This special mid-week episode is a deep dive into the musical Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell’s folk opera that reimagines the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in a haunting, jazz-inflected underworld. Last week, I had the joy of playing violin in the on-stage band for a series of local youth-theater performances of Hadestown, and sharing the stage with my daughter made the entire experience unforgettable.
During preparation, I became captivated by the music, the storytelling, and the rich threads of Greek mythology woven throughout Hadestown. I also discovered that the show’s writer published a book, Working on a Song: The Lyrics of Hadestown, which opens a window into the creative process behind the musical.
In this episode, I explore:
* The Greek myths at the heart of Hadestown
* The subtle ways the musical reshapes and reimagines those myths
* The connection points between this story and narratives found in the Bible
This musical moved me in a way that very few others ever have.
Audio Recordings
Original Broadway Cast Recording
Live from London
This one is my personal favorite but it only contains about half of the songs. Hermes is played by a female and she just absolutely kills it. I love her passion.
Talking Hadestown: Commentary & Songs
This is a neat recording where Anaïs Mitchell talks about some of the songs from Hadestown.
The Book
Working on a Song: The Lyrics of Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell
The Band