Eurydice
ISMN : 979-0-2325-8135-4
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My 2019 opera Orpheus preoccupied my thoughts for many years during its conception. One key aspect of this story that I wanted to explore was the way this myth has been depicted in opera throughout history. Traditionally, these interpretations center Orpheus as the protagonist, often rendering Eurydice as a one-dimensional, subordinate figure. She frequently appears as a victim of violence, manipulated at Orpheus' beck and call. In my version, I sought to give her clear agency and authority over her own body.
This song cycle is an amalgamation of two of her arias: the first, at figure B, marks her initial encounter with Orpheus in the opera; the second, at figure E, depicts her soul leaving her body after her murder.
The opening song of the cycle is a newly composed section, portraying Eurydice spinning the thread for her wedding garments in the lead-up to her marriage with Orpheus.
My goal is for this work to function as its own opera—one that can be performed concurrently with Orpheus or stand alone as an independent exploration of Eurydice’s character and multiple lives.
Mezzo-soprano voice
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