Euridice

A concert presentation of an opera by Jacopo Peri

Co-produced by Haymarket Opera Company and The Newberry Consort

Marking a thrilling new collaboration, Haymarket Opera Company and The Newberry Consort will co-produce a concert presentation of Jacopo Peri’s 1600 opera Euridice, the oldest surviving opera. Euridice marks the birth of a revolutionary art form, blending music and poetry to retell the timeless myth of Orpheus.

Euridice

Music by Jacopo Peri
Libretto by Ottavio Rinuccini

Co-produced by Haymarket Opera Company and The Newberry Consort

Performances: October 24 and 25, 2025
Performance length: 2.5 hours, including a 15-minute intermission

Friday, October 24, 2025 at 7pm
Fullerton Hall at The Art Institute of Chicago
111 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603

Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 3pm
Nichols Concert Hall at Music Institute of Chicago
1490 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL 60201

About the performances

Jacopo Peri holds a monumental place in the history of opera as its pioneering figure, often called the "father of opera." Living at the dawn of the Baroque era, Peri laid the foundation for the development of opera as a genre capable of exploring profound human emotions and stories, influencing generations of composers from Monteverdi to Handel and beyond. Our concert presentation of Peri’s Euridice will feature a cast of celebrated artists both familiar and new to Newberry and Haymarket audiences, and an orchestra of expert period instrumentalists assembled from within Chicago’s flourishing early-music scene and beyond.

“Luminous” soprano (Musical America) Erica Schuller and “gracefully shaded tenor” (Gramophone) Scott J. Brunscheen portray the fated lovers Eurydice and Orpheus (Euridice and Orfeo). Eurydice’s confidante Daphne (Dafne), soprano Véronique Filloux, brings news of the nymph’s death to the shepherds—tenors James Reese and Michael St. Peter, and countertenor Ryan Belongie—who lament her untimely demise. Orpheus is led to the underworld by Aphrodite (Venere), mezzo-soprano Christine Boddicker, to beg the gods for Eurydice’s return. Underworld deities Pluto (Plutone) and Proserpine (Proserpina), sung by “riveting” (The New York Times) bass-baritone Jonathan Woody and “impeccable” soprano (L’Opera) Hannah De Priest, will decide Eurydice’s fate.  

Haymarket Opera Company Artistic Director Craig Trompeter and The Newberry Consort Artistic Director Liza Malamut lead an ensemble of 17th-century music specialists performing Peri’s elegant score on period instruments including cornetti, sackbuts, recorders, violins, viol, lirone, lutes, organ, and harpsichord.

Tickets

Tickets for Haymarket Opera Company and The Newberry Consort’s co-produced concert presentation of Euridice can be purchased online through The Newberry Consort box office.

Featuring

The Cast

Euridice: Erica Schuller, soprano

Orfeo: Scott J. Brunscheen, tenor

Plutone: Jonathan Woody, bass-baritone 

Proserpina: Hannah De Priest, soprano

Arcetro: Ryan Belongie, countertenor

Dafne: Véronique Filloux, soprano

Venere: Christine Boddicker, mezzo-soprano

Tirsi: James Reese, tenor

Aminta: Michael St. Peter, tenor

The Orchestra

Cornetti: Kiri Tollaksen, Bill Baxtresser

Sackbuts: Liza Malamut, Ben David Aronson, Garrett Lahr

Violins: Marty Davids, Jeri-Lou Zike

Recorders: Lisette Kielson, Laura Osterlund Klehr

Harp: Claire Happel-Ashe

Organ: Jacob Reed

Harpsichord: Jason Moy

Theorbos: Lucas Harris, Brandon Acker

Lirone: David Morris

Viol: Craig Trompeter

Synopsis

Euridice recounts the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in a pastoral and celebratory style. The opera begins with the wedding festivities of the legendary musician and the nymph. Tragedy strikes when Eurydice is bitten by a serpent and dies, leaving Orpheus devastated. Determined to reclaim her, Orpheus descends into the underworld, where his moving pleas and divine music soften the hearts of the gods. They allow him to bring Eurydice back to life, with the condition that he not look back at her until they reach the surface. Unlike later versions of the myth, this Euridice ends happily: Orpheus succeeds in leading her back to the world of the living, and the couple rejoices in their reunion, celebrating their love and divine favor in a joyous conclusion. This early opera emphasizes the harmony of human and divine realms, reflecting the optimism of Renaissance ideals.

About the composer

Jacopo Peri holds a monumental place in the history of opera as its pioneering figure. Living at the dawn of the Baroque era, Peri sought to merge the expressive power of music and drama, giving birth to a new art form that would dominate European culture for centuries. His Euridice (1600), the oldest surviving opera, and earlier work Dafne (now lost), represent groundbreaking attempts to revive Greek theatrical ideals through monody—an innovative style that allowed singers to convey heightened emotion and narrative clarity. By emphasizing text and dramatic expression over polyphonic complexity, Peri laid the foundation for the development of opera as a genre capable of exploring profound human emotions and stories. His contributions marked the beginning of a rich and enduring tradition that continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Entertainment for a Medici wedding

Euridice was commissioned by the Medici court in 1600 for the lavish wedding celebrations of Maria de Medici and Henri IV of France in the Pitti Palace (Florence) for over 200 royal wedding guests. Peri’s innovative music set the elegant libretto of Ottavio Rinuccini recounting the myth of Orpheus in a pastoral expression of love’s enduring power. The work exemplified the emerging stile rappresentativo, an elevated form of musical declamation, and marked a key moment in the transition from the Renaissance era to the Baroque. Euridice transports the listener to a mythological world, exploring the intriguing intersections of love, magic, and power while telling an arresting musical story fit for a Medici wedding.

A Chicago connection: Howard Mayer Brown

For these performances, Haymarket Opera Company and The Newberry Consort are using an edition of the score prepared by the late distinguished University of Chicago musicologist, Howard Mayer Brown. Brown played a pivotal role in reviving early music and opera scholarship internationally through his meticulous research and publications. His edition of Jacopo Peri's Euridice brought renewed attention to the oldest extant opera, offering modern performers and scholars invaluable insights into its historical and musical context. By making this foundational work accessible, Brown not only preserved a crucial link to the origins of opera but also inspired a deeper appreciation for Renaissance and Baroque music, shaping the field of historical performance practice for generations.

About The Newberry Consort

The Newberry Consort brings together singers and instrumentalists of the highest caliber to create historically informed performances of music from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Baroque, and beyond. By integrating historical performance and research with contemporary themes and multimedia, The Newberry Consort inspires audiences, musicians, and scholars, providing a window into earlier times and diverse cultures. The Consort continues to uplift Chicago’s early-music community through mentorships, teaching, and engagement of local artists.

Season Sponsors & Support

2025 Haymarket season sponsors: Amata Office Suites, Axel Kunzmann and Bruce Nelson, Gregory O'Leary and Patricia Kenney, Lynne and Ralph Schatz, Candace Rudmose, Pam and Doug Walter

Foundation support: The Paul M. Angell Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Illinois Arts Council Agency, Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation, and the Walder Foundation

If you are interested in becoming a production sponsor, please contact general director Chase Hopkins at chase@haymarketopera.org.

If you require access support to fully participate or have any questions about accessibility, please contact us at info@haymarketopera.org. To ensure the best experience, please try to contact us at your earliest convenience.