Orfeo ed Euridice composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck, based on the myth of Orpheus and set to a libretto by Ranieri de’ Calzabigi
WHEN: June 13 & 14, 2024 at 7:30pm
WHERE: Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts
ADDRESS: 41 Hampshire St, Cambridge, MA 02139.
Get out your glow sticks and body glitter this June! NEMPAC Opera Project returns to the Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts in East Cambridge, MA for an intimate, wildly fun, and whimsical production of Gluck’s beloved opera about courage, grief, and love. Set in the 90’s gay club scene; we journey to the underworld with Orfeo as she processes her grief of the loss of her wife, Euridice. Remembering that Gay Marriage was not legalized in Massachussetts until 2004, we explore the story of these lovers from the Queer community in a place where self expression and sexuality are unencumbered by politics or other oppressive ideologies. With the embodiment of Love at her side, Orfeo bravely traverses to the land of the dead to save Euridice from death. A demi-god herself, Orfeo is a brilliant musician who shows us the power of music and community to heal and help us overcome our deepest heart aches. Love is love, until they can be together again.
TICKETING:
$35 General Admission (suggested ticket price)
$75 Enthusiast (average actual cost of ticket) includes pre-show reception starting at 6:30 PM each night and reserved seating
$0 + Pay-What-You-Can (You decide how much to pay for a ticket)
PRODUCTION TEAM:
Stage Director: NEMPAC Opera Project Artistic Director, Brenda Huggins
Music Director and Conductor: Boston Festival Orchestra Music Director & Principal Conductor, Alyssa Wang
Artistic Associate: NEMPAC Opera Project, Leo Balkovetz
CAST:
Orfeo: Mary Kray,
Euridice: Madeleine Lew
Amore: Abbey Diana Engelmann
Orfeo Cover/Chorus: Rebekah Daly
Euridice Cover/Chorus: Dasom (Julia) Kim
Amore Cover/Chorus: Sydney Pérez
Chorus: Vocalists from the Nightingale Vocal Ensemble, including: Kartik Ayysola (tenor), Darby Clinard (alto), Nick Fahrenkrug (bass), Michael Gonzalez (tenor), and Juan Suarez (bass)
ORCHESTRA:
Kurt Munstedt, violin I
Kay Rooney, violin II
Noriko Futagami, viola
Aron Zelkowicz, cello
Bebo Shiu, bass
Allison Parramore, flute
Catherine Weinfield-Zell, oboe & english horn
Sepehr Davalloukhoungar, keyboard
Amanda Romano, harp