Orfeo ed Euridice

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Orfeo ed Euridice (Orpheus and Eurydice).
1. Opera (azione teatrale per musica—theatrical action for mus.) in 3 acts by Gluck to lib. by Calzabigi based on mythological legend. Prod. Vienna 1762, London 1770 (pasticcio), 1773 (orig. form); NY 1863, Met 1891. Title-role sung at f.p. in Vienna by alto castrato Gaetano Guadagni. For Parma prod. 1769, male sop. sang role. Fr. version, Orphée, to trans. by Moline with title-role transposed for high ten. prod. Paris 1774. (Some mus. from ballet Don Juan recurs, and other new mus. was added.) Orfeo is now generally sung by mez. but sometimes by bar. or counterten. Ed. by Berlioz prod. Paris 1859 (with Viardot as Orpheus).

2. L'anima del filosofo, ossia Orfeo ed Euridice. Opera in 4 acts by Haydn (Hob. XXVIII:13) to lib. by C. F. Badini after Ovid's Metamorphoses, Books IX and X. Comp. 1791 for King's Th., London, but not perf. F.p. Florence 1951, cond. E. Kleiber; London (concert) 1989.

See also Favola d'Orfeo (Monteverdi) and Orpheus. Many composers have written works on the Orpheus legend, from Peri and Landi to Benda, Cannabich, Malipiero, Krenek, and Birtwistle.