K.V. Gluck "Orpheus and Eurydice": analysis, music. Encyclopedia of fairy-tale heroes: "Orpheus and Eurydice" Orpheus and Eurydice summary of the myth
The myth of Orpheus and his beloved Eurydice is one of the most famous myths about love. No less interesting is this mysterious singer himself, about whom not much reliable information has survived. The myth of Orpheus, which we will talk about, is only one of the few legends dedicated to this character. There are also many legends and fairy tales about Orpheus.
The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice: summary
According to legend, this great singer lived in Thrace, located in northern Greece. Translated, his name means “healing with light.” He had a wonderful gift of songs. His fame spread throughout the Greek land. Eurydice, a young beauty, fell in love with him for his beautiful songs and became his wife. The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice begins with a description of these happy events.
However, the carefree happiness of the lovers was short-lived. The myth of Orpheus continues with the fact that one day the couple went into the forest. Orpheus sang and played the seven-string cithara. Eurydice began to collect flowers growing in the clearings.
The Kidnapping of Eurydice
Suddenly the girl felt that someone was running after her through the forest. She got scared and rushed to Orpheus, throwing flowers. The girl ran through the grass, not making out the road, and suddenly she fell into a snake wrapped around her leg and stung Eurydice. The girl screamed loudly in fear and pain. She fell on the grass. Hearing the plaintive cry of his wife, Orpheus hurried to her aid. But he only managed to see how large black wings flashed between the trees. Death took the girl to the underworld. It’s interesting how the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice will continue, isn’t it?
Orpheus' grief
The great singer’s grief was very great. After reading the myth about Orpheus and Eurydice, we learn that the young man left people and spent whole days alone, wandering through the forests. In his songs, Orpheus poured out his longing. They had such power that the trees that had fallen from their places surrounded the singer. Animals came out of their holes, stones moved closer and closer, and birds left their nests. Everyone listened to how Orpheus yearned for his beloved girl.
Orpheus goes to the kingdom of the dead
Days passed, but the singer could not console himself. His sadness grew every hour. Realizing that he could no longer live without his wife, he decided to go to the underworld of Hades in order to find her. Orpheus searched for the entrance there for a long time. Finally, he found a stream in Tenara's deep cave. It flowed into the river Styx, located underground. Orpheus went down the stream bed and reached the bank of the Styx. The kingdom of the dead, which began beyond this river, was revealed to him. The waters of the Styx were deep and black. It was scary for a living creature to step into them.
Hades gives Eurydice
Orpheus went through many trials in this terrible place. Love helped him cope with everything. Eventually, Orpheus reached the palace of Hades, ruler of the underworld. He turned to him with a request to return Eurydice, a girl so young and beloved by him. Hades took pity on the singer and agreed to give him his wife. However, one condition had to be met: it was impossible to look at Eurydice until he brought her to the kingdom of the living. Orpheus made a promise that throughout the entire journey he would not turn around and look at his beloved. If the ban was violated, the singer risked losing his wife forever.
Return trip
Orpheus quickly headed towards the exit from the underworld. He passed through the domain of Hades in the form of a spirit, and the shadow of Eurydice followed him. The lovers boarded the boat of Charon, who silently carried the couple to the shore of life. A steep rocky path led to the ground. Orpheus slowly climbed up. It was quiet and dark around. It seemed that no one was following him.
Violation of the ban and its consequences
But it began to get brighter ahead, and the exit to the ground was already close. And the shorter the distance to the exit, the brighter it became. Finally, everything around me became clearly visible. Orpheus' heart was filled with anxiety. He began to doubt whether Eurydice was following him. Forgetting his promise, the singer turned around. For a moment, very close, he saw a beautiful face, a sweet shadow... The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice tells that this shadow immediately flew away and disappeared into the darkness. Orpheus, with a desperate cry, began to go back down the path. He again came to the shore of the Styx and began to call the ferryman. Orpheus prayed in vain: no one responded. The singer sat alone for a long time on the bank of the Styx and waited. However, he never waited for anyone. He had to return to earth and continue to live. He was never able to forget Eurydice, his only love. The memory of her lived in his songs and in his heart. Eurydice is the divine soul of Orpheus. He will unite with her only after death.
This ends the myth of Orpheus. We will supplement its brief content with an analysis of the main images presented in it.
Image of Orpheus
Orpheus is a mysterious image that is found in a number of Greek myths. This is a symbol of a musician who conquers the world with the power of sounds. He is able to move plants, animals and even stones, and also evoke in the gods of the underworld (the underworld) compassion that is not typical for them. The image of Orpheus also symbolizes overcoming alienation.
This singer can be seen as the personification of the power of art, which contributes to the transformation of chaos into the cosmos. Thanks to art, a world of harmony and causality, images and forms is created, that is, the “human world”.
Orpheus, unable to hold on to his love, also became a symbol of human weakness. Because of her, he was unable to cross the fatal threshold and failed in his attempt to return Eurydice. This is a reminder that there is a tragic side to life.
The image of Orpheus is also considered a mythical personification of one secret teaching, according to which the planets move around the Sun, located at the center of the Universe. The source of universal harmony and connection is the force of its attraction. And the rays emanating from it are the reason why particles move in the Universe.
Image of Eurydice
The myth of Orpheus is a legend in which the image of Eurydice is a symbol of oblivion and tacit knowledge. This is the idea of detachment and silent omniscience. In addition, it is correlated with the image of music, in search of which Orpheus is.
The Kingdom of Hades and the Image of Lyra
The kingdom of Hades, depicted in the myth, is the kingdom of the dead, beginning far in the west, where the sun plunges into the depths of the sea. This is how the idea of winter, darkness, death, night appears. The element of Hades is the earth, which again takes its children to itself. However, the sprouts of new life lurk in her womb.
The image of Lyra represents the magical element. With his help, Orpheus touches the hearts of both people and gods.
Reflection of myth in literature, painting and music
This myth was first mentioned in the writings of Publius Ovid Naso, the major “Metamorphoses” - a book that is his main work. In it, Ovid expounds about 250 myths about the transformations of heroes and gods of ancient Greece.
The myth of Orpheus outlined by this author has attracted poets, composers and artists in all eras and times. Almost all of his subjects are represented in the paintings of Tiepolo, Rubens, Corot and others. Many operas have been created based on this plot: “Orpheus” (1607, author - C. Monteverdi), “Orpheus in Hell” (operetta of 1858, written by J. Offenbach), “Orpheus” (1762, author - K.V. Glitch).
As for literature, in Europe in the 20-40s of the 20th century this topic was developed by J. Anouilh, R. M. Rilke, P. J. Zhuve, I. Gol, A. Gide and others. At the beginning of the 20th century in Russian poetry, the motifs of myth were reflected in the work of M. Tsvetaeva (“Phaedra”) and in the work of O. Mandelstam.
With a libretto (in Italian) by Raniero da Calzabigi, based on Greek mythology.
Characters:
ORPHEUS, singer (contralto or tenor)
EURYDICE, his wife (soprano)
AMUR, god of love (soprano)
BLESSED SHADOW (soprano)
Time period: mythical antiquity.
Setting: Greece and Hades.
First production: Vienna, Burgtheater, October 5, 1762; production of the second edition (in French), libretto by P.-L. Molina: Paris, Royal Academy of Music, August 2, 1774.
Orpheus was the greatest musician in Greek mythology. Indeed, he was so great that an entire religion arose - Orphism, and Orpheus was worshiped as a god some twenty-five centuries ago. Therefore, his story always seemed very natural for opera. Indeed, the earliest opera score that has come down to us is based on the plot of Orpheus. This is Eurydice by Jacopo Peri. It dates from around 1600, and several more operas about Orpheus were written soon after. Composers of the 18th and 19th centuries continued to refer to this character; Among the newest authors one can name Darius Milhaud.
But the only operatic version of this plot that can be heard today is Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice. By the way, this is the earliest opera traditionally performed in modern theaters, and it dates back to 1762. On October 5 this year, the composer conducted its premiere in Vienna. Then it was in Italian, and the role of Orpheus was played by Gaetano Guadagni, a castrato, that is, a male alto. The opera was later staged in France, where castrati were not accepted on stage, and Gluck rewrote this part for tenor. But in our time (except for productions in France), as a rule, the Italian version is given, and the role of Orpheus is played by a contralto - that is, naturally, a female contralto.
Gluck and his librettist, Raniero da Calzabigi, omitted many of the details found in the Orpheus myth, with the result that not much action occurs on stage. But we are gifted with many choral numbers (especially in the first act), as well as numerous ballet inserts. Due to the lack of action, this opera loses almost nothing in concert performance, and also retains its merits better than others in audio recording.
ACT I
Orpheus has just lost his beautiful wife Eurydice, and the opera begins (after a rather bouncy overture) in a grotto in front of her tomb. First accompanied by a chorus of nymphs and shepherds, and then alone, he bitterly mourns her death. Finally, he decides to bring her back from the underworld. He sets out to take control of Hades, armed only with tears, inspiration and the lyre. But the gods took pity on him. Cupid, that little god of love (that is, Eros, or Cupid) tells him that he can go down to the underworld. “If the tender lyre delights, if your melodious voice humbles the anger of the rulers of this fatal darkness,” Cupid assures Orpheus, “you will lead her away from the dark abyss of hell.” Orpheus needs to fulfill only one condition: not to turn around and not cast a single glance at Eurydice until he brings her, unharmed, back to the ground. This is precisely the condition that Orpheus - he knows about this - will find most difficult to fulfill, and he prays to the gods for help. At this moment, the sound of drums represents thunder, lightning flashes - this is how the beginning of his dangerous journey is marked.
ACT II
The second act takes us to the underworld - Hades - where Orpheus first defeats the Furies (or Eumenides) and then receives his wife Eurydice from the hands of the Blessed Shadows. The chorus of furies is dramatic and terrifying, but gradually, as Orpheus plays the lyre and sings, they soften. This is extremely simple music, it perfectly conveys the drama of what is happening. The rhythmic pattern of this episode appears more than once in the opera. Finally, the Furies dance a ballet that Gluck had composed a little earlier to depict Don Juan's descent into hell.
Elysium is a beautiful kingdom of Blissful shadows. The scene, at first dimly lit as if by the dawn, is gradually filled with morning light. Eurydice appears, sad, with a wandering gaze; she yearns for her absent friend. After Eurydice leaves, the scene is gradually filled with Blessed Shadows; they walk in groups. All this is the well-known “Gavotte Dance of the Blessed Shadows” with its extraordinarily expressive flute solo. After Orpheus leaves with the Furies, Eurydice sings with the Blessed Shadows about their quiet life in Elysium (the heavenly afterlife of bliss). After they disappear, Orpheus reappears. He is alone and now sings of the beauty that appears before his eyes: “Che puro ciel! Che chiaro sol!” (“Oh, radiant, marvelous view!”). The orchestra enthusiastically plays a hymn to the beauty of nature. Attracted by his singing, the Blessed Shadows return again (their choir sounds, but they themselves are still invisible). But now a small group of these Blessed Shadows brings Eurydice, whose face is covered with a veil. One of the Shadows joins the hands of Orpheus and Eurydice and removes Eurydice's veil. Eurydice, having recognized her husband, wants to express her delight to him, but the Shadow gave a sign to Orpheus not to turn his head. Orpheus, walking ahead of Eurydice and holding her hand, climbs her along the path at the back of the stage, heading towards the exit from Elysium. At the same time, he does not turn his head towards her, well remembering the condition set to him by the gods.
ACT III
The last act begins with Orpheus leading his wife back to earth through a rocky landscape, dark passages, winding paths, and dangerously overhanging cliffs. Eurydice knows nothing of the fact that the gods have forbidden Orpheus even a fleeting glance at her before they reach earth. While they move like this, Eurydice gradually transforms from the Blessed Shadow (as she was in the second act) into a real living woman with a hot temperament. She, not understanding the reasons for Orpheus’s behavior, bitterly complains about how indifferent he now treats her. She addresses him now tenderly, now enthusiastically, now with bewilderment, now with despair; she grabs Orpheus by the hand, trying to attract attention to herself: “Just give me one look...” she begs. Does Orpheus no longer love his Eurydice? And while Orpheus convinces her otherwise and complains to the gods, she becomes more and more persistent. In the end she tries to drive him away: “No, go away! It’s better for me to die again and forget you...” At this dramatic moment, their voices merge. And so Orpheus challenges the gods. He turns his gaze to Eurydice and embraces her. And the moment he touches her, she dies. The most famous moment in the opera comes - the aria “Che faro senza Euridice?” (“I lost Eurydice”). In despair, Orpheus wants to commit suicide with a blow of a dagger, but at the last moment the little god of love, Cupid, appears to him. He stops Orpheus in this desperate impulse and passionately calls out: “Eurydice, rise again.” Eurydice seems to awaken from a deep sleep. The gods, says Cupid, were so amazed by Orpheus’s loyalty that they decided to reward him.
The final scene of the opera, which takes place in the temple of Cupid, is a series of solos, choruses and dances in praise of love. This is a much happier ending than the one we know from mythology. According to the myth, Eurydice remains dead, and Orpheus is torn to pieces by the Thracian women in indignation that, selflessly indulging in sweet sorrow, he neglected them. The 18th century, however, preferred happy endings to its tragic operas.
Henry W. Simon (translated by A. Maikapara)
With the contralto singer (castrato) Gaetano Guadagni in the title role, the “performance” was a complete success, although it was not without negative ratings - perhaps because of the performance, which Gluck himself found unsatisfactory. The score was soon published in Paris - evidence of the high importance that French culture attached to opera. In Italy, the opera was first staged in a revised form in 1769 at the Court of Parma as part of a triptych called "The Celebrations of Apollo". In 1774, it was the turn of the Paris production: a new poetic text in French, the addition of vocal, dance and instrumental episodes, as well as new touches that made the orchestration even more magnificent.
The best moments of the Paris production were two new instrumental numbers: the dance of the furies and ghosts in hell and the dance of the blessed souls in Elysium. The first dance is borrowed from the ballet Don Juan, staged by Gluck in 1761, which, thanks to the choreographic discoveries of Jean-Georges Noverre, can be considered a dramatic masterpiece of its kind. The Dance of the Furies goes back to a scene from Rameau’s opera “Castor and Pollux”, the content of which was, however, much more ironic, while in Gluck this episode is distinguished by its terrifying, unbridled, grandiose force, and in it Tasso’s “infernal trumpet” sounds like an imperious warning , penetrating every nook and cranny of the stage. Adjacent to this fragment, displaying a strikingly bold combination of contrasts, is a scene of the dance of blessed souls, as if in a dream, evoking the lightest, sweetest memories of our ancestral home. In this feminine atmosphere, the noble outlines of the flute melody come to life, sometimes timid, sometimes impetuous, depicting the peace of Eurydice. Orpheus is also amazed by this picture and sings a hymn to the full of sounds, uplifting nature with its running waters, the chirping of birds and the fluttering of the breeze. Hidden melancholy is diffused in the picture created by the famous singer, shrouded in a gentle haze of love. It is a pity that in Paris the contralto was replaced by a tenor, which is not able to rise to such sublime, magical spheres. For the same reason, the pure beauty that permeated Orpheus’s famous aria “I Lost Eurydice” was lost, regarded by many because of its C major as more suitable for depicting rejoicing than suffering, as a formal error. However, this criticism is unfair. Orpheus could express indignation at the cruel condition in this aria, but he makes an effort of will to stay at the height of his duty, to preserve his own dignity. In addition, the figurations and sequence of intervals add tenderness to the melody. This just shows the mental confusion of Orpheus, his restless desire for the one who, it would seem, is no longer destined to return. The hero’s behavior will turn out to be even more convincing and exciting if we remember that during the meeting with his wife, she downright tormented him by attacking him. him with reproaches almost in the tradition of comic opera. But a flashing ray of light will still lead the opera to a happy ending. A premonition of such an end was given to us even in the first act by the playful advice of Cupid, who, being the voice of the heart, will guide Orpheus through the sad land of Eurydice (here again an echo of Rameau’s “Castor and Pollux” is heard), abolish the laws of the afterlife and give him the gift of the gods.
G. Marchesi (translated by E. Greceanii)
History of creation
The ancient plot about the devoted love of Orpheus and Eurydice is one of the most common in opera. Before Gluck, it was used in the works of Peri, Caccini, Monteverdi, Landi and a number of minor authors. Gluck interpreted and embodied it in a new way. Gluck's reform, first carried out in Orpheus, was prepared by many years of creative experience, work in major European theaters; He was able to put his rich, flexible craftsmanship, perfected over decades, at the service of his idea of creating a sublime tragedy.
The composer found an ardent like-minded person in the person of the poet Raniero Calzabigi (1714-1795). From the numerous versions of the legend of Orpheus, the librettist chose the one set out in Virgil’s Georgics. In it, ancient heroes appear in majestic and touching simplicity, endowed with feelings accessible to an ordinary mortal. This choice reflected a protest against the false pathos, rhetoric and pretentiousness of feudal-noble art.
In the first edition of the opera, shown on October 5, 1762 in Vienna, Gluck had not yet completely freed himself from the traditions of ceremonial performances - the part of Orpheus was entrusted to the viola castrato, the decorative role of Cupid was introduced; The ending of the opera, contrary to the myth, turned out to be happy. The second edition, shown in Paris on August 2, 1774, differed significantly from the first. The text was re-written by de Molina. Orpheus’s part became more expressive and natural; it was expanded and given to the tenor. The scene in hell ended with the music of the finale from the ballet Don Juan; The famous flute solo, known in concert practice as Gluck’s “Melody,” was introduced into the music of “Blessed Shadows.”
In 1859, Gluck's opera was revived by Berlioz. Pauline Viardot performed the role of Orpheus. Since then, there has been a tradition of the singer performing the title role.
Music
"Orpheus" is rightly considered a masterpiece of the musical and dramatic genius of Gluck. In this opera, for the first time, music is so organically subordinated to dramatic development. Recitatives, arias, pantomimes, choruses, and dances fully reveal their meaning in connection with the action unfolding on stage, and, when combined, give the entire work amazing harmony and stylistic unity.
The opera's overture is not musically connected to the action; according to the existing tradition, it is sustained in lively movement and a cheerful character.
The first act is a monumental funeral fresco. The sound of funeral choirs is majestic and sad. Against their background, the lamentations of Orpheus appear, full of passionate sorrow. In the solo episode of Orpheus, the expressive melody “Where are you, my love”, in the spirit of lamento (plaintive lament), is repeated three times with echo. It is interrupted by dramatic appealing recitatives, which, like an echo, are echoed by the orchestra behind the stage. Cupid's two arias (one of them written for the Paris production) are elegant and beautiful, but have little connection with the dramatic situation. The second aria “Heaven’s command to fulfill haste”, set in the rhythm of a minuet, captivates with its playful grace. At the end of the act, a turning point occurs. The final recitative and aria of Orpheus are of a strong-willed, impetuous nature, affirming heroic features in him.
The second act, the most innovative in concept and execution, is divided into two contrasting parts. In the first, choirs of spirits sound eerily menacing, performed in unison with trombones - instruments first introduced into the opera orchestra in the Paris edition of Orpheus. Along with the sharp harmonies and “fatal” rhythm, the orchestra’s glissando, depicting the barking of Cerberus, is intended to produce an impression of horror. Swift passages and sharp accents accompany the demonic dances of the furies. All this is countered by Orpheus’ tender aria to the accompaniment of the lyre (harp and strings off stage) “I conjure, I beg, have mercy, have mercy on me.” The elegiacally colored smooth melody becomes more excited and active, the singer’s request becomes more insistent. The second half of the act is designed in light pastoral colors. The pipes of the oboe, the quiet flowing sound of the violins, and the light transparent orchestration convey a mood of complete tranquility. The melancholic melody of the flute is expressive - one of the remarkable revelations of Gluck's musical genius.
The disturbing, gusty music of the introduction to the third act paints a gloomy fantastic landscape. The duet “Trust the tender passion of Orpheus” receives intense dramatic development. Eurydice's despair, her excitement, and sorrowful lamentations are conveyed in the aria “O Unfortunate Lot.” The grief of Orpheus and the sadness of loneliness are captured in the famous aria “I Lost Eurydice.” The opera ends with a ballet suite and a jubilant chorus, where Orpheus, Cupid, and Eurydice perform alternately as soloists.
M. Druskin
Gluck's reform opera gave rise to the famous dispute between the Piccinists and the Gluckists (after the performance of the 2nd edition of the opera in Paris in 1774). The composer's attempts to overcome the traditions of opera seria (contrasting the recitative aria with its conventional feelings, cold decoration), his desire to subordinate the musical material to the logic of dramatic development did not immediately find understanding among the public. However, the success of subsequent works ends this dispute in favor of Gluck. In Russia it was first performed in 1782 (by an Italian troupe), the first Russian production was in 1867 (St. Petersburg). A significant event was the 1911 performance at the Mariinsky Theater (dir. Meyerhold, director Napravnik, choreography by M. Fokin, designer A. Golovin, title roles by Spanish Sobinov, Kuznetsova-Benois). Among modern productions, we note the Parisian performance of 1973 (Hedda as Orpheus, directed by R. Clair, choreography by J. Balanchine), Kupfer’s work at the Komische Oper (1988, J. Kowalski in the title role).
Discography: CD - EMI. Dir. Gardiner, Orpheus (von Otter), Eurydice (Hendrix), Cupid (Fournier).
The opera "Orpheus and Eurydice", a summary of which is given in this article, was the first work to embody the new ideas of Christoph Willibald Gluck. The premiere took place in Vienna on October 5, 1762, and from that moment the operatic reform began.
Opera Feature
However, what makes this opera so different from its predecessors? The fact is that the composer wrote the recitative in such a way that the meaning of the words was in the foreground, and the orchestral parts were subordinate to the mood of a particular scene. Here the static figures of the singers finally begin to show artistic qualities, they begin to play and move, singing is combined with action. For the sake of this, the singing technique is significantly simplified, however, such a technique does not spoil the action at all; on the contrary, it makes it more attractive and natural. The overture also helped create the atmosphere and general mood; moreover, according to the composer’s plan, the choir also became an integral part of the drama.
The structure of the opera is as follows: it is a series of complete musical numbers, which in their melody are similar to the arias of the Italian school.
Background
Why did this work win the hearts of the audience? After all, there are many works on the same plot, there is even a rock opera “Orpheus and Eurydice”, the summary of which practically corresponds to the classical plot. Why is Christoph Willibald Gluck's opera still staged at the most famous venues?
Orpheus and Eurydice are ancient heroes. The plot telling about their love is often repeated both in literature and in opera. It was used several times even before Gluck by composers such as Claudio Monteverdi, Giulio Caccini and Jacopo Peri. However, in Gluck's adaptation the story began to sparkle with new colors. But the reform carried out by Orpheus would have been impossible without many years of creative experience, rich and flexible craftsmanship, improved over decades, as well as without the knowledge gained while working with the largest European theaters.
The libretto of the opera "Orpheus and Eurydice" (a summary is given below) was written by the famous librettist Raniero Calzabigi, who became an ardent like-minded person of Gluck. There are many versions of the legend of the two lovers, but Raniero chose the one set out in Virgil's Georgics. Here the heroes of antiquity are presented in simplicity, touching and majestic. They are endowed with all the feelings characteristic of mere mortals, which became a protest against the pathos, pretentiousness and rhetoric of noble art.
First edition
The premiere took place in Vienna on October 5, 1762. In the summary of the opera "Orpheus and Eurydice" it should be mentioned that its original version was somewhat different. Firstly, the ending, contrary to the mythological plot, was happy. In addition, Gluck at that time had not yet completely freed himself from the influence of traditional ceremonial performances. He assigned the part of Orpheus to a viola castrato and introduced the decorative role of Cupid. In the second edition the text was rewritten. The part of Orpheus became more natural and expressive, it was expanded and transferred to the tenor. The flute solo, which became famous, was introduced into the episode with the “blessed shadows”, and the music Gluck had previously written for the ballet “Don Juan” was added to the finale of the scene in hell. In 1859, the opera received a new life from the light hand of Hector Berlioz. The role of Orpheus was played by a woman, the famous Pauline Viardot. The tradition of singers performing this part still exists today. Next, we offer you to read a brief summary of the opera “Orpheus and Eurydice” by K. Gluck.
First action
The opera begins with a scene in a grove of cypresses and laurels. At the tomb of Eurydice, Orpheus, the greatest of singers, mourns his beloved. The shepherdesses and shepherds who sympathize with him appeal to the spirit of the deceased, asking to hear the grief and crying of the inconsolable spouse. A sacrificial fire is lit and they decorate the monument with flowers. The musician asks them to leave him alone, and continues to call in vain on Eurydice - only the echo repeats his words in the forests, valleys and among the rocks. Orpheus prays to the gods to either return his beloved to him or give him death. The gods listen to his prayers, and Cupid appears before the grief-stricken singer, who is sent to declare the will of Zeus the Thunderer: Orpheus is allowed to descend to Hades. If he can touch the wicked creatures with his voice and the sounds of the lyre, he will return back with Eurydice. The singer is given only one condition: on the way back, he must not look at his beloved until they get out into the world of the living, otherwise the girl will be lost, and this time forever. Orpheus accepts the condition and is confident that his love will pass all the tests.
Second act: summary
"Orpheus and Eurydice" is a colorful production. At the beginning of the second act, which takes place almost entirely in Hades (Hades), the entire stage is enveloped in thick, dark smoke. Here and there flashes of hellfire flicker. Underground spirits and furies gather from everywhere to begin a frantic, wild dance, and at this moment Orpheus appears playing the lyre. The creatures are trying to arouse fear in him, sending terrible visions, but the fearless lover calls out to them, begging them to ease his suffering. The third time the spirits retreat before the power of his art. The spirits who recognized him as the winner open the way to the kingdom of the dead.
According to the summary of "Orpheus and Eurydice", then the general atmosphere on the stage changes, because Orpheus arrives in Elysium - the land of blissful shadows, a beautiful part of the kingdom of the dead, where he manages to find the shadow of Eurydice. The magical land of dreams has already managed to enchant her, so the girl is now alien to both the earthly world and its anxieties. Orpheus himself is amazed by the singing of birds and the wonderful landscape of the land of blissful shadows, but he can only be truly happy together with Eurydice. The singer takes his beloved by the hand and they leave.
Third act
The main dramatic events of the opera "Orpheus and Eurydice" are getting closer. The summary of the third act begins from the moment the hero and his wife walk through gloomy passages, rocks, winding paths, and pass under dangerously overhanging spurs. Eurydice knows nothing about the condition that the gods set for her husband. As they get closer to the world of the living, the girl transforms. This is no longer a blissful shadow, it looks more and more like a living person. She is hot and temperamental, therefore, not understanding why her beloved husband did not even glance at her, she bitterly complains about his indifference. According to the summary of "Orpheus and Eurydice", the heroine turns to her husband, now tenderly, now with bewilderment, now with anger and despair, now with delight, but he still does not even look at her. Then Eurydice concludes that Orpheus must have simply stopped loving her, and while the man tries to convince her otherwise, she continues her persuasion. In the end, she even tries to refuse the miraculous salvation and drive her husband away. The singers' voices merge in this dramatic moment.
I lost my Eurydice
The summary of "Orpheus and Eurydice" continues with an episode during which the husband, having yielded to the woman's pleas, turns around and embraces her. At this moment he looks at her, thereby violating the prohibition of the gods. There comes a moment that has become the most famous in the opera - an aria called “I Lost My Eurydice.” In despair, Orpheus wants to stab himself with a dagger and end his life. This dramatic episode continues the plot and summary of the opera "Orpheus and Eurydice".
The woman is already dead, and the inconsolable husband mourns the death of his wife for the second time. When he takes the dagger to commit suicide, Cupid stops him at the very last moment, and then calls on the dead to rise again. The beauty gets up, as if waking up from sleep. The God of Love explains that Zeus decided to reward the hero for being faithful to his love.
The final
Original story
In mythology, there are several options for how the story of “Orpheus and Eurydice” ended, but all of them are not favorable for the lovers. Orpheus descends into the kingdom of the dead, violates the ban of the gods, but does not receive forgiveness. Eurydice goes to Hades (Hades), but forever, and the inconsolable musician selflessly indulges in grief. Eventually the Thracian women, angry that the singer has neglected them while missing his dead wife, tear him to pieces. According to another version, Orpheus, who arrived in Thrace, refused honors to Dionysus. The vengeful god of wine sent maenads, his mad companions, to attack him.
The women waited until their husbands entered the temple of Apollo (the singer was his priest), and then grabbed the weapons left at the entrance, burst into the temple and killed their own husbands. After this, falling into a wild frenzy, they tore Orpheus to pieces, and his body parts were scattered around the area. The head of the maenad singer was thrown into a river that flowed into the sea. As a result, the musician’s head ended up on the shore of the island of Lesbos, and local residents buried it in a cave.
In the north of Greece, in Thrace, lived the singer Orpheus. He had a wonderful gift of songs, and his fame spread throughout the land of the Greeks.
The beautiful Eurydice fell in love with him for his songs. She became his wife. But their happiness was short-lived. One day Orpheus and Eurydice were in the forest. Orpheus played his seven-stringed cithara and sang. Eurydice was picking flowers in the meadows. Unnoticed, she moved far from her husband, into the wilderness of the forest. Suddenly it seemed to her that someone was running through the forest, breaking branches, chasing her, she got scared and, throwing the flowers, ran back to Orpheus. She ran, without knowing the road, through the thick grass and in a rapid run stepped into a snake’s nest. The snake wrapped itself around her leg and bit her. Eurydice screamed loudly in pain and fear and fell onto the grass. Orpheus heard his wife's plaintive cry from a distance and hurried to her. But he saw large black wings flash between the trees - it was Death that was carrying Eurydice into the underworld.
Great was the grief of Orpheus. He left people and spent whole days alone, wandering through the forests, pouring out his melancholy in songs. And there was such power in these melancholy songs that the trees moved from their places and surrounded the singer. Animals came out of their holes, birds left their nests, stones moved closer. And everyone listened to how he missed his beloved.
Nights and days passed, but Orpheus could not console himself, his sadness grew with every hour.
No, I can’t live without Eurydice! - he said. - The land is not dear to me without her. Let Death take me too, let me at least be in the underworld with my beloved!
But Death did not come. And Orpheus decided to go to the kingdom of the dead himself.
For a long time he searched for the entrance to the underground kingdom and, finally, in the deep cave of Tenara he found a stream that flowed into the underground river Styx. Along the bed of this stream, Orpheus descended deep underground and reached the bank of the Styx. Beyond this river began the kingdom of the dead.
The waters of the Styx are black and deep, and it is scary for the living to step into them. Orpheus heard sighs and quiet crying behind him - these were the shadows of the dead, like him, who were waiting for crossing into a country from which no one can return.
A boat separated from the opposite shore: the carrier of the dead, Charon, was sailing for new newcomers. Charon silently moored to the shore, and shadows obediently filled the boat. Orpheus began to ask Charon:
Take me to the other side too! But Charon refused:
I only transfer the dead to the other side. When you die, I will come for you!
Have pity! - Orpheus prayed. - I don’t want to live anymore! It's hard for me to stay on earth alone! I want to see my Eurydice!
The stern ferryman pushed him away and was about to set sail from the shore, but the strings of the cithara rang plaintively, and Orpheus began to sing. Sad and gentle sounds echoed under the gloomy arches of Hades. The cold waves of the Styx stopped, and Charon himself, leaning on his oar, listened to the song. Orpheus entered the boat, and Charon obediently transported him to the other side. Hearing the hot song of the living about undying love, the shadows of the dead flew from all sides. Orpheus walked boldly through the silent kingdom of the dead, and no one stopped him.
So he reached the palace of the ruler of the underworld, Hades, and entered a vast and gloomy hall. High on the golden throne sat the formidable Hades and next to him his beautiful queen Persephone.
With a sparkling sword in his hand, in a black cloak, with huge black wings, the god of Death stood behind Hades, and his servants, Kera, crowded around him, flying on the battlefield and taking the lives of warriors. The stern judges of the underworld sat to the side of the throne and judged the dead for their earthly deeds.
Memories were hidden in the dark corners of the hall, behind the columns. They had scourges made of live snakes in their hands, and they painfully stung those standing before the court.
Orpheus saw many kinds of monsters in the kingdom of the dead: Lamia, which steals small children from mothers at night, and the terrible Empusa with donkey legs, drinking the blood of people, and ferocious Stygian dogs.
Only the younger brother of the god of Death - the god of Sleep, young Hypnos, beautiful and joyful, rushed around the hall on his light wings, stirring a sleepy drink in his silver horn, which no one on earth can resist - even the great Thunderer Zeus himself falls asleep when Hypnos splashes into it with your potion.
Hades looked menacingly at Orpheus, and everyone around him began to tremble.
But the singer approached the throne of the gloomy ruler and sang even more inspired: he sang about his love for Eurydice.
Persephone listened to the song without breathing, and tears rolled from her beautiful eyes. The terrible Hades bowed his head on his chest and thought. The God of Death lowered his sparkling sword.
The singer fell silent, and the silence lasted for a long time. Then Hades raised his head and asked:
What are you looking for, singer, in the kingdom of the dead? Tell me what you want and I promise to fulfill your request.
Orpheus said to Hades:
Lord! Our life on earth is short, and Death overtakes us all someday and takes us to your kingdom - no mortal can escape it. But I, alive, myself came to the kingdom of the dead to ask you: give me back my Eurydice! She had lived so little on earth, had so little time to rejoice, loved so briefly... Let her go, lord, to earth! Let her live in the world a little longer, let her enjoy the sun, warmth and light and the greenery of the fields, the spring beauty of the forests and my love. After all, she will return to you after all!
So spoke Orpheus and asked Persephone:
Intercede for me, beautiful queen! You know how good life is on earth! Help me get my Eurydice back!
Let it be as you ask! - Hades said to Orpheus. - I will return Eurydice to you. You can take her with you up to the bright earth. But you have to promise...
Anything you want! - Orpheus exclaimed. - I’m ready to do anything to see my Eurydice again!
You must not see her until you come out into the light,” Hades said. - Return to earth and know: Eurydice will follow you. But don't look back and don't try to look at her. If you look back, you will lose her forever!
And Hades ordered Eurydice to follow Orpheus.
Orpheus quickly headed towards the exit from the kingdom of the dead. Like a spirit, he passed through the land of Death, and the shadow of Eurydice followed him. They entered Charon's boat, and he silently transported them back to the shore of life. A steep rocky path led up to the ground.
Orpheus slowly climbed the mountain. It was dark and quiet around him and quiet behind him, as if no one was following him. Only his heart was beating:
“Eurydice! Eurydice!
Finally it began to get lighter ahead, and the exit to the ground was close. And the closer the exit was, the brighter it became ahead, and now everything around was clearly visible.
Anxiety squeezed Orpheus’s heart: is Eurydice here? Is he following him? Forgetting everything in the world, Orpheus stopped and looked around.
Where are you, Eurydice? Let me look at you! For a moment, very close, he saw a sweet shadow, a dear, beautiful face... But only for a moment. Eurydice's shadow immediately flew away, disappeared, melted into the darkness.
Eurydice?!
With a desperate cry, Orpheus began to go back down the path and again came to the shore of the black Styx and called for the ferryman. But in vain he prayed and called: no one responded to his prayers. For a long time Orpheus sat on the bank of the Styx alone and waited. He didn't wait for anyone.
He had to return to earth and live. But he could not forget his only love - Eurydice, and the memory of her lived in his heart and in his songs.
Literature:
Smirnova V. //Heroes of Hellas, - M.: "Children's Literature", 1971 - p.103-109
Orpheus was a musician. He had a girlfriend, Eurydice.
One day Eurydice went into the forest and was bitten by a snake. Orpheus ran to save his beloved, but did not have time. The guy saw how insidious death takes the girl to the kingdom of the dead.
Orpheus went for his beloved. He went through a lot, but he managed to persuade Hades to take Eurydice home. But with a condition! The guy should not look back when he wants to look at Eurydice. Orpheus ran home, but wanted to look at the girl. Suddenly he was deceived! He turned around. And I saw the sweet face of my beloved for the last time.
At first, Charon refused Orpheus' request to transport him. But then Orpheus played his golden cithara and charmed the gloomy Charon with wonderful music. And he transported him to the throne of the god of death Hades. In the midst of the cold and silence of the underworld, Orpheus’ passionate song sounded about his grief, about the torment of his broken love for Eurydice. Everyone who was nearby was amazed by the beauty of the music and the strength of his feelings: Hades, and his wife Persephone, and Tantalus, who forgot about the hunger that tormented him, and Sisyphus, who stopped his hard and fruitless work. Then Orpheus stated his request to Hades to return his wife Eurydice to earth. Hades agreed to fulfill it, but at the same time stated his condition: Orpheus must follow the god Hermes, and Eurydice will follow him. During his journey through the underworld, Orpheus cannot look back: otherwise Eurydice will leave him forever. When Eurydice's shadow appeared, Orpheus wanted to hug her, but Hermes told him not to do this, since in front of him there was only a shadow, and there was a long and difficult path ahead.
The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.
The singer Orpheus lived in northern Greece. He had a gift because he sang very beautifully, and many were surprised at his talent. Eurydice fell in love with Orpheus and became his wife.
One day Orpheus and Eurydice were walking through the forest. Orpheus played the cithara and sang, and Eurydice went off to pick flowers. Suddenly Orpheus heard the cry of his beloved. She was bitten by a snake and died.
Orpheus was incredibly sad without his beloved and decided to go to the kingdom of the dead.
To get there, it was necessary to cross the River Styx by boat, but the carrier of the dead, Charon, refused, citing the fact that he transports only the dead. But then Orpheus began to sing and play the cithara, and so on. that Charon listened and took him to Hades. He sang again, and Hades took pity and asked what he wanted. Orpheus replied that he needed Eurydice. Hades nevertheless agreed and told Orpheus to go to the exit from the kingdom of the dead, and Eurydice would follow. But there is a condition: Orpheus must under no circumstances look back until he comes out into the world, otherwise he will lose his wife forever!
And Orpheus went. Approaching the exit, he doubted: was Eurydice coming? He decided to look back... But then her shadow eluded him. Orpheus screamed terribly, but nothing could be fixed. He had to return back to earth, but he never forgot his beloved and the memory of her lived in songs.
