On the art of love

The myth Orpheus and Eurydice reveals how often we only value what we have once it’s gone. For Orpheus, this realisation comes when his great love Eurydice dies – only then does he realise how deeply he feels for her. This insight drives him to follow her to the 'other side' and make a crucial decision that changes everything – when he chooses to have one last moment with her.

It is this Greek myth and Rainer Maria Rilke’s Sonette an Orpheus that inspired Manfred Trojahn to create Eurydice - Die Liebenden, blind - a contemporary, dramatic poem that takes us on an unavoidable journey by train and ship, in which Eurydice meets old acquaintances and Orpheus. Orpheus believes he will enrich and enhance Eurydice's life, but as soon as Eurydice steps over the threshold to the 'other side', she no longer feels the need to have a ‘special someone’. Eurydice - Die Liebenden, blind invokes the power of music and allegory, portraying Eurydice as a muse for Orpheus the singer, while simultaneously depicting Orpheus and Eurydice’s love as akin to the love between word and sound, and between artistry and inspiration.

More than ten years after his highly-acclaimed Orest, Manfred Trojahn, one of the most important German composers of today, returns to Dutch National Opera. With his latest composition that has an unmistakable French feel and style, Trojahn draws on the rich forms of emotional expression that are inherent to opera. For this world premiere, Dutch National Opera welcomes back director Pierre Audi, who has brought this well-known myth to our stage before.

Baritone André Schuen and soprano Julia Kleiter will be making their DNO debut as the legend’s mythical couple. For the rulers of the Underworld, we welcome back baritone Thomas Oliemans and mezzo-soprano Katia Ledoux. In addition, renowned conductor Erik Nielsen, who conducted Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins last season, will return to DNO to bring Trojahn’s rich score to life with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra.