Pittsburgh Opera brings ‘the original Underworld love story’ to the Byham in November

^{October 19, 2026
Chris Cox, Director of Marketing and Communications
412-281-0912 ext. 217
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Pittsburgh Opera continues its 2026–27 season with Orpheus & Eurydice – ‘the original Underworld love story’ – at the Byham Theater November 14, 20, and 22.

Based on the classic Greek myth, Orpheus plunges into the very depths of the Underworld to bring his beloved Eurydice back from the dead.

These will be Pittsburgh Opera’s first-ever performances of Orpheus & Eurydice.

Performance Schedule

• Saturday, November 14, 2026, 7:00PM
• Friday, November 20, 2026, 7:00PM – audio commentary available
• Sunday, November 22, 2026, 2:00PM

Additional Information

• Pronunciation: “OR-fee-us” and “yoo-RID-ih-see”
• Music by Christoph Willibald Gluck (1762), with instrumentation by Hector Berlioz (1859). Libretto by Ranieri de’ Calzabigi
• Sung in French with English supertitles projected above the stage
• These are the first performances by Pittsburgh Opera; Pittsburgh Opera is constructing a new production
• Estimated Run time – 2 hours, 8 minutes including one intermission
• 33 musicians in the orchestra
• 14 choristers, including seven men and seven women
• This production features original choreography and four dancers by Attack Theatre

Fun Facts about the myth

• The myth has had multiple variations over the centuries, which differ in elements such as what led to the snakebite that killed Eurydice
• Both Plato and Euripides refer or allude to the myth in their works
• The Roman writers Virgil and Ovid each wrote full versions of the story in the 1^st century BCE
• Composer Christoph Willibald Gluck’s first version of the opera premiered in 1762, in Italian. He followed with a French version in 1774; it was later reorchestrated by Hector Berlioz in 1859, which is the version Pittsburgh Opera is producing.
• More recently, the story has been retold as in movies, plays, and the 2019 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Hadestown

A full synopsis, along with the Cast and Artistic Teams and additional resources, is available on the Orpheus & Eurydice webpage.

Tickets

• Single tickets start at just $20. Tickets for kids and teens ages 6–18 are half price. Subscribers save 15% on single ticket purchases beyond what’s in their subscription package. For tickets, call (412) 456-6666 or visit www.pittsburghopera.org.
• Group Tickets – Pittsburgh Opera makes opera accessible to all groups in the Pittsburgh area by providing great discounts and special services to group ticketholders. A group at Pittsburgh Opera can be as few as 6 people!  In addition, college and university students, faculty, and staff are eligible for our Cheap Seats program – see pittsburghopera.org/CheapSeats for details. For more information about group ticket services and discounts, contact Álvaro Muñoz at (412) 281-0912, ext. 213 or groups@pittsburghopera.org.
• Opus Pass – Pittsburgh Opera’s Opus Pass lets patrons see as many live opera performances as they want all season. For one low monthly price, passholders get a year’s worth of unlimited admission to every performance of every opera, subject to availability.

Related Events

• Pre-Opera Talk
• 1 hour before each performance, Byham Theater
• Ticketholders are invited to attend a Pre-Opera Talk one hour before each performance in the theater. Learn about the composer, the story, and some juicy details about the opera! These talks are free to all ticketholders.

• Meet the Artists
• Friday, November 20, ~9:00PM, Byham Theater
• Patrons are invited to join General Director Bill Powers immediately following the Friday performance to enjoy lively repartee, as Mr. Powers interviews the stars of the production. This event is free.  

Sponsorships

Orpheus & Eurydice is sponsored in part by The Gailliot Fund. The Season Sponsor is PNC; the Friday Night Sponsor is Ambridge Regional Distribution & Manufacturing Center.

Pittsburgh Opera’s season is made possible, onstage and off, by support from all corners of the community.

Pittsburgh Opera offers a range of flexible gift options and potential tax benefits for individuals, local businesses, and corporations. To learn more about becoming a sponsor, contact Pittsburgh Opera at 412-281-0912 x226 or development@pittsburghopera.org.