We start work directing our opera production at the Vienna Volksoper this week. Orpheus is designed by Julian Crouch and conducted by Alex Joel, choreographed by Gail Skrela. We’ve been cooking this show up for a while – we began talking to new artistic director Lotte de Beer nearly two years ago – so it is exciting to be finally properly starting work on it in rehearsal.

Lotte de Beer says:

Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld is not only the first full-length operetta but also one of the funniest works of this genre. With our new production we wanted to get to the bottom of the question of how humorous theater can be. Who better to answer that than Spymonkey. In their workshops, which Aitor Basauri and Toby Park have been holding regularly with our ensemble for a year now, we have been bursting with laughter. I am delighted that our principal guest conductor, Alexander Joel, will conduct the premiere, a proven operetta expert, and that we have been able to secure stage designer Julian Crouch for the collaboration. He’s wanted to work with Spymonkey for ages and now he’s done it.

Here’s Lotte talking about Orpheus for Der Standard Online if you speak-a-the-German: https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000141123177/lotte-de-beer-haben-uns-im-september-wirklich-gefuerchtet

And below is a glimpse behind-the-scenes at some rehearsal images from Toby and Aitor’s directing work on Jacques Offenbach’s operetta Orpheus in the Underworld, due to open at the Volksoper Vienna 21st January 2023.

More information about the show on the Volksoper website: https://www.volksoper.at/production/orpheus-in-der-unterwelt-2023.993530867.en.html