by Claudio Monteverdi
Production conceived by Nathan and Julie Gunn

Dawn Harris, stage director
Rachel Rizzuto, choreographer

Featuring the University of Illinois Chamber Singers, conducted by Andrea Solya

Monteverdi’s Orfeo, originally performed in 1607, is the first unquestioned masterpiece of opera. A “musical fable,” it tells the story of Orpheus, the demi-god whose music had the power to conquer the forces of Hell. Orpheus struggles with melancholy—he sees the sun hidden behind the clouds—and his love for Eurydice brings the sun out, only to have the all the stars completely blocked out by her death and his descent into the Underworld. Choruses of nymphs, shepherds, and otherworldly spirits embody humanity’s struggle with love, death, and the power of music.

Thursday, April 24 - Friday, April 25, 2025 at 7:30PM in the Tryon Festival Theatre

Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 3:00PM in the Tryon Festival Theatre

See the Krannert Center website for more details and to purchase tickets.