There is perhaps no better operatic subject matter than Orpheus, whose exceptional singing melts the hearts of the living and the dead. Claudio Monteverdi’s Orfeo stands at the head of a long list, and not just because of its early date. Together with librettist Alessandro Striggio, Monteverdi created in 1607 the first great opera. Its vivid recitative, toe-tapping arias, lavish accompaniments, and potent dramatic arc breathe life into his era’s revolutionary ideas about musical expression. Ars Lyrica’s new production, a collaboration with the New York Baroque Dance Company, is directed and choreographed by its Artistic Director Catherine Turocy and conducted by ALH Artistic Director Matthew Dirst.

Cast:
Karim Sulayman°, Orfeo
Amia Langer, La Musica/Euridice
Hannah De Priest, Proserpina/Ninfa
Cecilia Duarte, Messaggera/Speranza
Enrico Lagasca, Caronte
Tzvi Bat Ahserah, Plutone

° Ars Lyrica debut

Production Team:
Catherine Turocy, stage director & choreographer
Matthew Dirst, music director
Julius Sanchez, stage manager