Orfeo ed Euridice

E814627

Orfeo ed Euridice is an opera by Christoph Willibald Gluck that retells the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice with a focus on dramatic simplicity and expressive music.

Jump to: Statements Referenced by

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf opera
alsoKnownAs Orfeo NERFINISHED
Orphée et Eurydice NERFINISHED
balletMusic Dance of the Blessed Spirits NERFINISHED
basedOn myth of Orpheus and Eurydice
catalogueNumber Wq. 30 NERFINISHED
character Amore NERFINISHED
Euridice NERFINISHED
Orfeo NERFINISHED
commissionedBy Empress Maria Theresa's court NERFINISHED
composer Christoph Willibald Gluck NERFINISHED
ending happy ending with Euridice restored
firstPerformanceCity Vienna NERFINISHED
focus dramatic simplicity
expressive music
FrenchVersionPremiereDate 1774-08-02
FrenchVersionPremierePlace Paris NERFINISHED
genre opera seria reform
reform opera
hasVersion Orphée et Eurydice (French version) NERFINISHED
historicalSignificance milestone of operatic reform
influenced Christoph Willibald Gluck's later operas NERFINISHED
opera of the Classical period
language Italian
librettist Ranieri de' Calzabigi NERFINISHED
modernOrfeoVoiceType countertenor
mezzo-soprano
tenor (French version)
musicalStyle Classical
notableAria Che farò senza Euridice?
notableChorus Coro di spiriti beati (Chorus of Blessed Spirits) NERFINISHED
numberOfActs 3
orchestrationFeature prominent harp writing
use of trombones in underworld scenes
originalOrfeoVoiceType castrato (alto)
period Classical era
premiereDate 1762-10-05
premierePlace Burgtheater, Vienna NERFINISHED
reformAspect greater integration of music and drama
important role for ballet
prominent use of chorus
reduced vocal virtuosity
setting Thrace and the Underworld
structure recitatives, arias, choruses, and dances
subject Orpheus's descent into the Underworld NERFINISHED
theme death
faithfulness
love
the power of music

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Paride ed Elena follows Orfeo ed Euridice
Christoph notableWork Orfeo ed Euridice
subject surface form: Christoph Willibald Gluck