Schwetzingen SWR Festival: L'Orfeo

Favola in Musica by Claudio Monteverdi (Music) and Alessandro Striggio (Libretto)

Looking Back

When the singer Orpheus loses his bride Eurydice on their wedding day due to a tragic accident, he takes on the challenge of the underworld: He descends, enchanting Hades and Persephone with his song. But then... Orpheus turns around because he does not hear his wife's footsteps behind him. And thus, he loses Eurydice before he could fully bring her back. The story of Orpheus tells of a tragically failing musician and has inspired countless artists to fantasies and retellings. One of the most prominent and beautiful is created by Claudio Monteverdi: His L’Orfeo, one of the first operas in music history, was composed in 1607 during a time of great enthusiasm for antiquity and, like the Greek myth, addresses the great questions of humanity. What limits are set for us, and is it possible to overcome them? What power does death have over life, and what do love and hope achieve?

In the conclusion of the Monteverdi cycle that began in Mannheim in 2017, director Markus Bothe focuses on the artist theme of the piece. The ensemble il Gusto Barocco, under the direction of the Schwetzingen resident artist Jörg Halubek, will combine historical expertise with the highest liveliness as part of the scene and effectively separate the sound world into two spheres: here life (with strings, recorders, and a bright bass), there death (with trombones, shawms, and with regal and organ for the bass).

And tenor Julian Prégardien, who will also sing the protagonist of Haydn's Orpheus opera L’anima del filosofo at the Schwetzingen SWR Festival Orchestra Academy on May 9, lends his expressive voice to Monteverdi's Orfeo. He will sing one of the most beautiful opera arias: With "Possente spirto," Orpheus softens the heart of the dark ferryman Charon. It will be exciting to see which of the two surviving versions of this piece Prégardien will choose, the recitative or the coloratura-rich one. One thing is certain: he will touch the hearts of the audience in any case.

New production in cooperation with the National Theatre Mannheim

With kind support from FUCHS SE and Manfred and Lilo Fuchs

The Monteverdi cycle at the National Theatre Mannheim is supported by the Baden-Württemberg Foundation.

Age recommendation: from 14 years old.