The myth surrounding the Thracian king’s son Orpheus has provided artistic inspiration for numerous composers, painters and directors over the centuries. As a rule, the plots tend to focus on Orpheus’ grief following the death of his wife Eurydice and his attempts to retrieve her from the underworld.

The choreographers Dominique Hervieu and José Montalvo, generally known for their work in purely musical contexts, instead place Orpheus at the centre of the story, as an artist who charms gods and mortals alike with wit and song – even moving rocks to tears.

Orpheus tells the story of Orpheus and Eurydice as a modern heroic epic: it’s fast, exhilarating, and full of surprises. Nine dancers and seven singers and instrumentalists dance to the sound of bush drums in front of a lavishly-designed backdrop befitting a royal son. Classical singing merges with pop music. Hip-hop and break-dance meet orchestral music.

Hervieu’s and Montalvo’s Orpheus is a captivating work that fans of modern dance theatre will simply adore.

Choreography: Dominique Hervieu and José Montalvo

Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Yvan Talbot, Claudio Monteverdi, Christoph W Gluck, Philip Glass, Francesco Durante, Giovanni Felice Sances, Giuseppe Maria Jacchini, William Byrd, Luiz Bonfa, La Secte Phonetik, Sergio Balestracci.

Recorded: Théâtre national de Chaillot, 2010

Sound Format: PCM Stereo
Picture Format: 16:9
DVD Format: DVD 9 / NTSC
Running Time: 78 mins
FSK: 0