A myth that is unparalleled: the legend of the singer Orpheus, whose music reaches the hearts of all living creatures, overshadows the man behind the fictional character. Caught between reality and dream, the spotlight and loneliness, longing for love and narcissism, we follow Orpheus on his journey into the underworld as he demands his beloved Eurydice back.

Orpheus and Eurydice (Orphée et Eurydice)

Staatstheater Darmstadt

In Jean Cocteau's novel, the "enfant terribles" are named Paul and Élisabeth. They are brother and sister, teenagers and orphans. Alone in a society they reject, they transform their room into an imaginary kingdom, a sanctuary of a symbiotic relationship where love borders on obsession and conceals a latent violence. When two friends, Gérard and then Agathe, intrude upon their private world, the threat of losing Paul draws Élisabeth into a vicious cycle of dangerous games, jealousy, and manipulation. In this short novel published in 1929, the author illuminates the fragility of adolescence, the impossibility of suspending time, and the disastrous consequences of an all-consuming passion.

Marie Smolka

Events

Upcoming events

20 - 26 Mar, 2026

The Terrible Children · Opéra de Lille

Past events

Jan 10 - Feb 15, 2025

Orpheus and Eurydice (Orphée et Eurydice) · Staatstheater Darmstadt

Future and recently performed repertoire

Amour in Orpheus and Eurydice by Gluck

Staatstheater Darmstadt

Élisabeth in Les Enfants terribles by Glass

Opéra de Lille

About

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