Theater News

Ghostlight Records to Release Ricky Ian Gordon’s Orpheus & Euridice

Ghostlight Records will release the CD of Ricky Ian Gordon’s song cycle Orpheus & Euridice on January 23. The recording features soprano Elizabeth Futral, clarinetist Todd Palmer, and pianist Melvin Chen.

The piece is based on the famed Greek myth about Orpheus, who goes to the underworld in hopes of retrieving his dead wife, Euridice. It premiered at Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center in October 2005. The recording was made in April 2006.

Gordon’s previous work includes the musical Dream True, the operas Morning Star and The Tibetan Book of the Dead, and the song cycle and flowers pick themselves…. His songs have been performed by such celebrated artists as Renée Fleming, Dawn Upshaw and Audra McDonald. His newest opera, The Grapes of Wrath, co-written with Grey Gardens’ Michael Korie, will have its world premiere in February at the Minnesota Opera.