The Opera!, a contemporary musical reimagining of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, hits French cinemas on September 2, 2026. Davide Livermore and Paolo Gep Cucco turn the poet’s descent into the Underworld into a fantastical spectacle powered by soaring arias from the operatic repertoire, featuring Vincent Cassel, Fanny Ardant, Rossy de Palma and Caterina Murino.
In this fresh take, Orpheus and Eurydice are about to marry when a gunshot abruptly ends the young woman’s life. Crushed by grief, Orpheus refuses to give up on her and sets off to find her at the Grand Hades Hotel, a contemporary riff on the realm of the dead. His journey brings him face to face with several mythological figures—and his own fears—in a world where storytelling, song, dance, and digital scenery play off one another.
The two lovers are portrayed by Valentino Buzza and Mariam Battistelli. Vincent Cassel lends his features to Charon, the ferryman charged with guiding the dead to the Underworld, while Fanny Ardant embodies Proserpine. Erwin Schrott plays Pluto; Rossy de Palma appears as one of the Parcae, and Caterina Murino takes on the role of the concierge at the Grand Hades Hotel.
This structure allows the film to transcend a simple adaptation of Christoph Willibald Gluck's opera Orfeo ed Euridice. The love quest threads through varied musical and visual worlds, with the directors drawing on multiple works from the repertoire to craft an autonomous cinematic narrative. The costumes and the spectacular design of Hell thus share equal prominence with the vocal performances.
Davide Livermore, a director accustomed to Europe’s great opera houses, co-directs the film with Paolo Gep Cucco, a specialist in multimedia performances. Their project blends physical sets, virtual environments, choreography and operatic staging to transport Orpheus between a contemporary world and a reinvented mythology.
Before its release in theaters, The Opera! is set for a avant-première française aux Folies Bergère on August 31, 2026, with the directors and a portion of the cast expected to attend.
To extend the in‑theater experience, check out the September movie releases, the films to watch right now, and our selection of the year’s dramas.
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