Orfeo ed Euridice was the first result of the joint work of Calzabigi, Angiolini and Gluck, under the encouragement of Count Durazzo in 1762. Between 1774 and 1779 Gluck enjoyed considerable success in Paris, where a French version of Orfeo ed Euridice was staged in August, 1774.

Gluck later credited Calzabigi with the inspiration for Orfeo ed Euridice, a judgment in which the librettist himself fully concurred. Calzabigi laid particular stress on the relationship between opera and declamation, in one sense a return to the very origins of the form in its late sixteenth-century association with rhetoric. In his introduction to the work he explains that he has changed the scene of Eurydice's death from Thrace to Campania, near to the reputed entrance to the Underworld near Lake Averno, thus preserving the Aristotelian unity of place. He further adapted the legend, according to which Orpheus had lost Eurydice by disobeying the prohibition laid on him not to look round at her as he left the Underworld, by conforming with the happy ending expected of the modern stage and avoiding the harsher ending outlined in his classical sources, Vergil's fourth Georgic and the sixth book of the Aeneid. At the first performance, given on 5th October 1762 at the Burgtheater in Vienna, the part of Orpheus was taken by the castrato Gaetano Guadagni, with Marianna Bianchi as Eurydice and Lucile Clavereau as Cupid (Love).

Synopsis

The lively overture touches briefly on something of the drama to come.

Act I

Scene 1

Solemn music at the rise of the curtain reveals a lonely grove of laurels and cypresses, with the tomb of Eurydice, around which nymphs and shepherds lament, while Orpheus calls on his beloved.

In a recitative, Orpheus bids his companions to desist and leave him alone to mourn.

The nymphs and shepherds continue their mourning dance.

They end their lament and disperse.

Orpheus calls out the name of his beloved Eurydice, weeping for her loss.

He bitterly inveighs against the powers of the Underworld.

Scene 2

The god of Love appears, offering help. Orpheus will be allowed to bring Eurydice back from the dead, if he can, with his music, placate the furies and spirits of Hades. In bringing her back, he must not turn to look at her, as she follows him back to the land of the living, nor may he explain to her the reason for his actions.

Love urges Orpheus to follow this decree, reminding him that his suffering will be transitory and that lovers are sometimes without words.

Orpheus is overjoyed, but foresees the difficulties he will encounter in Eurydice's bewilderment at the behavior commanded of him.

There is thunder and lightning as he goes.

Act II

Scene 1

The scene is set in the dreaded caverns of Hades. Furies and spectres dance their infernal dance, interrupted by the sound of the lyre of Orpheus.

The spirits seek to know who dares to enter Hades, following the heroes Hercules and Pirithous.

They resume their dance.

The spirits repeat their question and call on the Eumenides and Cerberus to deter the mortal, if mortal he is.

They resume their dance.

Orpheus seeks to calm the Furies and spirits.

They are partially placated by his pleas and ask Orpheus his purpose.

Orpheus declares himself a fellow-sufferer with the spirits of Hades, with his own torments.

The spirits are further mollified.

Orpheus continues his pleas, if the spirits around him have ever felt the pangs of love.

Now placated, the spirits give way and allow Orpheus to enter the gates of their realm. They disperse.

Scene 2

The scene changes to a verdant countryside, meadows covered in flowers, arbours and murmuring streams. Orpheus is joined by heroes and heroines of old.

Orpheus delights in the scene, but Elysium is not for him: his paradise is Eurydice, whom he now seeks.

The heroes and heroines praise the courageous example of Orpheus.

They dance.

Orpheus is impatient to see Eurydice, who now appears.

She is escorted by heroines of the past and Orpheus takes her hand and hurriedly leads her away.

Act III

Scene 1

Orpheus leads Eurydice on the path to the upper world, always without looking at her. She is at first delighted and then puzzled and angry at the failure of her husband to embrace her or even look at her. He remains steadfast, still leading her on.

Both are distressed by the situation, Eurydice by her husband's seemingly unfeeling behaviour, and Orpheus by her importunity.

Eurydice foresees future unhappiness and declares herself now unused to the troubles of humanity.

She has passed from death to such sorrow.

Eurydice pleads with Orpheus, who finally can resist no longer. He turns to look at her, and she dies.

Orpheus laments the second death of his beloved.

Now, he only wants to follow her back to Hades, joining her in the journey over the Styx.

Scene 2

As he is about to kill himself, Love intervenes, disarming him and bringing a reward for his love and constancy. Eurydice shall live again, and she comes to life again, waking as from a deep sleep. They are now re-united.

Scene 3

At a sign from Love, the scene changes to the temple of Love, where nymphs and shepherds celebrate the return of Eurydice, joined in their rejoicing by Orpheus.

Writer: Keith Anderson