L'Orfeo, sometimes called La favola d'Orfe, is the first landmark opera. It was composed by Claudio Monteverdi in five acts, with libretto by Alessandro Striggio. While not the first opera in general or the earliest opera with all its score intact (those would be Jacopo Peri's Dafne and Euridice, respectively), it is the earliest known opera still regularly performed in modern times.
Like Peri's earlier works, the opera is based on Classical Mythology, specifically Orpheus's dramatic journey to the Underworld to rescue his bride, Eurydice, after she is killed by a snake on their wedding day. With only his music to aid him and the Underworld being a place where even hope dare not enter, Orpheus sets out to plead his case to Hades and Persephone and retrieve Eurydice. Out of love for Persephone, Hades agrees, on one condition: Orpheus must lead Eurydice out while she follows behind, and if he turns to look at her, she stays in the Underworld for good.
This opera contains examples of:
- Abduction Is Love: Persephone is so moved when Hades gives Orpheus a chance to go that she praises her own abduction and the love that came from it.
- Adaptational Alternate Ending: After losing Eurydice again, Apollo appears to take Orpheus to Olympus. Notably, the original ending to the opera hewed much closer to the myth, with the Bacchantes vowing to hunt Orpheus down and ending in a wild rave.
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Orpheus begs Charon to let him pass and is initially devastated when he's refused entry.
- Alternate Show Interpretation: Various productions have used the show to meditate on the themes of grief, death, and love, particularly in ones that use a Setting Update to modern or semi-modern times.
- David Bösch's 2014 production had Orpheus returning from the Underworld to find decades have passed, leaving open the idea that the Underworld trip didn't happen at all and he was wasting away grieving Eurydice, while also changing the ending to have Orpheus die with Eurydice instead of ascending to the stars.
- Silvia Costa's 2023 production set the happy beginning in Underworld colors to focus on the melancholy of the piece and how happiness can be fleeting, hinting that the events are Orpheus futilely reliving his wedding day and Underworld trip in the hopes of changing what happened until Apollo either helps him cope or gives him a Mercy Kill with medicine.
- Ambiguous Ending: In the Revised Ending where Apollo takes Orpheus up to heaven, he says "In the sun and in the stars you shall gaze at [Eurydice's] fair image." Does this mean that the gods have transported Eurydice from the Underworld to Olympus to live Happily Ever After with Orpheus? Or have they merely created a constellation in her image for Orpheus to gaze at? And if it's the latter, is Orpheus happy about it or not? All he says is that he would be an unworthy son to Apollo if he didn't accept his offer. The 1978 Jean-Pierre Ponnelle film notably plays the ending as a Pyrrhic Victory, where despite the happy final chorus, Orpheus is still distraught to have lost Eurydice forever and looks miserable as he ascends.
- Anthropomorphic Personification: La Speranza is the personification of Hope. She guides Orpheus to the gates of the Underworld, but can't enter, as the Underworld forces one to abandon all hope.
- Bearer of Bad News: Sylvia delivers the news of Eurydice's tragic death, and is so upset by being the one to deliver it and break Orpheus's heart that she exiles herself.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: The opera begins with La Musica, the spirit of music, introducing the tale and requesting the audience be silent.
- But Now I Must Go: Hope can guide Orpheus to the gates of Hades but no further, and when he presses on she returns to her usual abode.
- Canon Foreigner: Sylvia, the nymph messenger and close friend of Eurydice's, is original to the opera, and while Apollo is a Greek God who fathered Orpheus in some traditions, he doesn't normally feature in the Orpheus and Eurydice myth.
- Darker and Edgier: David Bösch's 2014 production was a modern take with a surreal, nightmarish tone even in the happier parts. The Underworld was full of harsh blue lighting and its spirits all looked like Eurydice but with skulls for faces, and the ending had Orpheus take a knife to himself on Apollo's request, and lay down with Eurydice in a shared grave while the chorus and music rejoiced.
- Darkest Hour: In Act III, it looks like Orpheus will be forced to return alone when Charon, despite feeling pity for Orpheus, refuses to budge. Then Orpheus lamenting his situation lulls Charon to sleep, letting him steal the boat and press on.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: After her fatal snakebite, Eurydice died in Sylvia's arms, with her last words being Orpheus's name.
- Don't Look Back: Like in the myth, Orpheus is charged with leaving the Underworld without turning to see if Eurydice is behind him. In this version, he turns due to hearing a sound behind him and worrying it's the Furies come to take Eurydice away.
- The Eeyore: Orpheus is said to have treated sighs and weeping as food and drink before he met Eurydice, and falls right back into this after her death, lamenting that he's still alive while she's dead. He becomes this again after he causes her second death, but Apollo snaps him out of it.
- Forced Sleep: When diplomacy and flattery fails to sway Charon, Orpheus sings him to sleep and hijacks the ferry.
- Greek Chorus: The shepherds, nymphs, and Underworld spirits often lend commentary to the action at hand, particularly when they praise Orpheus's musical talent and ingenuity or lament how cruel fate can be.
- Killed Offscreen: Eurydice's death by snakebite occurs offstage, with Sylvia the messenger relating the unfortunate news.
- Mood Whiplash: Everyone's preparing for Orpheus's wedding to Eurydice, and most of the opera up to Act II has been one long celebration of the 'happy and fortunate day'... and then suddenly Sylvia the Messenger arrives and announces that Eurydice has just died.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Sylvia castigates herself over telling Orpheus the news of Eurydice's death and exiles herself in anguish.
- Mythology Gag: Charon the Ferryman is less than pleased to see Orpheus because of other visitors to the Underworld as of late, mentioning Pirithous and Theseus, who tried to abduct Persephone, and Heracles, who came to seize Cerberus as part of his Twelve Labors.
- The Power of Love: Orpheus's song of love moves Persephone to tears and she begs Hades to let Eurydice go. Hades, while wary of what fate has in store, agrees due to his love for his wife.
- Related in the Adaptation: Garsington Opera's version of the show made the messenger Sylvia also Eurydice's mother, making the moment where she had to break the news of her death even more tragic.
- Rescued from the Underworld: Orpheus sets out to rescue Eurydice this way. He makes it all the way there and succeeds in moving Hades, but fails on the way out due to hearing a noise behind him and turning around.
- Revised Ending: The opera's original ending was closer to the myth, with Dionysus's followers pursuing Orpheus out of anger. By its second performance, it was revised to have Apollo come down and take Orpheus to Olympus, where he could watch Eurydice from the stars. Since the original ending's music was lost, the revised one is most commonly used.
- Riddle for the Ages: A different sort than the usual, as why Orpheus turns around is explained, but what caused the sound that made him turn is completely unknown and up to a director's interpretation.
- Setting Update: Some productions are set in contemporary times or the recent past, often with anachronistic clothing to enhance the timeless feel.
- Shout-Out: As in The Divine Comedy, the gates of Hades read "Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here," thus Hope cannot follow Orpheus inside.
- Show Within a Show: Since La Musica is speaking to an audience of nobles in her opening monologue, some versions of the opera have it being watched in-universe as well as out, usually in a period style.
- Stellification: Apollo taking Orpheus to Olympus in the ending is sometimes shown as Orpheus, his lyre, or both becoming a constellation in the night sky.
- Talking Is a Free Action: Being an opera, Orpheus putting Charon to sleep and telling himself to hurry before he wakes is done through several verses of music.
- Truer to the Text: The opera's original ending was closer to the myth, with Dionysus's followers pursuing Orpheus. Some productions either retain the original ending or alter it to be closer in other ways, such as cutting Apollo's scene, having Orpheus be killed by the Bacchantes and Apollo come to rescue his spirit rather than his living self, or changing it to have Orpheus join Eurydice in death instead of a heavenly ascent.
