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Orpheus in the Underworld 12 December 2007 - 6 January 2008 Artscape Opera House The Cape Town City Ballet in association with Heart 104.9FM, Artscape and Pick and Pay, presents Veronica Paeper's three act ballet - Orpheus in the Underworld at Artscape Opera House from the 12th December to 6th January 2008. This highly comical ballet is based on the Greek legend of Pluto, God of the Underworld who falls in love with Eurydice, wife of Orpheus and lures her to his kingdom. Paeper has based her ballet on Jaques Offenbach's operetta and sets the action in the 1920's with Pluto as the head of a Mafia-type Underworld and Public Opinion as Calliope, Orpheus' mother.

Follow the fortunes of the Mafia in Cape Town City Ballet's comical ballet, Orpheus in the Underworld. Photo by Pat Bromilow-Downing.

The mythical world of Orpheus is set in a hotel where Orpheus and Eurydice inhabit the ground floor. Jupiter and his Gods and Goddesses occupy the penthouse with its swimming pool and the Underworld is the night-club in the basement of the hotel. The Ballet will feature several stars of the past. Janet Lindup who has made the role of Calliope her very own appears as does Eduard Greyling as the benevolent Offenbach who keeps an eye on all the proceedings. Izak Botha & Andrew Warth make a come-back and appear with Mervyn Willams as the some what odd and often hysterically funny Elderly Gods. This production is ideal for the whole family and all performances will be accompanied by the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Allan Stephenson.