L'Orfeo - Favola in Musica

Prologue

La Musica introduces herself; she is Music, who across all of history has been able to calm troubled hearts, and fill people with love (‘Dal mio Permesso amato’). Now she feels obliged to tell the story of Orfeo, the legendary musician who was able to charm wild beasts with his singing, and who overcame the underworld with his beautiful voice.

Act One

A shepherd calls out to his fellow shepherds, asking them to sing of the happiness of this beautiful day (‘In questo lieto e fortunato’). Today, Orfeo and Euridice celebrate their wedding, and all the nymphs and shepherds praise the goddess Hymen, asking him to bless their marriage and to banish all grief (‘Vieni, Imeneo’). A nymph (Ninfa) asks the Muses to sing from their lyres, and to remove every dark cloud while they call the favor of the gods on Orfeo’s wedding (‘Muse, honor di Parnaso’). The people begin to dance, singing of the joy of the day.

One of the shepherds asks Orfeo why he is quiet. It is strange for the