L'Orfeo, favola in musica
Prologue:
La Musica, the personification of Music, greets the audience and asks them to listen to her story about Orfeo.
Act One:
A Chorus of Shepherds and Nymphs celebrate the wedding of Orfeo and Eurydice and hope that their happiness will last. Orfeo enters with Eurydice, and his guests ask him to perform for them. He sings about how happy he is that Eurydice finally loves him after months of suffering. The Chorus decides to go to the temple and give thanks; Orfeo has reminded them that trouble eventually passes.
Act Two:
Orfeo and the Shepherds relax away from the women, and Orfeo reflects again on how unhappy he once was and how happy he has become. Eurydice’s friend Silvia arrives and tells them that a snake has killed Eurydice. Orfeo is initially too overtaken by his grief to respond, but when he finally speaks he resolves to find Eurydice in the Underworld and either bring her back or remain with her there. The Chorus decides not to trust happiness, since it is fleeting, and Silvia departs to live alone rather than face the fact that she has made Orfeo unhappy. After Silvia leaves, the rest of the Chorus follows to find Eurydice’s body and bury her.
Act Three:
Orfeo and Speranza, the personification of hope, arrive in the Underworld. Speranza points out Charon, the guard to the Underworld, but tells Orfeo that she cannot go with him any farther. Orfeo tries to convince Charon to let him pass into the Underworld, but Charon is unmoved. Orfeo instead puts Charon to sleep and sneaks past. A Chorus of spirits in the Underworld reflects that man is able to outwit nature.
Act Four:
Proserpine pleads with her husband Pluton on Orfeo’s behalf. Pluton agrees to release Eurydice but imposes the condition that Orfeo cannot look back at Eurydice until he has left the Underworld. The spirits are unsure that he will be able to overcome his emotions enough to obey Pluton. Orfeo is initially confident of his talent and success, but he begins to doubt that Eurydice is following him and turns around. Eurydice is forced to return to the underworld, while Orfeo is forced back into the light. The chorus reflects that Orfeo conquered hell but was defeated by his own emotions.
Act Five:
Orfeo finds himself back in Thrace, where he plans to weep alone in the fields. His Echo sings with him, and Orfeo is first comforted by and then frustrated by Echo’s company. Orfeo decides to never love or sing again but instead consecrate his gifts to Eurydice’s memory. Apollo arrives and tells Orfeo that he must learn mastery over his emotions. He offers to take Orfeo into Heaven with him, since nothing on earth, good or bad, lasts forever. Orfeo says he has to agree and the chorus reflects that sadness does, ultimately, lead to grace.