Schwetzinger SWR Festival: The Woman by His Side – Eurydice

Resident artist Jörg Halubek and his Baroque orchestra il Gusto Barocco place a mythological marginal figure at the center of this concert: Orpheus' wife, Eurydice. We know Orpheus well. Numerous operas tell his story; one of the most prominent among them, Monteverdi's L'Orfeo, will be performed by resident artist Jörg Halubek and his ensemble il Gusto Barocco on May 2nd and 3rd at the Schwetzingen SWR Festival. But what about Eurydice, his wife? The ancient myth of Orpheus tells us that she ended up in the underworld after a fatal snake bite. Her husband tried in vain to bring her back from there. Therefore, it is to be assumed that the nymph is still bored in Hades today. In this ancient male myth, she has never had control over her own fate. However, that is about to change, as this concert revolves entirely around Eurydice: the perspective shift being realized here is long overdue. It is a homage to a mythological marginal figure, supported by highly empathetic works from the early Baroque by renowned composers such as Jacopo Peri, Giulio Caccini, and Marco da Gagliano. Even Monteverdi himself composed music for Eurydice, and il Gusto Barocco once again confirms its reputation as a laboratory of historically informed performance practice with this exciting program.