See also: Orphée (homonymy)

Thirtieth and more famous opera of Christoph Willibald Gluck Orfeo ED Euridice exists under three different versions. Original work was created with Vienna the October 5th 1762 on a Italian Livret of Ranieri of' Calzabigi, the role titrates being entrusted to a Castrat. At the time of his stay in France, the type-setter was to adapt his opera according to the French taste by entrusting the main role to a voice of High-against (Ténor with high tessiture) on a booklet translated by Pierre Louis Moline and under the title Orphée and Eurydice , gaining a triumph with Paris the August 2nd 1774. Hector Berlioz was to finally proceed in 1859 with a rehandling to make it possible Pauline Viardot to sing Orphée. It is this version not very faithful to the wills of the type-setter who, in an Italian translation was sung by many violas and Mezzo-soprano S during a good century and which contributed to maintain this masterpiece with the repertory. These last decades, one attended the return to one of the two original versions, generally the Italian version but the version of Berlioz preserves its defenders since it makes it possible to benefit from the additions of the Parisian version while respecting tessiture of viola of the Italian version.

Argument

After a opening removed and merry, the curtain rises to act I on a scene of deploration. Orphée and the chorus deplores close to the tomb to Eurydice. Orphée, remained only, learns from the Love that it will be able to recover Eurydice if it manages to convince the Hell.

With act II, a very impressive infernal chorus tries to bar the road with Orphée but, by its song, this last manages to move the spirits which yield the passage to him. A serene sky succeeds the dark edges of the Cocyte, pretext in the Parisian version with one which charms Ballet happy Shades. Eurydice appears.

With act III, the two husbands go up towards the ground but Eurydice worries about the indifference of Orphée which cannot look it before finding the world of the alive ones. With the listening of its reproaches, it cannot be prevented from being turned over and it expires in its arms. Orphée deplores in famous the Che faro senza Euridice (in French: I lost my Eurydice ). The Love emerges to prevent it from committing suicide and Eurydice, work returns to him being completed in the Parisian version by a long ballet.