DIRECTOR'S NOTE

Offenbach composed Orpheus In the Underworld in the 1850’s. Itwas a time of slow transition in France and a time of shifting powersand alliances in Europe. Napoleon IIII was in power and was seenby many as being out of step with the rest of the world. French culture was still in its primacy but there was a shift in thecultural zeitgeist. Art and expression were shifting from the height ofromanticism to a new bourgeoning concept known asexpressionism. The cultural stage was set for satire. Taking the story of Orpheus and Eurydice that Gluck had treatedwith such reverence and beauty and turning it into a sex comedywith a loveless marriage at its core must have seemedblasphemous to opera goers. Offenbach was thumbing his nose atFrench culture, Napoleon, and opera in general. We’ve been having great fun embracing Offenbach’s irreverenceand adding a little of our own. Sit back and enjoy this satirical ridethat will take you from Olympus to Hades. If you feel compelled todo the can-can, please take care not to kick fellow theatre patrons. - Maurice Godin, Stage Director

California State University, Northridge Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication

Departments of Theatre and Musicpresent

ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD

CSUN Campus Theatre, Nordhoff HallOct. 31 – Nov. 3, 2019

7:30pm, except Sunday at 2:00pmParking on campus is by permit only.

Permit machines available in parking lot B-1.

There will be one 15-minute intermission.ADVISORIES:

THIS PRODUCTION FEATURES STROBE EFFECTS. THE VIDEOTAPING OR OTHER VIDEO OR AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS

PRODUCTION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

Stage DirectorMaurice Godin

Scenic DesignerAndrea Corona

Lighting DesignerRS Buck

Music DirectorMercedes Juan Musotto

A Comic Opera by Jacques Offenbach

Stage ManagerShiku Thuo

Choreographer Paula Thomson

Costume DesignerKaitlyn Kaufman

Libretto: Hector Crémieux, Ludovic Halévy English Spoken Scenes: Donald Pippin, Maurice Godin

Assistant Stage DirectorAlea Gough

WHO'S WHO IN THE CAST

Oct. 31 & Nov. 2

Israel Segura

Leslie Perkins

Dongmin Byeon

Matthew Ellison

Xochitl Hernandez

Jason Reith

Diana Davtyan

Ziwei Cen

Marta Hovhannisyan

Holly Palmer

Hannah Flora

Edris Foroughi

Kyler Ebbs

Leo Garcia

Orphée

Eurydice

Jupiter

Aristée/Pluton

L’opinion Publique

Mercure

Diane

Venus

Cupidon

Junon

Minerve

Mars

John Styx

Bacchus

Nov. 1 & Nov. 3

Yosep Sim

Michaela Metivier

David McGarry

Jason Reith

Pauline Tamale

Yaxuan Cui

Sarah Lonsert

Katie Knudson

Madison Rose

Natalie Mendez

Yifan Zhu

" "

Aaron Fairbanks

" "

CHORUS

Gabriella Bluvband (understudy Junon)

Jessica McGoff (understudy Cupidon)

WHO'S WHO IN THE CAST

Aaron Fairbanks Leo GarciaKyler EbbsEdris ForoughiYifan Zhu

Gabriella Bluvband Jessica McGoff

Hannah FloraNatalie MendezHolly PalmerMadison RoseMarta Hovhannisyan

Yaxuan Cui Diana Davtyan Sarah Lonsert Ziwei Cen Katie Knudson

David McGarry Matthew Ellison Jason Reith Xochitl Hernandez Pauline Tamale

Israel Segura Yosep Sim Leslie Perkins Michaela Metivier Dongmin Byeon

CSUN OPERA ORCHESTRA

DancersStar SoderbergJesse PerezAlexis RamirezSydney JacksonChristine Romero

Violin IAlisa Luera (concertmaster)Pedram Pounghazi Alisa GukasianRuisi GongJoshua Rim Susan ChiongEsteban AndradeYadong Wang

Violin IIAndrew Krezinger (principal) Logan SacinoRebekah Conrad Ryan PorciasJulia VaradyAmy MadrigalBridget Ayers

ViolaClare Hatter (principal)Daniella Jarquin Greg Notias

CelloBenz Marston (principal)Loralee Brown Alec Glass Yong Jian Ooi

BassIan Lindley (principal)Ethan Orlanes

Flutes and piccolosDavid RamirezHaziel Angeles

ClarinetsCasey GrimmJohann Phillip Palo

BassoonEric Johnson Tamai

OboeThatcher Schreiber

HornsCaitlynn SandbergMichele Cheaure

TrumpetsShea JohnsonArthur Priest

TromboneThomas Monce

TimpaniGrant Bubar

PercussionJared Davenport Loliepop Mena

CollaborationsPhotojournalism Student Rayleen SilvaPhotojournalism ProfessorDavid Grewe (JOUR 350 & 450) Headshots John HernandezVideo Promo Shae Hammond and Marc Dionne (JOUR 455)

SYNOPSIS

ACT I

Location: Somewhere in our imagination. We begin our story with the personification of Public Opinion judging us andsetting the scene for our satire. We then meet Eurydice who is anticipating atryst with her young lover Aristée. She is interrupted by her husband whomistakes her for his lover, Amaryllis. Once they recognize one another wediscover how much they hate each other. Eurydice insists they break themarriage off. However Orphée, fearing Public Opinion's reaction, torments herinto keeping the scandal quiet using violin music, which she hates. We now meet Aristée - who is, in fact, Pluton (Pluto) - keeping up his disguiseby singing a pastoral song. Eurydice enters and warns him of a plot by Orphéeto kill Aristée. Pluton tricks her into walking into the trap so that he can take herto Hades. Eurydice finds that death is not so bad when the God of Death is inlove with you. They descend into the Underworld as soon as Eurydice has left anote telling her husband she has been unavoidably detained. When Orphée discovers his wife’s note he is overcome with joy until PublicOpinion catches up with him and threatens to ruin his violin teaching careerunless he goes to rescue his wife. Orphée reluctantly agrees. Scene 2: Olympus The scene changes to Olympus, where the Gods sleep out of boredom. Thingslook a bit more interesting for them when Diane returns and sings aboutActaeon, her current love. However, Jupiter has turned Actaeon into a stag topreserve the image of the Gods. But there is dissent in Olympus and the Godsretire to discuss their options. Mercury appears and assures Jupiter that Plutonhas been summoned to answer for his behavior. Pluton then arrives, and reveals to the other gods the pleasures of Hell, leadingthem to revolt against horrid ambrosia, hideous nectar, and the sheer boredomof Olympus. Jupiter's demands to know what is going on lead them to point outhis hypocrisy at great length. However, little further progress can be madebefore news of Orphée's arrival forces the gods to get onto their best behavior.Pluton is worried he will be forced to give Eurydice back, and, after a quotationfrom Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice sends the gods to tears, Jupiter announces thathe is going to Hell to sort everything out. The other gods beg to come with him,he consents, and mass celebration breaks out at this holiday.

SYNOPSIS

ACT  II

Scene 1 Eurydice is being kept locked up by Pluto and is finding life very dull. Her jaileris an odd character by the name of John Styx. He is enamored with Eurydice.He tells her all about how he was King of the Beotians in life and had he had alove like her, he would still be great. Jupiter and Pluton enter. Jupiter is convinced that Eurydice is hidden close by.With the help of Cupidon, Eurydice is drawn out of hiding and Jupiter,transformed into a fly, sings a love duet with her where his part consists entirelyof buzzing. Afterwards, he reveals himself to her, and promises to help her,largely because he wants her for himself. Scene 2 The scene shifts to a huge party the gods are having in Hades. Eurydicesneaks in disguised as a bacchante. Before Jupiter sneaks her out, he insistson dancing a minuet. Things liven up, though, as the most famous number inthe operetta, the Galop Infernal (best known as the music of the can-can)starts. Pluton interrupts Jupiter’s attempt to sneak Eurydice out of Hades and remindsthem both that Orphée is on the way. Jupiter has a plan and promises to keepEurydice away from him. As with the standard myth, Orphée must not lookback, or he'll lose Eurydice forever. Public Opinion keeps a close eye on him,to keep him from cheating, but Jupiter throws a lightning bolt, making him jumpand look back. Eurydice ends up with Bacchus and so all ends happily, with areprise of the Galop.

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MUSIC PRODUCTION STAFFDepartment Chair ..................................................................................................................... John RoscignoDirector of Opera Theatre .......................................................................................... Mercedes Juan Musotto Principal Coach and Pianist ..................................................................................................... Suzanne Recer Student Coach/Pianist and Supertitles ......................................................................................... Alice Huang

THEATRE PRODUCTION STAFF

Department Chair ................................................................................................ Anamarie Gallardo de DwyerTechnical Director ......................................................................................................................... Scott McKimProduction Manager ................................................................................................................... Meg Imamoto Faculty Mentor for Stage Management.................................................................................. Matthew JacksonAssistant Stage Managers ........................................................................... Elyse Durand, Alejandro JimenezFaculty Mentor for Scenic and Property Design ................................................................. Efren Delgadillo Jr.Assistant Scenic Designer ...................................................................................................... Joshua AlvaradoAssistant Costume Designer ................................................................................................. Madison HartungDialogue Coach ............................................................................................................................. Alea GoughScene Shop Supervisor .......................................................................................................... Brian Hashimoto Scene Shop Assistants ........................................................... Josh Alvarado, Jack Anderson, Jose Anguiano.............................................Michael Antoniello, Andrea Corona, Rachel Lee, Brayan Ramirez, Tony StengelScenic Crew ........................................................................................... Lance Martinez, Cecilia De La Torre...................................................................................................................... Matthew Kalemba, Kevin Quigley Prop Master .................................................................................................................................. Shen HeckleProp Master Assistants ........................................................ Jake Arpaia, Jane Berry, Melissa Taub - Rogers Prop Artisan ...................................................................................................................................... Jihae SonSet Dressers ...................................................................................................... Jack Cleary, Nakaya EricksonProp Crew .................................................................... Taylor Henney, Isabelle Melford, Matthew RosenbergCostume Shop Supervisor ...................................................................................... Amanda Cleveland-Davey Costume Shop Assistants ................................................ Stephanie Castro, Alejandro Jimenez, Taryn Jones............................................................................................ Mackenzie Kohanek, Alyssa Landrith, Shiku ThuoCostume Crew Head ................................................................................................................. Maddie SeiffertCostume Crew ....................................... Sabrina Boose, Andrew Gamero, Hope Matthews, Neftali Mendoza.............................................................................................. Mirei Morikawa, Erick Perez, Jena Rothenberger............................................................................................................................ Lily Schwartz, Maddie SeiffertFaculty Mentor for Makeup Design ............................................................................................. Elizabeth Cox Makeup Crew ................................................................ Delia Dolce, Cassandra Koukourikos, Jonathan Lovo......................................................................................................................... Irene Piriyaviboon, Gillian RezaLighting and Sound Supervisor ..................................................................................................... Mike Zeigler Lighting and Sound Shop Assistants ......................................................... Coleen Apostol, Matthew KalembaLighting Installation Crew ................................................................. Jack Anderson, Jolie Hall, Olivia Hosken.............................................................................................. Romario Morales, Sanae Murray, Brian Vasquez Light Board Operator ............................................................................................................. Arisbeth RamirezFollowspot Operators .................................................................................... Renz Eleazar, Abraham KhanianSuper Title Operator ...................................................................................................................... Alice HuangHouse Manager .......................................................................................................................... Jules CiocioloPhotographer .................................................................................................................................. Kenji KangAdministrative Analyst.............................................................................................................. Alicia LawrenceAdministrative Coordinator............................................................................................................. Amy ZapataStudent Assistant .......................................................................................................................... Ella Roades Academic Advisor.................................................................................................................. David Del Mundo Theatre Marketing & PR Associate .......................................................................................... Erica Gonzalez Student Marketing Assistants ...........................................................Cloe Luu, Shyhiem Parker, Alex WilliamsMarketing Volunteers ......................................................................................... Jocelyn Soriano, Gillian Reza

PRODUCTION STAFF & CREW