Staging explores modern themes in a classical opera
Lorraine de Sagazan's production of Orpheus and Eurydice by Christoph Willibald Gluck focuses on themes such as toxic masculinity and femicide, reinterpreting the classical opera through a contemporary lens. This approach highlights the emotional resonance of the original work while questioning traditional narratives.Production details and creative team
The staging features Alphonse Cemin as the conductor and is directed by de Sagazan. It is based on Gluck's 1762 opera, which was a significant reform in the operatic style of the time. The production centers on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, drawn from Ovid's Metamorphoses.Reinterpreting the story's core conflict
De Sagazan challenges the traditional narrative by asking why Orpheus must save Eurydice, suggesting the story is a game of deception. She emphasizes the difference between what is said, what is heard, and the perception of events, framing the opera through modern questions about societal values and gender roles.Stage design and symbolic elements
The stage design includes a lace church silhouette representing the world of the living and a kitchen with steel-lined cabinets for the world of the dead. A three-dimensional quotation from Gustave Courbet's The Origin of the World is used to invite the audience to move beyond idealization, while a carnal opening scene symbolizes the gateway between life and death.Modern commentary and concluding tribute
The production uses video projections to critique masculinism and includes critical text alongside the performance. It ends with a tribute to the poetry of Louise Labé, uniting the living and the dead in a suspended time frame that contrasts with the musical splendor of the opera.Performance schedule and locations
The production will be performed at the Grand-Theatre in Angers on November 3 and 4, and later at the Opera of Rennes from June 20 to 26, 2027.
