“O spirits of Hades, hear my song. Take pity!

I come as a lover. It's love alone which brings

Orpheus down to your infernal city,

Carried along by Love's impatient wings.”

 

Note from Lucy, the Director

 

We were invited to perform Poliziano’s ‘Orpheus’ for the Robert Taylor Society on 27th September 2014 in the Pichette Auditorium at Pembroke College. Poliziano (1454-1494) was a Tuscan humanist, whose work gained him wide renown and respect from the Italian nobility and intelligentsia. In around 1480 he wrote the Orfeo for a celebration at the Duke of Gonzaga’s household. The first classical tragedy in the Italian language, it was revealed to be a pioneering dramatic work.

 

The play is short, only around forty minutes long, and extremely fun to direct. The story of Orpheus and Eurydice has been celebrated and retold since the time of Virgil, and Poliziano’s fast-moving and somewhat anachronistic reinterpretation ensures that there is never a dull moment. The character of Orpheus was fun to create, since he requires both charisma and charm. It was also important for him to be convincing; although Orpheus is the quintessential tragic hero, in this version he walks on stage and unexpectedly delivers a flattering ode to the Duke of Gonzaga. The Underworld scene posed a few problems, since Poliziano’s script requires Eurydice to be ‘dragged back to the Underworld by an invisible force.’ We eventually wrote in an extra stage direction which instructs Minos to step in between Orpheus and Eurydice and take her back to the Underworld himself, with the help of Pluto and Proserpina.

 

CDs of Ben van Leeuwen’s original score, performed by Tom Dixon, are available for purchase: please email me for more information.

 

Note from David, the Translator

 

This version aims to render Poliziano’s Italian into clear, natural English. This is in keeping with the original inspiration of the play which was to make the prestigious Greek myth of Orpheus accessible in the language of ordinary people.

 

A unique feature of this verse translation is that it faithfully follows the rhyme schemes of the original, and allows an English audience to savour the sinuous rhyming of Italian terza rima and ottava rima.  Although the rhyme schemes are very strict, they express a rich range of moods, from the majestic pronouncements of the King of the Underworld, to the turbulent emotions inspired by love and death, and even the repartee of a cheeky shepherd boy.  The intention of this translation is to bring to life in performance the rhythm and music of the glittering entertainments of the Italian Renaissance courts.