the farmer Aristaeus. Orpheus, her husband, enters and the two cannot stand the company of each other - above all Eurydice dislikes Orpheus's violin playing. Orpheus taunts her by playing part of his latest concerto and goes on to inform her that he set a trap for Aristaeus. Eurydice tries to Aristaeus, but she is caught in the trap - bitten by a snake. Aristaeus reveals himself as Pluto, god of the underworld. He sets off with Eurydice. Orpheus contemplates freedom, however, his joy is cut short by Public Opinion, who insists that he must go to the underworld and bring back his wife.

Act II - Mount Olympus in the clouds at dawn. The gods are asleep when Venus, Cupid, and Mars return from their pursuits. As they settle down a blast on Diana's hunting horn tells them it is time to wake. Pluto arrives, and Jupiter berates him for having kidnapped a mortal woman. They are interrupted by a revolt of the gods, who have had enough of Jupiter's hypocrisy. Public Opinion arrives with Orpheus to reclaim his wife. Jupiter tells Pluto to return Eurydice, and the gods decide to go with him to the underworld to be sure the deed is carried out.

Act III - Pluto's boudoir, in Hades. Eurydice is bored - her only company is Pluto's servant John Styx, King of the Boeotians. He has been keeping Eurydice locked up by orders of Pluto, and hastily returns her to her room when Pluto returns with Jupiter. Cupid tells them that Eurydice is a prisoner in the next room and Jupiter needs verify this, which he does after Cupid transforms him into a fly so he can fly through the keyhole. Eurydice is bored and welcomes even a fly, which she chases. Finally allowing himself to be caught, Jupiter identifies himself and suggests that Eurydice should flee with him to Olympus.

Act IV - Hades and the River Styx. A party is in full swing. Eurydice is there, disguised as a Bacchante, and everyone enjoys a dance that turns from a stately minuet into a cancan. Jupiter tries to sneak off with her, but Pluto bars the way and announces that Orpheus is on his way with Public Opinion. Cupid thinks of a plan. When Orpheus arrives and demands his wife, Jupiter agrees on condition that, on his exit from Hades, Orpheus leads the way and does not look round. The procession starts, but, by hurling a thunderbolt just behind Orpheus, Jupiter shocks him into turning round. To the delight of everyone except Public Opinion, Orpheus loses the right to Eurydice, and Jupiter transforms her into a priestess of Bacchus.

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