Orfeo
Synopsis
Claude Goretta brings to life the age-old tale of Orpheus and Eurydice in a fresh adaptation of Monteverdi’s Orfeo. Monteverdi’s fabled opera Orfeo was long described as the first opera to have been written. Although modern scholarship has proven this to be untrue, the work remains one of the pillars of western music history, a musical creation which laid the foundations for much of what was to come. As musicologist Jack Westrup explains, Orfeo marked a major milestone not because it broke new ground, but because imagination had taken precedence over theory. While Monteverdi may not have been a revolutionary, his music represents the culmination of centuries of musical evolution, and shows him as the clear master of both polyphony and monody.
Top Cast
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Release History & Theatrical Window
Munich International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Claude Goretta
- Original Title
- Orfeo
- Country of Origin
- France, Italy, Switzerland, Canada
- Spoken Languages
- Italian
- Runtime
- 1h 32m
- Production Studios
- Gaumont, Erato Films, France 2, Radio France, Istituto Luce-Italnoleggio Cinematografico, Radio Canada, SRG SSR
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Claude Goretta
Department Leadership Roster
Claude Goretta
Director
Featured In Curated Collections
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Musicals
Every film Wikidata tags as a musical film.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Orfeo
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Orfeo about?
Claude Goretta brings to life the age-old tale of Orpheus and Eurydice in a fresh adaptation of Monteverdi’s Orfeo. Monteverdi’s fabled opera Orfeo was long described as the first opera to have been written. Although modern scholarship has proven this to be untrue, the work remains one of the pillars of western music history, a musical creation which laid the foundations for much of what was to come. As musicologist Jack Westrup explains, Orfeo marked a major milestone not because it broke new ground, but because imagination had taken precedence over theory. While Monteverdi may not have been a revolutionary, his music represents the culmination of centuries of musical evolution, and shows him as the clear master of both polyphony and monody.
Who directed Orfeo?
Orfeo was directed by Claude Goretta.
Who stars in Orfeo?
The principal cast of Orfeo includes Gino Quilico, Audrey Michael, Carolyn Watkinson, Danielle Borst.
When was Orfeo released and how long is it?
Orfeo was released in 1985 with a total runtime of 1h 32m.