Five Things About Orpheus Alive 
November 13, 2019

1. Orpheus’ love affair with Eurydice ends tragically, with Eurydice descending to the underworld in death. In the original Greek myth, Orpheus plays his lyre so beautifully that the gods agree to let Orpheus into the underworld to find Eurydice and lead her back to earth – on one condition. Orpheus must not look back at Eurydice as they ascend. But Orpheus does look back, losing Eurydice forever.

2. There have been many versions of the story, from opera to art and theatre, Arcade Fire even featured the lovers on an album cover and in two songs. The story holds great appeal for the heartbreaking love story but also because it examines basic human feelings like regret and hesitation.
 
3. Music is central to the Orpheus myth, which has been told in music – particularly opera – for hundreds of years. GRAMMY-nominated composer Missy Mazzoli incorporates the musical history of Orpheus in her original score for Orpheus Alive, her first ever work for ballet.
 
4. Robert Binet choreographed to Missy Mazzoli’s piece These Worlds in Us on an earlier ballet of the same name, which premiered at The National Ballet of Canada’s MAD HOT BALLET gala in 2014.
 
5. There is an interdisciplinary element to much of Robert Binet’s work, whereby dance interacts with other contemporary art forms, and he often collaborates with living musicians. Robert has choreographed the music videos for Owen Pallett’s Song for Five & Six and Belle and Sebastian’s The Party Line.

Orpheus Alive & Chaconne is onstage November 15 –  21, 2019.