Che farò senza Euridice

I am completely obsessed with the Met Opera HD Telecasts that are shown LIVE in theaters all over the world. There is about one every month. Last Saturday's was Orfeo et Euridice.. the story of a husband whose wife dies on their wedding day. Inconsolable, Orfeo, the husband, is visited by Cupid who tells him that he can get Euridice back by going down to Hades and taking her back. The one condition is that he must use music to get past the river Styx and the dead there.. and the other condition is that he must not look at Euridice until they reach the surface, nor tell her why. If he does, she will die again forever. Awakened from death, Euridice wants nothing more to than to be embraced by her lover. Orfeo, unable to look at her appears cold and unfeeling. On their way back to the surface she continues pushing him to look upon her, not understanding why he won't do so, notice her beauty, and comfort her. He cannot look at her and he cannot explain why. Eventually he feels so broken down by her sadness and complaints of his not loving her that he does look upon her at last. She dies again, and he returns to his agony. Then he sings the most famous aria from the Opera: Che faro senza Euridice? (what will I do without Euridice -- pronounced Eh-yur-ee-dee-chay) Its SO GORGEOUS! Traditionally the role was performed by a male castrato. Today a counter-tenor does it sometimes, but more often a mezzo sings the role dressed as a dude. In the HD telecast Stephanie Blythe sang the role. It was amazing. I just wanted to give you a little taste. This is a different artist-- a mezzo, but a great version.