Orphée is a chamber opera in two acts and 18 scenes, for ensemble and soloists, composed in 1991 by Philip Glass, to a libretto (in French) by the composer, based on the scenario of the eponymous film (1950) by Jean Cocteau. Commissioned by the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, this is the first part of a trilogy in honour of the French poet. The world premiere of the work took place on 14 May 1993 "Review/Opera; Philip Glass Looks Back at Cocteau's Orphée" by Bernard Holland, The New York Times, 29 October 1993. under the direction of Martin Goldray"Review/Opera: Glass's Orphée, Built on Cocteau's" by Edward Rothstein, The New York Times, 21 May 1993. and the European premiere in London on 27 May 2005"Orphée" , Royal Opera House. in the Royal Opera House's Linbury Studio Theatre."Orphée, Linbury Studio, Royal Opera, London" by Annette Morreau, The Independent, 30 May 2005."Orphée" by Andrew Clements, The Guardian, 2 June 2005.
Orphée was later performed at the Linz State Theatre, on 21 January 2007,"Vertrauensbasis in Linz geschaffen" by Ernst Scherzer, Wiener Zeitung, 18 January 2007. (in German) at the Alice Busch Opera Theater of Cooperstown as part of the Glimmerglass Festival for ten days from 21 July 2007"Orphée, Glimmerglass Opera, 07/21/07" by Joseph Dalton, Times Union, Albany, 22 July 2007."Four Trips to Hell and Back at the Opera, page 2" by Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, 7 August 2007. at the Portland Opera (Keller Auditorium) for five days from 6 November 2009"Orphée" , Oregon Public Broadcasting."Nipping Down to Hell With Philip Glass" by Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, 29 July 2010. Anne Manson conducting,"Biographie" , annemanson.com at the Herbst Theatre of San Francisco, 26 February 2011"Orphée by Philip Glass review: triumphant" by Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 March 2011."Orphée: Spellbinding!!" by Ray Renati, San Francisco Bay Times, 3 March 2011. Nicole Paiement conducting,"Cocteau, Glass tell surrealistic Orpheus tale" by Janos Gereben, in San Francisco Examiner, 23 February 2011. at the George Mason University (Center for the Arts) of Fairfax for two days from 10 February 2012."Matthew Worth sings Philip Glass Orphée" by Emily Cary, Washington Examiner, 6 February 2012."Virginia Opera's robust staging of Philip Glass Orphée" by Terry Ponick in The Washington Times, 12 February 2012."Virginia Opera presents Philip Glass’s Orphée at George Mason University" by Anne Midgette, The Washington Post, 13 February 2012.
In 2000, Paul Barnes produced a piano transcription entitled The Orphée Suite for Piano and first performed on 19 April 2001 at the Greenwich House Music School of New York.
A new production by the English National Opera was premiered at the London Coliseum on 15 November 2019.Orphée ENO programme
Roles +RoleVoice typePremiere cast, 14 May 1993Music direction: Martin GoldrayThe PrincesssopranoWendy HillEurydicesopranoElizabeth FutralHeurtebisetenorRichard FrackerCégestetenorPaul KirbyOrphéebaritoneEugène PerryThe JudgebassJohn KuetherThe PoetbassJames RamletThe CommissionerbassJohn KuetherAglaonicemezzo-sopranoJanice FeltyThe ReportertenorBrian MirabileGlaziertenorBrian Mirabile Ensemble Linda Joy AdamsCharles ButlerRobert K. DunnMichael GlumicichRachael LillisKen MacDonaldStephen SpewockHester A. Tinti
Structure Act 1 Scene 1, le Café Scene 2, la Route Scene 3, le Chalet Scene 4, Chez Orphée Scene 5, la Chambre d'Orphée Scene 6, le Studio d'Orphée Scene 7, le Bureau du Commissaire Scene 8, la Poursuite Scene 9, Chez Orphée
Act 2 Scene 1, le Voyage aux Enfers Scene 2, le Procès Scene 3, Orphée et la Princesse Scene 4, le Verdict Scene 5, Interlude musical - le retour chez Orphée Scene 6, Chez Orphée Scene 7, le Studio d'Orphée Scene 8, le Retour d'Orphée Scene 9, la Chambre d'Orphée
Discography The Orphée Suite for Piano, music by Philip Glass, transcription by Paul Barnes (piano), recorded in April 2001. Orange Mountain Music (2003). The Portland Opera Orchestra conducted by Anne Manson, first full version recorded in November 2009. Orange Mountain Music (2010). The Orphée Suite for Flute, strings, and percussion , music by Philip Glass, transcription by James Strauss (flute) and Camerata Simon Bolivar, recorded in April 2017. Orange Mountain Music (2019).
Bibliography Orphée: The Making of an Opera, Philip Glass, n.n editions (1993)Orphee – The Making of an Opera, Amazon."Philip Glass – Orphée" on the composer's website. Orphée Suite for Piano (score), Philip Glass, Dunvagen Music Publishers (2006)Orphée Suite for Piano, Amazon. Orphée (the play), Le Livre de Poche, La Pochothèque (1995) Orphée (scenario of the film), J'ai lu, Librio n°75 (2001)
See also The other operas of the trilogy are: Les Enfants terribles (1993) La Belle et la Bête (1994)
References
External links "Ensemble Parallèle's Orphée", San Francisco Classical Voice