Orpheus in the Underworld - Offenbach @ Great Lakes Operetta
Sun, Jul 19
|Bramble Arts Loft, Beatrice Auditorium
This summer, enjoy Offenbach, the 'Father of Operetta' hilarious precursor to the modern musical in a brand new English translation. The 'Hadestown' of 1850's Paris, irreverent spoof of the Orpheus myth introduced the beloved Can-Can to the world. Gabrielle will be singing the role of Eurydice!
Time & Location
Jul 19, 2026, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Bramble Arts Loft, Beatrice Auditorium, 5545 N Clark St 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60640, USA
About the event
Originally premiering as Orphée aux enfers, this musical spoof of the Orpheus myth was the Hadestown of 1858’s Paris and had a cultural impact comparable to Hamilton or Phantom of the Opera. It is often considered the first operetta and inspired many other composers, most notably Johann Strauss Jr. The original book was written in part by Ludovic Halévy, of Carmen fame, and the score introduced the now world-famous “can-can” (known in the show as the “Infernal Gallop”). The show is raucous, wacky, and surprisingly modern, and the score is one of Offenbach’s best, ensuring its continued popularity.
Orpheus was initially controversial: in this version, Orpheus and Eurydice can’t stand each and there is no moral redemption for anyone (although there is a singing bug, pictured below). Offenbach actively lampoons the tropes of classicism – both the original Greek myths and the revered operatic versions of those myths, such as…