Operetta

Orpheus in the Underworld

Opéra-bouffon in two acts

Jacques Offenbach

Włodzimierz Nurkowski
Tomasz Tokarczyk

2 hours 30 minutes

Details Tickets

details

information

duration

2 hours 30 minutes | 1 intermission

composer

Jacques Offenbach

libretto

Ludovic Halévy, Hector Crémieux, translation: Jerzy Merunowicz, edition: Wojciech Kępczyński

World premiere

Bouffes Parisiens, Paris, 21.10.1858

Polish premiere

Warsaw, 19.02.1862

premiere at the Krakow Opera

27 March 2020

language

Polish translation: Jerzy Merunowicz, Andrzej Ozga (sung parts), edition: Wojciech Kępczyński

description

The operetta in which Offenbach, the master of the genre, made a parody of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice by breaking with the previous tradition of its rendition. The programme of the Krakow Opera includes this best known opera piece illustrating the great feeling Orpheus had for his deceased wife, Orpheus and Eurydice by Ch. W. Gluck. Offenbach’s adaptation portrays a married couple, bored with each other and searching for thrills outside of marriage with the interference of Olympian gods. The myth turned upside down gives the composer a chance to laugh at the unpunished abuse of power by elites, omnipresent hypocrisy, double standards of morality, and lying to the public. Cries of outrage were heard in Paris as a response to the violation of antiquity and disrespect towards the majesty of the Tsar, but the intelligent audiences hugely enjoyed the piece. Orpheus in the Underworld soon became internationally successful, because isn’t laughing at those in power a cure for anger and helplessness? And shouldn’t we laugh at ourselves, sometimes? The music sparkles with humour, awes with imaginativeness and wit. The Galop infernal from the second act, also known as the can-can, became the most recognized of the many unforgettable elements.

The performance is being prepared by Tomasz Tokarczyk, music director of the Opera, and Włodzimierz Nurkowski known from successful productions shown on our stage, such as Gianni Schicchi, Pagliacci, The Turk in Italy or Ariadne on Naxos. As usual, he will be supported in the visual aspect by Anna Sekuła – stage and costume designer.

Poster

poster by

Piotr Suchodolski

producers and cast

producers

Music Director: Tomasz Tokarczyk
Director: Włodzimierz Nurkowski
Set Designer and Costume Designer: Anna Sekuła
Stage movement: Violetta Suska
Choir Master: Jacek Mentel, Janusz Wierzgacz
Director’s assistant: Anna Popiel
Stage managers: Mateusz Makselon, Dagmar Bilińska-Korban
Prompters: Dorota Sawka, Maria Mitkowska

cast

ORPHEUS | Dominik Sutowicz (20.01, 22.01, 19.02), Jarosław Bielecki (21.01, 23.01, 18.02, 20.02)

EURYDICE | Katarzyna Oleś-Blacha (20.01, 22.01, 19.02), Maria Domżał (21.01, 23.01), Marcelina Beucher, Karolina Wieczorek (18.02, 20.02)

ARISTAEUS-PLUTO | Adam Sobierajski (20.01, 22.01, 18.02, 20.02), Łukasz Gaj (21.01, 23.01, 19.02)

JUPITER | Grzegorz Szostak (20.01, 22.01, 19.02), Przemysław Rezner (21.01, 23.01, 18.02, 20.02)

PUBLIC OPINION | Anna Lubańska (20.01, 22.01, 18.02, 19.02), Elwira Janasik (21.01, 23.01, 20.02)

JOHN STYX | Michał Kutnik (20.01, 22.01, 18.02, 20.02), Krzysztof Kozarek (21.01, 23.01, 19.02), Janusz Ratajczak

CUPID | Paula Maciołek (20.01, 22.01, 18.02, 20.02), Zuzanna Caban (21.01, 23.01, 19.02)

MERCURY | Łukasz Ratajczak (20.01, 22.01, 19.02), Adrian Domarecki (21.01, 23.01, 18.02, 20.02)

DIANA | Agnieszka Kuk (20.01, 22.01, 19.02), Iwona Socha (21.01, 23.01, 18.02, 20.02), Joanna Wójcik

JUNO | Karin Wiktor-Kałucka (20.01, 22.01, 19.02), Agnieszka Cząstka-Niezgódka (21.01, 23.01, 18.02, 20.02)

VENUS | Monika Korybalska (20.01, 22.01, 18.02, 20.02), Ewa Menaszek (21.01, 23.01, 19.02)

MINERVA | Magdalena Barylak (20.01, 22.01, 18.02, 20.02), Marta Abako (21.01, 23.01, 19.02), Karin Wiktor-Kałucka

MARS | Sebastian Marszałowicz (20.01, 22.01, 18.02, 20.02), Jacek Ozimkowski (21.01, 23.01, 19.02)

THE KRAKOW OPERA ORCHESTRA, CHOIR and BALLET
conductor: Tomasz Tokarczyk