Les Euménides

opera by Milhaud

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June 26, 2026

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The opera Les Euménides by Darius Milhaud is based on the ancient Greek tragedy of the same name by Aeschylus. This play is the final part of the Oresteia trilogy, which chronicles the bloody cycle of revenge within the house of Atreus.12

Les Euménides specifically deals with the trial of Orestes, who is pursued by the Furies for murdering his mother, Clytemnestra, to avenge his father, Agamemnon. In Milhaud's opera, the Furies are depicted with unique vocalizations like groaning, whistling, and shrieking, and whips and hammers are incorporated into the orchestration to enhance the dramatic force. The opera culminates in Orestes' trial in Athens, where Athena casts the deciding vote for his acquittal, leading to the Furies' transformation into the "Kindly Goddesses".132

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Darius Milhaud
(1913), Choéphores (1915), and Les Euménides (1917–22). Whips and hammers are introduced into the orchestration of this trilogy, a work of great dramatic force, in which the chorus is required to groan, whistle, and shriek. His other operas include Christophe Colomb (1930; text by Claudel); Le Pauvre Matelot (1926;…
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(1913), Choéphores (1915), and Les Euménides (1917–22). Whips and hammers are introduced into the orchestration of this trilogy, a work of great dramatic force, in which the chorus is required to groan, whistle, and shriek. His other operas include Christophe Colomb (1930; text by Claudel); Le Pauvre Matelot (1926;…
Read More