Video on demand: Orfeo ed Euridice

Orfeo is so consumed with grief at the death of his beloved Euridice that the gods allow him to lead her back from the underworld - if he will not look at her on the way. But who can resist looking at a loved one?

Premiered in 1762, Orfeo ed Euridice is a turning point in the history of opera. Freeing the plot from the conventions of the 18th century opera seria, Gluck introduces fluidity to the drama. The rigid alternation of aria and recitativo is abandoned; continuity and unity are the cornerstones of Gluck's reform. The movement of Gluck’s music - with its lyrical intensity and the interweaving of chorus, solo singing and dance - appeals to theatre makers from all horizons. Daegu Opera House’s new production of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice was the closing production of the 22nd Daegu International Opera Festival, in line with the festival’s message, Per Sempre. It is conducted by Junghyun James Cho and directed by Sookjeong Eom with a local cast of Korean opera singers of the sort in demand right across the world.

Recorded on 07.11.2025