Opera in Three Acts and Five Scenes

Music: By Christoph Willibald Gluck (Orfeo ed Euridice, produced 1762, with ballet music from the Paris production of 1774). Libretto by Raniero da Calzabigi, translated by Hans Swarowsky.

Choreography: By George Balanchine.

Production: Directed and choreographed by George Balanchine. Scenery and costumes designed by Rouben Ter-Arutunian.

Premiere: November 16, 1963, Hamburgische Staatsoper, Hamburg. Danced by Ballett der Hamburgischen Staatsoper. Conductor: Janos Kulka.

Cast: SINGERS: Orpheus, Ursula Boese; Eurydike, Doris Jung; Amor, Ria Urban; and others. DANCERS: SCENE 1: Shepherds and Shepherdesses, 7 women, 4 men. SCENE 2: Furies, 12 women, 12 men. SCENE 3: Night, Angèle Albrecht; 8 Spirits (women), 4 Shadows (women). SCENE 5: CHACONNE: Christa Kempf, Heinz Clauss; Albrecht; Erika Czarnecki, Falco Kapuste; Wilfried Schumann; 9 women, 6 men; PAS DE TROIS: Uta Graf, Heidi Korf, Helmut Baumann; CUPID AND CHERUBS (PAS DE CINQ): Henni Vanhaiden, 4 women; PAS DE DEUX: Dulce Anaya, Rainer Kochermann; Marilyn Burr, Peter van Dyk.

Note: The CHACONNE of this production, directed and choreographed by Balanchine at the invitation of Rolf Liebermann, formed the basis for the ballet Chaconne [400], first performed by the New York City Ballet in 1976.

Video/DVD: Nonesuch: listed under Chaconne [400].

Revisions: 1973, Théâtre National de l'Opéra, Paris: Choreography from Hamburg, 1963, performed in a new production of the opera (not directed by Balanchine).

Other Versions: 1936, Metropolitan Opera (danced by American Ballet, as American Ballet Ensemble).