Carmina burana

The text for Carmina Burana, Orf’s greatest success, he found in the famous Middle Age anthology of the same name, where there were descriptions of that historic period writen in late Latin, medieval German and old French. These realistic and “unholy” verses actually talk about the beauty of nature and love. Frivol erotica and naturalism interchange and combine with sense of humor and satire. Orf chose some songs for his opera and grouped them according their contempt similarity. There are three parts of cantata while the frst one glorifes spring, second one shows fundamental life pleasures with wine and gay atmosphere and the third one glorifes love that rules life and death. However, since everything in life is changeable and unsteady frst and last part of cantata are dedicated to Fortuna Goddess whose whims decide on happiness and unhappiness of every individual; nobody is allowed to complain about happiness or unhappiness – but take it bravely and stand by it courageously, not searching for higher meanings but living passionately and vigorously. Fortune’s destiny wheel represents the symbol of human ephemerally, however, Orf treats it defantly.