Egyptian - Wall Hanging or Curtain Fragment with Orpheus and Eurydice - Walters 83466

The ancient legend of Orpheus and Eurydice (, ''Orpheus, Eurydikē'') concerns the fateful love of

Orpheus Orpheus (; Ancient Greek: Ὀρφεύς, classical pronunciation: ; french: Orphée) is a Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet in ancient Greek religion. He was also a renowned poet and, according to the legend, travelled with J ...

Thrace Thrace (; el, Θράκη, Thráki; bg, Тракия, Trakiya; tr, Trakya) or Thrake is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe, now split among Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, which is bounded by the Balkan Mountains to ...

for the beautiful

Eurydice Eurydice (; Ancient Greek: Εὐρυδίκη 'wide justice') was a character in Greek mythology and the Auloniad wife of Orpheus, who tried to bring her back from the dead with his enchanting music. Etymology Several meanings for the name ...

. Orpheus was the son of

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label= Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label ...

and the muse

Calliope In Greek mythology, Calliope ( ; grc, Καλλιόπη, Kalliópē, beautiful-voiced) is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Hesiod and Ovid called her the "Chief of all Muse ...

. It may be a late addition to the Orpheus myths, as the latter cult-title suggests those attached to

Persephone In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Persephone ( ; gr, Περσεφόνη, Persephónē), also called Kore or Cora ( ; gr, Κόρη, Kórē, the maiden), is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She became the queen of the underworld after ...

. It may have been derived from a legend in which Orpheus travels to

Tartarus In Greek mythology, Tartarus (; grc, , }) is the deep abyss that is used as a dungeon of torment and suffering for the wicked and as the prison for the Titans. Tartarus is the place where, according to Plato's ''Gorgias'' (), souls are judg ...

and charms the goddess

Hecate Hecate or Hekate, , ; grc-dor, Ἑκάτᾱ, Hekátā, ; la, Hecatē or . is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding a pair of torches, a key, snakes, or accompanied by dogs, and in later periods depict ...

. The subject is among the most frequently retold of all Greek myths, being featured in numerous works of literature, operas, ballets, paintings, plays and more recently, films and video games.

Versions

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: th ...

's classic version of the legend, it completes his ''

Georgics The ''Georgics'' ( ; ) is a poem by Latin poet Virgil, likely published in 29 BCE. As the name suggests (from the Greek word , ''geōrgika'', i.e. "agricultural (things)") the subject of the poem is agriculture; but far from being an example ...

'', a poem on the subject of agriculture. Here the name of

Aristaeus A minor god in Greek mythology, attested mainly by Athenian writers, Aristaeus (; ''Aristaios'' (Aristaîos); lit. “Most Excellent, Most Useful”), was the culture hero credited with the discovery of many useful arts, including bee-keepin ...

, or Aristaios, the keeper of bees, and the

tragic Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy i ...

conclusion was first introduced.

Ovid Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the th ...

's version of the myth, in his ''

Metamorphoses The ''Metamorphoses'' ( la, Metamorphōsēs, from grc, μεταμορφώσεις: "Transformations") is a Latin narrative poem from 8 CE by the Roman poet Ovid. It is considered his ''magnum opus''. The poem chronicles the history of the ...

'', was published a few decades later and employs a different poetic emphasis and purpose. It relates that Eurydice's death was not caused by fleeing from Aristaeus, but by dancing with naiads on her wedding day. Other ancient writers treated Orpheus's visit to the underworld more negatively. According to Phaedrus in

Plato Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...

's '' Symposium'',''Symposium'' 179d-e
the infernal deities only "presented an apparition" of Eurydice to him. Plato's representation of Orpheus is in fact that of a coward; instead of choosing to die in order to be with his love, he mocked the deities in an attempt to visit Hades, to get her back alive. As his love was not "true"—meaning that he was not willing to die for it—he was punished by the deities, first by giving him only the apparition of his former wife in the underworld and then by having him killed by women.

Plot

gave his son Orpheus a lyre and taught him how to play. It had been said that "nothing could resist Orpheus's beautiful melodies, neither enemies nor beasts." Orpheus fell in love with

, a woman of beauty and grace, whom he married and lived with happily for a short time. However, when

Hymen The hymen is a thin piece of mucosal tissue that surrounds or partially covers the external vaginal opening. It forms part of the vulva, or external genitalia, and is similar in structure to the vagina. In children, a common appearance of the ...

was called to bless the marriage, he predicted that their perfection was not meant to last. A short time after this prophecy, Eurydice was wandering in the forest with the

Nymph A nymph ( grc, νύμφη, nýmphē, el, script=Latn, nímfi, label= Modern Greek; , ) in ancient Greek folklore is a minor female nature deity. Different from Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature, are ...

s. In some versions of the story, the shepherd

saw her, and beguiled by her beauty, made advances towards her and began to chase her. Other versions of the story relate that Eurydice was merely dancing with the Nymphs. While fleeing or dancing, she was bitten by a snake and died instantly. Orpheus sung his grief with his lyre and managed to move everything, living or not, in the world; both humans and gods learnt about his sorrow and grief. At some point, Orpheus decided to descend to Hades by music to see his wife. Any other mortal would have died, but Orpheus, being protected by the gods, went to Hades and arrived at the Stygian realm, passing by ghosts and souls of people unknown. He also managed to attract

Cerberus In Greek mythology, Cerberus (; grc-gre, Κέρβερος ''Kérberos'' ), often referred to as the hound of Hades, is a multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. He was the offspring of the ...

, the three-headed dog, with a liking for his music. He presented himself in front of the god of the Greek underworld, Hades and his wife,

. Orpheus played with his lyre a song so heartbreaking that even Hades was moved to compassion. The god told Orpheus that he could take Eurydice back with him, but under one condition: she would have to follow behind him while walking out from the caves of the underworld, and he could not turn to look at her as they walked. Thinking it a simple task for a patient man like himself, Orpheus was delighted; he thanked Hades and left to ascend back into the living world. Unable to hear Eurydice's footsteps, however, he began to fear the gods had fooled him. Eurydice might have been behind him, but as a shade, having to come back into the light to become a full woman again. Only a few feet away from the exit, Orpheus lost his faith and turned to see Eurydice behind him, sending her back to be trapped in Hades' reign forever. Orpheus tried to return to the underworld but was unable to, possibly because a person cannot enter the realm of Hades twice while alive. According to various versions of the myth, he played a mourning song with his lyre, calling for death so that he could be united with Eurydice forever. He was killed either by beasts tearing him apart, or by the Maenads, in a frenzied mood. His head remained fully intact, and still sang as it floated in the water before washing up on the island of

Lesbos Lesbos or Lesvos ( el, Λέσβος, Lésvos ) is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of with approximately of coastline, making it the third largest island in Greece. It is separated from Asia Minor by the nar ...

. According to another version,

Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label= genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label= genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek reli ...

decided to strike him with lightning knowing Orpheus might reveal the secrets of the underworld to humans. In this telling, the Muses decided to save his head and keep it among the living people to sing forever, enchanting everyone with his melodies. They additionally cast his lyre into the sky as a constellation.

Retellings

Literature

* The Death of Eurydice episode which occurs in Book IV of ''

'' by

(29 BC) and Book X of ''

'' by

(8 AD) * The poem "Orpheus and Eurydice" in '' The Consolation of Philosophy'' by

Boethius Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius, commonly known as Boethius (; Latin: ''Boetius''; 480 – 524 AD), was a Roman senator, consul, ''magister officiorum'', historian, and philosopher of the Early Middle Ages. He was a central figure in the tr ...

(594 AD) * ''

Sir Orfeo ''Sir Orfeo'' is an anonymous Middle English Breton lai dating from the late 13th or early 14th century. It retells the story of Orpheus as a king who rescues his wife from the fairy king. The folk song ''Orfeo'' ( Roud 136, Child 19) is based ...

'', an anonymous narrative poem (c. late thirteenth or early fourteenth century) * ''

The Tale of Orpheus and Erudices his Quene ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'', a poem by

Robert Henryson Robert Henryson (Middle Scots: Robert Henrysoun) was a poet who flourished in Scotland in the period c. 1460–1500. Counted among the Scots ''makars'', he lived in the royal burgh of Dunfermline and is a distinctive voice in the Northern Renai ...

(c.1470) *"Orpheus. Eurydike. Hermes", a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke (1907) * '' Sonnets to Orpheus'', an allusive

sonnet sequence A sonnet sequence is a group of sonnets thematically unified to create a long work, although generally, unlike the stanza, each sonnet so connected can also be read as a meaningful separate unit. The sonnet sequence was a very popular genre during ...

by poet Rainer Maria Rilke (1922) *The Song of Orpheus, part of volume 6 (Fables and Reflections) of the Sandman by Neil Gaiman (1990) *''Enchanted Fire'', a romance novel by

Roberta Gellis Roberta Leah Jacobs Gellis (27 September 1927 – 6 May 2016) was an American writer of historical fiction, historical romance, and fantasy. She held master's degrees in both biochemistry and medieval literature. Many major writers of historical ...

(1996) * ''

The Ground Beneath Her Feet ''The Ground Beneath Her Feet'' is Salman Rushdie's sixth novel. Published in 1999, it is a variation on the Orpheus#Death of Eurydice, Orpheus/Eurydice myth, with rock music replacing Orpheus's lyre. The myth works as a red thread from which ...

'', novel by

Salman Rushdie Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (; born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-born British-American novelist. His work often combines magic realism with historical fiction and primarily deals with connections, disruptions, and migrations between Eastern and We ...

(1999) * "Eurydice", a poem by

Carol Ann Duffy Dame Carol Ann Duffy (born 23 December 1955) is a Scottish poet and playwright. She is a professor of contemporary poetry at Manchester Metropolitan University, and was appointed Poet Laureate in May 2009, resigning in 2019. She was the first ...

in her collection of poems, ''

The World's Wife ''The World's Wife'' is a collection of poetry by Carol Ann Duffy, originally published in the UK in 1999 by both Picador (imprint), Picador and Anvil Press Poetry and later published in the United States by Faber and Faber in 2000. Duffy's poem ...

'' (1999) * '' Veniss Underground'', a novel by Jeff Vandermeer (2003) * ''Poetry and Fear'', a novel by Grace Andreacchi (2008) * "Syringa", a poem by John Ashbery, later set to music by

Elliott Carter Elliott Cook Carter Jr. (December 11, 1908 – November 5, 2012) was an American modernist composer. One of the most respected composers of the second half of the 20th century, he combined elements of European modernism and American "ultra- ...

* "Hymn to Persephone", a poem by Craig Arnold in ''Made Flesh'' (2008) * "Cocktails with Orpheus", a poem by

Terrance Hayes Terrance Hayes (born November 18, 1971) is an American poet and educator who has published seven poetry collections. His 2010 collection, ''Lighthead'', won the National Book Award for Poetry in 2010. In September 2014, he was one of 21 recipient ...

(2008) * ''A Song for Ella Grey'', a novel by David Almond * ''Bone Gap'', a novel by Laura Ruby * '' Goat Song'', a novelette by

Poul Anderson Poul William Anderson (November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American fantasy and science fiction author who was active from the 1940s until the 21st century. Anderson wrote also historical novels. His awards include seven Hugo Awards and ...

(1972) * "Eurydice's Footnote", a 1995 poem by A. E. Stallings * "The Underground", a 1984 poem by

Seamus Heaney Seamus Justin Heaney (; 13 April 1939 – 30 August 2013) was an Irish poet, playwright and translator. He received the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature.

* '' Asterios Polyp'', a graphic novel by

David Mazzucchelli David John Mazzucchelli (; born September 21, 1960) is an American comics artist and writer, known for his work on seminal superhero comic book storylines '' Daredevil: Born Again'' and '' Batman: Year One'', as well as for graphic novels in other ...

(2009)

Film and stage

* '' The Orphic Trilogy'', a series of films by

Jean Cocteau Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (, , ; 5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost creatives of the s ...

(1930–1959) * ''

'', a play by

Jean Anouilh Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (; 23 June 1910 – 3 October 1987) was a French dramatist whose career spanned five decades. Though his work ranged from high drama to absurdist farce, Anouilh is best known for his 1944 play ''Antigone'', an a ...

(1941) * '' Orfeu da Conceição'', a play by Vinicius de Moraes (1956) * ''

Orpheus Descending ''Orpheus Descending'' is a three-act play by Tennessee Williams. It was first presented on Broadway on March 17, 1957 but had only a brief run (68 performances) and modest success. It was revived on Broadway in 1989, directed by Peter Hall an ...

'', a play by

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...

(1957) * ''

Black Orpheus ''Black Orpheus'' ( Portuguese: ''Orfeu Negro'' ) is a 1959 romantic tragedy film made in Brazil by French director Marcel Camus and starring Marpessa Dawn and Breno Mello. It is based on the play ''Orfeu da Conceição'' by Vinicius de Mora ...

'', a film by

Marcel Camus Marcel may refer to: People * Marcel (given name), people with the given name Marcel * Marcel (footballer, born August 1981), Marcel Silva Andrade, Brazilian midfielder * Marcel (footballer, born November 1981), Marcel Augusto Ortolan, Brazilian ...

(1959) * '' Evrydiki BA 2O37'', a film directed by

Nikos Nikolaidis Nikos Georgiou Nikolaidis ( el, Νίκος Γεωργίου Νικολαΐδης; 25 October 1939 – 5 September 2007) was a Greek film director, screenwriter, film producer, writer, theatre director, assistant director, record producer, televi ...

(1975) * '' Parking'', a film by Jacques Demy (1985) * '' Shredder Orpheus'', a film by Robert McGinley (1989) * An episode of '' The Storyteller: Greek Myths'' (1990) * ''

Highway to Hell ''Highway to Hell'' is the sixth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released on 27 July 1979. It was the last album featuring lead singer Bon Scott, who would die early the following year on 19 February 1980. Background By 1978 ...

'', a very, very loose adaptation film by Ate de Jong (1992). * '' What Dreams May Come'', a film by Vincent Ward (1998) * ''

Orfeu ''Orfeu'' is a 1999 Brazilian drama film directed by Carlos Diegues, based on the play ''Orfeu da Conceição'' by Vinicius de Moraes. It retells the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, setting it in the modern context of Rio de Janeiro during ...

'', film by Cacá Diegues (1999) * ''Metamorphoses'', play by Mary Zimmerman (2002) * ''

'', play by

Sarah Ruhl Sarah Ruhl (born January 24, 1974) is an American playwright, professor, and essayist. Among her most popular plays are ''Eurydice'' (2003), ''The Clean House'' (2004), and ''In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play)'' (2009). She has been the reci ...

(2003) * ''

Hadestown ''Hadestown'' is a musical with music, lyrics, and book by Anaïs Mitchell. It tells a version of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Eurydice, a young girl looking for something to eat, goes to work in a hellish industrial underworl ...

'', folk opera by

Anaïs Mitchell Anaïs Mitchell (; born March 26, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and playwright. Mitchell has released eight studio albums, including '' Hadestown'' (2010), ''Young Man in America'' (2012),

(2006) * ''Orpheus and Eurydice: A Myth Underground'', a theatre production written by Molly Davies with music by James Johnston, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds for the National Youth Theatre at the Old Vic Tunnels, directed by

James Dacre James Charles Dacre (born May 1984) is a British theatre director. He has been artistic director of Royal & Derngate Theatres in Northampton since 2013. Early years James Dacre was born in 1984, the son of Paul Dacre, former editor of the '' ...

(2011) * '' You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet'', a film by

Alain Resnais Alain Resnais (; 3 June 19221 March 2014) was a French film director and screenwriter whose career extended over more than six decades. After training as a film editor in the mid-1940s, he went on to direct a number of short films which included ...

(2012) * ''Jasper in Deadland'', a musical by

Hunter Foster Hunter Foster (born June 25, 1969) is an American musical theatre actor, singer, librettist, playwright and director. Career After touring in several shows and playing on Broadway, in 2001 he was cast in his breakthrough role of Bobby Strong i ...

and

Ryan Scott Oliver Ryan Scott Oliver (born August 27, 1984) is an American musical theatre composer and lyricist. He is a 2011 Lucille Lortel Award Nominee and the recipient of both the 2009 Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation, Jonathan Larson Grant and the 2 ...

(2014) * ''

'', an expansion of the folk opera by

, directed by

Rachel Chavkin Rachel Chavkin (; born July 20, 1980) is an American stage director best known for directing the musicals '' Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812'' and '' Hadestown,'' receiving nominations for a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical ...

, that premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2016 before eventually transferring to

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

in 2019. (2017) * '' Paris 05:59: Théo & Hugo'', a French film (2016) by

Olivier Ducastel Olivier Ducastel (born 23 February 1962) is a French film director, screenwriter and sound editor who currently works in collaboration with partner Jacques Martineau. Life and career After spending his adolescence in Rouen, Martineau moved to ...

and Jacques Martineau,

queering ''Queering'' is the verb form of the word queer and comes from the shortened version of the phrase ''queer reading''. It is a technique that came out of queer theory in the late 1980s through the 1990s and is used as a way to challenge heteronorma ...

the myth * '' Portrait of a Lady on Fire'', a film by

Céline Sciamma Céline Sciamma (; born 12 November 1978) is a French screenwriter and film director. She is especially known for her films ''Girlhood'' (2014), '' My Life as a Courgette'' (2016), and '' Portrait of a Lady on Fire'' (2019), winning many nomina ...

(2019) that uses the myth as a common thread

Music and ballet

* ''Euridice'', an opera by

Jacopo Peri Jacopo Peri (20 August 156112 August 1633), known under the pseudonym Il Zazzerino, was an Italian composer and singer of the transitional period between the Renaissance and Baroque styles, and is often called the inventor of opera. He wrote th ...

and

Giulio Caccini Giulio Romolo Caccini (also Giulio Romano) (8 October 1551 – buried 10 December 1618) was an Italian composer, teacher, singer, instrumentalist and writer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras. He was one of the founders of the genre o ...

with librettist

Ottavio Rinuccini Ottavio Rinuccini (20 January 1562 – 28 March 1621) was an Italian poet, courtier, and opera librettist at the end of the Renaissance and beginning of the Baroque eras. In collaborating with Jacopo Peri to produce the first opera, '' Dafne'', i ...

(1600) * ''Euridice'', an opera by

with librettist Ottavio Rinuccini (1602) * ''

L'Orfeo ''L'Orfeo'' ( SV 318) (), sometimes called ''La favola d'Orfeo'' , is a late Renaissance/early Baroque ''favola in musica'', or opera, by Claudio Monteverdi, with a libretto by Alessandro Striggio. It is based on the Greek legend of Orpheus, and ...

'', the first opera by

Monteverdi Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (baptized 15 May 1567 – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, choirmaster and string player. A composer of both secular and sacred music, and a pioneer in the development of opera, he is consider ...

(1607) * ''

Orfeo Orfeo Classic Schallplatten und Musikfilm GmbH of Munich was a German independent classical record label founded in 1979 by Axel Mehrle and launched in 1980. It has been owned by Naxos since 2015. History The Orfeo music label was registered ...

'', an opera by Luigi Rossi (1647) * ''

'', an opera by

Georg Philipp Telemann Georg Philipp Telemann (; – 25 June 1767) was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hild ...

(1726) * '' Orpheus and Euridice'', an ode by William Hayes (1735) * '' Orfeo ed Euridice'', an opera by Christoph Willibald Gluck (1762) * ', an opera by

Ferdinando Bertoni Ferdinando Bertoni (15 August 1725 – 1 December 1813) was an Italian composer and organist. Early years He was born in Salò, and began his music studies in Brescia, not far from his birthplace. Around 1740 he went to Bologna, where he studied ...

(1776) * ''

Orpheus in the Underworld ''Orpheus in the Underworld'' and ''Orpheus in Hell'' are English names for (), a comic opera with music by Jacques Offenbach and words by Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy. It was first performed as a two-act " opéra bouffon" at the Thé� ...

'', an operetta by

Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (, also , , ; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the Romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera ' ...

(1858) * '' Orpheus und Eurydike'', an opera by

Ernst Krenek Ernst Heinrich Krenek (, 23 August 1900 – 22 December 1991) was an Austrian, later American, composer of Czech origin. He explored atonality and other modern styles and wrote a number of books, including ''Music Here and Now'' (1939), a study ...

(1926) *''Orpheus and Eurydice'', a ballet choreographed by Dame Ninette de Valois with music by

Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire, he g ...

(1941) * ''Orpheus'', a ballet made by choreographer George Balanchine to music by Igor Stravinsky (1948) * ''Eruption'', instrumental composition by Dutch rock band

Focus Focus, or its plural form foci may refer to: Arts * Focus or Focus Festival, former name of the Adelaide Fringe arts festival in South Australia Film *''Focus'', a 1962 TV film starring James Whitmore * ''Focus'' (2001 film), a 2001 film based ...

, from the album ''Focus 2'' (1971) * ''Orpheus and Eurydice'', a dance by Pina Bausch (1975) * ''Orpheus and Eurydice'', a rock opera album by

Alexander Zhurbin Alexander Borisovich Zhurbin (Алекса́ндр Бори́сович Журби́н; born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 7 August 1945) is a Russian composer. Biography Alexander Borisovich Zhurbin was born in Tashkent. In 1963, he graduate ...

(1975) *''La Musique Des Amants'', Chêne Noir 2000, Théâtre du Chêne Noir d'Avignon (1976) * “Orpheus”, for two bassoons and marimba by

David Maslanka David Maslanka (August 30, 1943 – August 7, 2017) was an American composer of Polish descent who wrote for a variety of genres, including works for choir, wind ensemble, chamber music, and symphony orchestra. Best known for his wind ensemble c ...

(1977) * "Rubin and Cherise", a song by the

Jerry Garcia Band The Jerry Garcia Band was a San Francisco Bay Area rock band led by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Garcia founded the band in 1975; it remained the most important of his various side projects until his death in 1995. The band regularly tour ...

, written by Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia (1978) * "Blue Orpheus", a song by

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band Ut ...

on his album '' A Cappella'' (1985) * ''

The Mask of Orpheus ''The Mask of Orpheus'' is an opera with music by Harrison Birtwistle, electronic music realised by Barry Anderson and a libretto by Peter Zinovieff. It was premiered in London at the English National Opera on 21 May 1986 to great critical acclaim ...

'', an opera by composer

Harrison Birtwistle Sir Harrison Birtwistle (15 July 1934 – 18 April 2022) was an English composer of contemporary classical music best known for his operas, often based on mythological subjects. Among his many compositions, his better known works include '' T ...

and librettist

Peter Zinovieff Peter Zinovieff (26 January 1933 – 23 June 2021) was a British engineer and composer. In the late 1960s, his company, Electronic Music Studios (EMS), made the VCS3, a synthesizer used by many early progressive rock bands such as Pink Floyd ...

(1986) * ''Orpheus'', a song by English singer-songwriter

David Sylvian David Sylvian (born David Alan Batt, 23 February 1958) is an English musician, singer and songwriter who came to prominence in the late 1970s as frontman and principal songwriter of the band Japan. The band's androgynous look and increasingly ...

from the album Secrets of the Beehive (1987) *''Orpheus and Eurydice'', a song cycle in two acts by

Ricky Ian Gordon Ricky Ian Gordon (born May 15, 1956) is an American composer of art song, opera and musical theatre. Life Gordon was born in Oceanside, New York. He was raised by his mother, Eve, and father, Sam, and he grew up on Long Island with his three sist ...

(2005) * '' Metamorpheus'', an orchestral album by former Genesis guitarist

Steve Hackett Stephen Richard Hackett (born 12 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who gained prominence as the lead guitarist of the progressive rock band Genesis from 1971 to 1977. Hackett contributed to six Genesis ...

(2005) * "

", a song by Sleepthief featuring Jody Quine (2006) * ''

'', an album of songs from the folk opera of the same name by

(2010) *'' From the Underworld'', a song by the British band The Herd, written by

Ken Howard Kenneth Joseph Howard Jr. (March 28, 1944 – March 23, 2016) was an American actor. He was known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in '' 1776'' and as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the television show '' The Wh ...

and Alan Blaikley (1967) *''Orpheus X'', a rock opera by Rinde Eckert (2007) * ''Syringa'', by

, based on John Ashbery's poem of the same name * '' Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus'', an album by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds (2004) * " Don't Look Back", a song by

She & Him She & Him is an American musical duo consisting of Zooey Deschanel (vocals, piano, ukulele) and M. Ward (guitar, production) formed in 2006 in Portland, Oregon.Scaggs, Austin"Smoking Section: Modest Mouse, Zooey Deschanel, Kings of Leon"''Rol ...

, written by

Zooey Deschanel Zooey Claire Deschanel (; born January 17, 1980) is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She made her film debut in '' Mumford'' (1999) and had a supporting role in Cameron Crowe's film '' Almost Famous'' (2000). Deschanel is known for h ...

(2008) * "Beat of her Heart", a song by Gungor (2013) * The cover of the album ''Reflektor'' (2013) by

Arcade Fire Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara. The band's current touring line-up also includes former core member ...

contains a picture of Auguste Rodin's

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable ...

of Orpheus and Eurydice. The myth is referenced in songs "Awful Sound (Oh Eurydice)", "It's Never Over (Hey Orpheus)" and "Afterlife". * "Bring You Back", a song by

Beacon A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More mode ...

(2013) *"Orpheus Under The Influence", a song by The Buttertones (2014) * "Orpheus Mourning", a song by the Spanish band As Light Dies (2014) * "Don't Look Back Orpheus", a song by

The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger is an American band formed in 2008 by Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl. The couple have stated that they started the band as a way to spend more time together, and while they released a number of recordings and ...

(2014) *

Underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underwor ...

, an album by

Symphony X Symphony X is an American progressive metal band from Middletown, New Jersey. Founded in 1994, the band consists of guitarist Michael Romeo, keyboardist Michael Pinnella, drummer Jason Rullo, lead vocalist Russell Allen and bassist Micha ...

(2015) * ''Orphée'', an album by

Jóhann Jóhannsson Jóhann Gunnar Jóhannsson (; 19 September 1969 – 9 February 2018) was an Icelandic composer who wrote music for a wide array of media including theatre, dance, television, and film. His work is stylised by its blending of traditional orchest ...

(2016) * "Eurydice in the Light", a song by Helena Ruth off the album ''Inherited Branches'' (2016) * "Orpheus is Playing the Troubadour", a song by Charlie Fink (2017) * "The Wind Weeps Eleanor", a song by American Murder Song off the album ''The Donner Party'' (2017) * "Orfeusz+Euridiké", a ballet choreographed by Enrico Morelli (2018) *"Orpheus in the Underworld" Rick Springfield, ''The Snake King'' (2018) * “Talk”, song by Hozier on the album ''Wasteland, Baby'' (2019) * "Orpheus", a song by Sara Bareilles off the album '' Amidst the Chaos'' (2019) * ''Portrait of a Lady on Fire'', a film by

(2019) * "Orpheus", a song by Shawn James on the album ''The Dark & The Light'' (2019) * ''

'', an opera by

Matthew Aucoin Matthew Aucoin (born April 4, 1990) is an American composer, conductor, pianist, and writer best known for his operas. Aucoin has received commissions from the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, Lyric Opera of Chicago, the American Repertory Thea ...

with librettist

(2020) * "Lődi", a song by Csaknekedkislány on the album ''Kobraszív'' (2020) *"Orpheus / Eurydice", a song by Velvet Rye on the album ''V.'' (2020)

Visual arts

Ary Scheffer - Orpheus Mourning the Death of Eurydice, 1814

* ''Orpheus and Eurydice'', stone relief, second century, Šempeter, Slovenia *''Orpheus and Eurydice'', a painting by

Titian Tiziano Vecelli or Vecellio (; 27 August 1576), known in English as Titian ( ), was an Italian (Venetian) painter of the Renaissance, considered the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, nea ...

(c. 150

*'' Landscape with Orpheus and Eurydice'', a painting by

Poussin Nicolas Poussin (, , ; June 1594 – 19 November 1665) was the leading painter of the classical French Baroque style, although he spent most of his working life in Rome. Most of his works were on religious and mythological subjects painted for ...

(1650–1653) * ''Orpheus and Euridice'', a painting by Federico Cervelli *''Orpheus Mourning the Death of Eurydice'', a painting by Ary Scheffer (1814) *''Orpheus Leading Eurydice from the Underworld'', a painting by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (186

* ''Orpheus and Eurydice'', a painting by

Edward Poynter Sir Edward John Poynter, 1st Baronet (20 March 183626 July 1919) was an English painter, designer, and draughtsman, who served as President of the Royal Academy. Life Poynter was the son of architect Ambrose Poynter. He was born in Paris, F ...

(186

* :File:Frederic Leighton-Orfeo ed Euridice-1864.jpg, ''Orpheus and Euridice'', a painting by

Frederic Leighton Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton, (3 December 1830 – 25 January 1896), known as Sir Frederic Leighton between 1878 and 1896, was a British painter, draughtsman, and sculptor. His works depicted historical, biblical, and classical subjec ...

(1864) *''Orpheus and Eurydice'', a sculpture by Auguste Rodin (189

*''Orpheus Searching Eurydice in the Underworld'', a painting by the Antwerp school

*'' The Kiss'', a painting by Gustave Klimt (1907) (Not explicitly Orpheus and Eurydice, but one interpretation of ''The Kiss'' is that it depicts their story) * ''Portrait of Cosimo I de' Medici as Orpheus'', a painting by Agnolo Bronzino (c. 1537-153

Video games

* '' The Battle of Olympus'', an NES and Game Boy video game by Infinity * ''Don't Look Back'', an Atari VCS-styled Flash game by Terry Cavanagh *''

Persona 3 released outside Japan as ''Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3'', is a 2006 role-playing video game developed by Atlus. It is the fourth main installment in the ''Persona'' series, which is part of the larger ''Megami Tensei'' franchise. Atlus orig ...

'', a video game originally designed for the PS2 in Japan; Orpheus appears as the protagonist's persona * ''Dante's Inferno'', developed by Visceral Games * ''Oikospiel Book I'', an indie game by David Kanaga * ''Hades'', an

indie Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming *Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies *Indie game, any game (board ...

Rogue-like game developed by

Supergiant Games Supergiant Games, LLC is an American independent video game developer and publisher based in San Francisco. It was founded in 2009 by Amir Rao and Gavin Simon, and is known for the critically acclaimed games ''Bastion'', '' Transistor'', '' Py ...

. The player,

Zagreus In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Zagreus ( grc-gre, Ζαγρεύς) was sometimes identified with a god worshipped by the followers of Orphism, the "first Dionysus", a son of Zeus and Persephone, who was dismembered by the Titans and reb ...

, meets Eurydice and Orpheus, and is given the option of reuniting them.

References

External links

* {{Orpheus and Eurydice * Thraco-Macedonian mythology Mythological lovers Love stories