Monteverdi’s Orfeo

Friday, May 29, 2026 and
Saturday, May 30, 2026 at 7:30PM
Zilkha Hall, The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (800 Bagby St, Google Maps)

There is perhaps no better operatic subject matter than Orpheus, whose exceptional singing melts the hearts of the living and the dead. Claudio Monteverdi’s Orfeo stands at the head of a long list, and not just because of its early date. Together with librettist Alessandro Striggio, Monteverdi created in 1607 the first great opera. Its vivid recitative, toe-tapping arias, lavish accompaniments, and potent dramatic arc breathe life into his era’s revolutionary ideas about musical expression. Ars Lyrica’s new production, a collaboration with the New York Baroque Dance Company, is directed and choreographed by its Artistic Director Catherine Turocy and conducted by ALH Artistic Director Matthew Dirst.

Cast:
Karim Sulayman, Orfeo
Amia Langer, La Musica/Euridice
Cecilia Duarte, Messaggera/Speranza
Enrico Lagasca, Caronte
Tzvi Bat Ahserah, Plutone

Production Team:
Catherine Turocy, stage director & choreographer
Matthew Dirst, music director
Julius Sanchez, stage manager

Explore the full 2025/26 season here.

Single tickets will go on sale in August 2025

Post-Opera Soirée

When: May 30, 2026
Where: Upstairs at Diana American Grill

Add on Post-Opera Soirée (5/30) to your early subscription and receive an invitation to an exclusive opera preview of Orfeo. Offer ends May 23rd.

Join us upstairs at Diana American Grill following Monteverdi’s Orfeo for a fundraising dinner with Ars Lyrica artists and fellow patrons!