Music Department Presents Monteverdi’s L’orfeo Nov. 18-20
 
The outstanding baritone Nicholas Laroche will sing the moving title role of Orfeo in Monteverdi’s opera this coming Nov. 18, 19 and 20 in the Bratton Recital Hall, PCAC.

Monteverdi’s work is generally considered by scholars to be the first genuine opera emerging from the early 17th century Italian use of recitative to convey dramatic text, which was impossible in the older polyphonic style.

The story is based on the famous Greek myth of Orpheus who travels to the underworld in his quest to rescue his beloved Euridice. Monteverdi’s great compassion and his sublime musical ability to powerfully set the Italian text have rightfully earned L’Orfeo an honored place in all of western music.

Many wonderful singers as well as faculty join the production, directed by David Ripley and assisted by Jennifer Sneirson-Kun. Erin Murphy sings the role of Euridice, Linsey-Jean Tufts that of Speranza (Hope), Elizabeth Mitchell, La Messaggiera (Messenger), Emily Faulhaber, La Musica, and Ben Clark, Plutone. Several early music faculty specialists join the orchestra, including Robert Stibler on cornetto and recorder and Paul Merrill on recorder. Peter Urquhart, Emily Urquhart and Daniel Beller-McKenna perform on viols.

The wonderful semi-staged production is in Italian with surtitles, and is free and open to the public on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. and on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 3 p.m. Seating is limited. For more information, call 2-2404.