The Minds Behind a Masterpiece
Learning about the origins of a movie, a play, or opera can be fascinating. It allows us to look back and see whether the story came from the imagination of one or more people, if it’s based on a true story, or if it emerged from an inspiring culture.
There are stories that surpass the test of time, and there are also other stories that evolve and have some twists and turns without losing their essence.
The creation of such art can usually be attributed to more than one person, and on this occasion, it can be attributed to Claudio Monteverdi, the creator of the opera, and the librettists Alessandro Striggio (the Younger) and Ottavio Rinuccini.
L’Orfeo is an opera based upon the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, a tragic story from Greek mythology.
The story of a couple, Orpheus and Eurydice, promises eternal love to each other but death separates them. Orpheus goes above and beyond — or below and beyond —
to be reunited with her. He visits the underworld, and with the help of his charm, courage, and musical talents, he convinces the gods of hell to give him a chance to get his wife back. Orpheus is given an opportunity to rescue his lover but fails in the attempt.
What happens after the failed attempt to bring Eurydice back to life has been changed many times. That is also the case with the opera and libretto of L’Orfeo. Alessandro Striggio had adapted the libretto to be more similar to the original tragedy, where Orpheus is surrounded by the Bacchantes, who were upset at Orpheus for not trying to commit to another woman, whereas, in Monteverdi’s opera, he gives a twist to the story by bringing Apollo to the rescue and inviting Orpheus to join him in Heaven.
People believe that the reason why Monteverdi’s score has a different ending might have been because of previous performances or because of staging accommodations. These circumstances are narrated in the article “Alessandro Striggio” by Barbara Russano Hanning.
One can wonder what went through their minds as they adapted the story. They followed the libretto of Ottavio Rinuccini, who had created his version of the Orpheus myth years before. But they did not stop there. They continued adding more of their own and joined forces by sharing ideas and collaborating in due time.
I admire the people who decide to take a story that they love, such as from a book or a myth, and turn it into an opera, into a musical, or any other art form to convey how they perceive such a story and make their own contribution.
That comes to show that after a work of art has been created, it does not need to stop there. More great minds can add to it, make their contribution, and create a new masterpiece.
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