Orphée Tickets

English National Opera, London, Great Britain

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Important Info

Type: Opera

City: London, Great Britain

Duration: 2h 5min

Acts: 2

Sung in: English

Titles in: English

Ticket delivery: E-Tickets

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

Can I choose my seats?

You can only select the category, and not the exact seats.
If you order 2 or 3 tickets: your seats will be next to each other.
If you order 4 or more tickets: your seats will be next to each other, or, if this is not possible, we will provide a combination of groups of seats (at least in pairs, for example 2+2 or 2+3).

Cast

Performers

Choose the date to see the peformers

Overview

Don’t hide within yourself.
Let love save you.

Following Satyagraha and the Olivier Award-winning Akhnaten, ENO’s association with Philip Glass continues with a new production of Orphée.

Based on Jean Cocteau’s 1950 film, Glass’s opera is a parable about the dangers of self-obsession.

Though married to Eurydice, Orphée falls in love with an enigmatic Princess. He then moves between the worlds of the living and the dead becoming obsessed with immortality.

Director Netia Jones makes her ENO debut. Her staging combines live action and projection, including fragments of Cocteau’s celebrated film.

British conductor Geoffrey Paterson makes his ENO debut.

Baritone Nicholas Lester leads the cast in the title role with Sarah Tynan singing her second Eurydice of the season. They are joined by former ENO Harewood Artists Nicky Spence and Anthony Gregory.

Making her ENO debut as the Princess is soprano Jennifer France, a recipient of a 2018 Critics’ Circle Award.

History

Premiere of this production: 14 May 1993, Royal Opera House's Linbury Studio Theatre

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 under the direction of Martin Goldray and the European premiere in London on 27 May 2005 in the Royal Opera House's Linbury Studio Theatre.

Synopsis

Glass’s Orphée, based on Jean Cocteau’s cinematic retelling of the Orpheus myth, is a parable about the dangers of self-obsession.

Though married to Eurydice, Orphée falls in love with an enigmatic Princess. Obsessed with immortality, Orphée moves between the worlds of the living and the dead, finally becoming immortal when the Princess sacrifices herself for him.

Act I

Scene 1: The Café

The celebrated poet Orphée talks with another poet friend. They observe a group of young people gathered around Cégeste, a young up-and-coming poet. Orphée is fascinated by Cégeste’s patron, the Princess. The drunken Cégeste starts a brawl, which soon spreads throughout the café, resulting in the arrival of the police.

Cégeste manages to escape from the police; he runs outside where he is struck by two motorcyclists. The shocked crowd watches as the motorcyclists enter carrying Cégeste’s lifeless body. The Princess and her chauffeur, Heurtebise, intervene, and the Princess orders Orphée to help them.

Scene 2: The Road

The Princess’s car drives along a desolate country lane. The Princess angrily dismisses Orphée’s many questions. The sound of approaching motorcycles is heard and the two riders enter and collect the body.

Scene 3: The Chalet

The motorcyclists carry Cégeste’s body into the Princess’s chalet. The Princess apparently brings Cégeste back to life and leads him from the room through a mirror. Orphée attempts to follow them but is unable to pass through and, overcome with dizziness, he faints. Heurtebise returns and offers to escort Orphée home.

Scene 4: Orphée’s House

Orphée’s wife, Eurydice, waits anxiously for her missing husband. Her friend, and leader of the women-only League des Femmes, Aglaonice, waits with her, along with the Police Commissaire. A newspaper reporter interrupts their conversation: he wants to talk to Orphée about the accident, but the Commissaire quickly gets rid of him. Finally, Orphée arrives, followed by Heurtebise. He abruptly dismisses both the Commissaire and Aglaonice. Preoccupied, Orphée interrupts his wife when she tries to tell him that she is pregnant, goes abruptly to his bedroom and leaves Eurydice with Heurtebise.

Scene 5: Orphée’s Bedroom

The Princess enters Orphée’s bedroom and observes him sleeping.

Scene 6: Orphée’s Studio

Orphée has become obsessed with listening to the radio. He transcribes the mysterious messages it broadcasts, which he considers to be poetic inspiration. He dismisses Eurydice who turns to Heurtebise for comfort. The Commissaire telephones: he wants to see Orphée in his office.

Scene 7: Commissaire’s Office

The group of young poets and artists from the café, including Orphée’s poet friend and Aglaonice, accuse Orphée of plagiarising Cégeste’s work. The Commissaire reminds them that Orphée is not only a celebrated poet but also a nationally respected figure and dismisses their accusation. They threaten to find their own justice.

Scene 8: The Chase

On his way to the Commissaire’s office, Orphée sees the Princess and tries to follow her. He is spotted by a group of girls who pursue him for his autograph.

Scene 9: Orphée’s House

Orphée comes back having escaped from the autograph hunters. Eurydice is asleep in the bedroom, while Heurtebise is alone in the study. Eurydice, upset by Orphée’s behaviour, decides to visit Aglaonice. As she dashes out of the door, motorcycles are heard once again; Heurtebise runs outside, returning a moment later with the dying Eurydice, whom he places on the bed. The Princess and Cégeste enter the bedroom through the mirror.

Heurtebise tries to tell Orphée that Eurydice is close to death, but the poet ignores him, preferring instead to go on with transcribing the words from the radio. When the messages cease, Orphée finally moves away from the radio and Heurtebise informs him that Eurydice is now dead. However, if he is willing to follow, Orphée will be able to reclaim Eurydice from the Princess, whom Heurtebise reveals to be Death. Orphée and Heurtebise leave together through the mirror.

Interval of 20 minutes

Act II

Reprise

Heurtebise tries to tell Orphée that Eurydice is close to death, but the poet ignores him, preferring instead to go on with transcribing the words from the radio. When the messages cease Orphée finally moves away from the radio and Heurtebise informs him that Eurydice is now dead. However, if he is willing to follow, Orphée will be able to reclaim Eurydice from the Princess, whom Heurtebise reveals to be Death. Orphée and Heurtebise leave together through the mirror.

Scene 1: Journey to the Underworld

On their way to the Underworld, Orphée and Heurtebise encounter various roaming figures unable to cease the habits formed during their lifetimes.

Scene 2: The Trial

The Princess is at a tribunal hearing before a panel of nameless judges for taking Eurydice’s life without authority. Cégeste, the Princess, Orphée, Heurtebise and Eurydice are each questioned, and it emerges that the Princess is in love with Orphée, and Heurtebise with Eurydice. The judges withdraw to consider their verdict.

Scene 3: Orphée and the Princess

Orphée declares his love for the Princess and swears to return to her regardless of what may happen.

Scene 4: The Verdict

The judges deliver their verdict: the Princess is given provisional freedom; Orphée is free on condition he keep silent about all he has witnessed; and Eurydice is allowed to resume her life with Orphée on condition that he never looks directly at her again. A single look, and he will lose her forever. At his own suggestion, Heurtebise is appointed to accompany them.

Scene 5: Return to Orphée’s House

Orphée, Eurydice and Heurtebise leave the Underworld.

Scene 6: Orphée’s House

Orphée and Eurydice discover the impossible reality of complying with the imposed condition.

Scene 7: Orphée’s Studio

To avoid Eurydice, Orphée retreats into his studio where he resumes taking notes from the radio. Eventually, his gaze falls on his wife and she immediately disappears into the Underworld. The mob of angry youngsters confronts Orphée about Cégeste’s death. Heurtebise hands Orphée a revolver, and during a struggle with the Poet, Orphée is shot.

Scene 8: Orphée’s Return

In the Underworld, Orphée is reunited with the Princess. However, she orders Heurtebise to return Orphée to his life.

Scene 9: Orphée’s Bedroom

Orphée enters through the mirror and finds Eurydice in their bedroom. Orphée resumes his work, seemingly unaware of all that has happened. In the Underworld, the Princess and Heurtebise are led away.

Venue Info

English National Opera - London
St Martin's Ln, Charing Cross

English National Opera (ENO) is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with The Royal Opera, Covent Garden. ENO's productions are sung in English.

The company's origins were in the late 19th century, when the philanthropist Emma Cons, later assisted by her niece Lilian Baylis, presented theatrical and operatic performances at the Old Vic, for the benefit of local people. Baylis subsequently built up both the opera and the theatre companies, and later added a ballet company; these evolved into ENO, the Royal National Theatre and The Royal Ballet, respectively.

Baylis acquired and rebuilt the Sadler's Wells theatre in north London, a larger house, better suited to opera than the Old Vic. The opera company grew there into a permanent ensemble in the 1930s. During the Second World War, the theatre was closed and the company toured British towns and cities. After the war, the company returned to its home, but it continued to expand and improve. By the 1960s, a larger theatre was needed. In 1968, the company moved to the London Coliseum and adopted its present name in 1974.

Among the conductors associated with the company have been Colin Davis, Reginald Goodall, Charles Mackerras, Mark Elder and Edward Gardner. The current music director of ENO is Martyn Brabbins. Noted directors who have staged productions at ENO have included David Pountney, Jonathan Miller, Nicholas Hytner, Phyllida Lloyd and Calixto Bieito. ENO's current artistic director is Daniel Kramer. In addition to the core operatic repertoire, the company has presented a wide range of works, from early operas by Monteverdi to new commissions, operetta and Broadway shows.

The company has aimed to present the standard operatic repertoire, sung in English, and has staged all the major operas of Mozart, Wagner and Puccini, and a wide range of Verdi's operas. Under Mackerras and his successors the Czech repertoire has featured strongly, and a broad range of French and Russian operas has been presented. The company has for decades laid stress on opera as drama, and has avoided operas where vocal display takes precedence over musical and dramatic content. In addition to the operatic staples, ENO has a history of presenting new works, and latterly of commissioning them.

In 1966, under the company's head of design, Margaret Harris, Sadler's Wells Theatre Design Course was founded; it later became Motley Theatre Design Course. ENO Baylis, founded in 1985, is the education department of ENO; it aims to introduce new audiences to opera and "to deepen and enrich the experience of current audiences in an adventurous, creative and engaging manner."The programme offers training for students and young professionals, and also workshops, commissions, talks and debates.