Showing Now: Cape Town City Ballet’s Orpheus in the Underworld Brings a Dash of Comedy to High Art

Cape Town City Ballet returns with Orpheus in the Underworld, a new, timeless production by South Africa’s most prolific choreographer, Veronica Paeper. Watch as the story of love, mischief, and divine mayhem intertwine on stage for humour, style, and irresistible flair at the Artscape Theatre.

Inspired by Jacques Offenbach’s comic operetta, this 1920s set production features flapper girls, Mafia henchmen, Can-Can dancers, and even a penthouse swimming pool for the Gods. The story is a comedic inversion of the original myth, turning the tragedy of Orpheus and Eurydice into a narrative featuring meddling gods and a nightclub underworld, ensuring both hilarity and spectacle.

Here, Orpheus is delighted when his wife runs off with Pluto to Hades’ underworld, after she criticised his violin playing. However, after some protests from his mother, Calliope, and the intervention of the gods, Orpheus is forced to try to rescue Eurydice. What follows is a three-act ballet with tons of gags, twists, and hijinks.

With music specially arranged by veteran composer Michael Tuffin, original designs by Peter Cazalet, and performances by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Brandon Phillips, Orpheus in the Underworld brings together some of Cape Town’s most talented artists. The ballet features City Ballet’s principal dancers, Leusson Muniz and Kirstél Paterson, as the not-so-loving duo of Orpheus and Eurydice.

Performances on 13 and 14 June 2026 at 14:00 will be performed to recorded music.