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May love triumph in the world and create an empire of beauty.
This is the rough translation of one of the lines of the closing chorus of the opera, Orfeo Ed Euridice, Gluck’s rendition of the Greek myth Orpheus. Unlike the classic myth, the opera ends with Orfeo being reunited with Euridce his wife and changes the outcome of the myth, or does it?
In Ovid’s Greek myth, Orpheus, the son of King Thrace is a gifted musician who had a spell binding effect on those who heard him sing and play the lyre. He married Euridyce and as she was dancing with the nymphs, she was bitten by a snake and soon died. Overcome with grief Orpheus is determined to rescue Euridyce and descends into Hades, the underworld to retrieve her. He uses his music to charm his way and gain passage to Hades and manages to convince the lord of the underworld to allow Eurydice to return with him to the land of the living. It was agreed to, on condition that he never look at Eurydice or explain why looking is forbidden or else he will lose her forever.
Orpheus arrives at the Elysian Fields and is moved by the landscape and sings in praise of its beauty. Eurydice is brought to him and he takes her away. As they make their way to the upper world, the lovers are torn. Eurydice panics at the thought of life without the love of Orpheus. In desperation, Orpheus turns to her and she dies again.
In the myth it is at this point that Orpheus returns alone to the upper world after trying unsuccessfully to retrieve Eurydice again. He takes his place on the throne and when Dionysus arrives shortly after and tries to extend his cult, Orpheus pledges his allegiance to Apollo publicly. Dionysus in a rage, had Orpheus torn apart, his head was thrown in the river and the rest of his dismembered body was buried. His head continued to sing as it sailed out to the sea and was later retrieved along with his lyre. They were placed in a grotto sacred to Dionysus. Apollo had the head silenced as he was annoyed with the singing and the lyre was later taken by the muses and transformed into a heavenly constellation.
In the opera, Orpheus tries to kill himself when Amor, the god of love stops him. In response to Orpheus’s deep love and devotion, Amor revives Eurydice and the three of them return to the upper world. At the Temple of Love, Orpheus, Eurydice, Amor, the nymphs and the shepherds celebrate the power of love in the last scene which ends with the beautiful chorus, Trionfi Amore!
This myth is the classic hero’s journey, an adventure story in which the hero leaves behind what he knows and heads for some height or depth or distance. He goes in search of what he has lost, some treasure, a lover, a child, something of value which is a symbol for the Self. He undergoes a series of tests including the themes of attachment and loss. He either remains there triumphant and reunited with what was lost, or returns alone, whole and transformed with greater strength and wisdom.
In Gluck’s version of the opera, the hero returns with his wife, an enactment of the divine couple, the union of the animus and anima of Jungian psychology and in the classic myth, the hero returns home alone but he is now transformed.
In both versions, love triumphs. In Gluck’s opera, Orpheus, passes the test of faith, courage and constancy. The god of love looks upon him with compassion for his love and devotion and gives him a boon. He returns to earth reunited with his wife.
In the classic myth, Orpheus pledges his allegiance to Apollo and loses his life because of his devotion. He is granted eternal glorification when the muses transform his lyre into a heavenly constellation.
May love triumph in the world and create an empire of beauty!
