r/hadestown

I'm working on a full Dutch translation of Hadestown, just as a passion project, and I've just finished the first part of 'Why We Build the Wall', and would love to hear some opinions. It's a bit more focussed on immigrants/foreigners, since Dutch politics are about that a lot right now, so I thought it fit (imagining this would be performed to a Dutch audience) Below is the translation, back into English, with notes when necessary.

Why do we build the Wall?

My children, my children

Why do we build the wall?

(Note: the dutch word for 'why' is 'waarom', so in this line there is an extra syllable on the opening note.)

Why do we build the wall?

That's what we get our freedom from

So we build the wall

That's what we get our freedom from

How does the wall give us freedom then?

My children, my children

How does the wall give us freedom then?

How does the wall give us freedom then?

The wall keeps out the foreign countries

And that's what we get our freedom from

So we build the wall

That's what we get our freedom from

(Note: the first true change in lyrics. though 'enemy', or 'vijand' in Dutch, does rhyme here, the emphasis is on the first syllable so it doesn't work. Believe me, I tried to bend it as hard as I could)

What is in the foreign countries?

My children, my children

What is in the foreign countries?

(Note: here the approach truly changes from the English version, though I believe it gets across the same point. Especially when adjusted for the Dutch climate)

What is in the foreign countries?

The poverty, the immigrant

And the wall keeps out the foreign countries

And that's what we get our freedom from

So we build the wall

That's what we get our freedom from

Technically the first lines could be changed, so that the syllable for 'why' can still be held out (my one problem with the translation is that that doesn't sound as well) an alternative opening could be:

We build this wall

Why then, my children?

Do we build this wall?

We build this wall

That's what we get our freedom from

...

Though it sounds better, it doesn't feel as coherent with the lyrics.

Oh and here are the Dutch lyrics, for any Dutch readers. (Note: there is a slant rhyme on some lines, either ending in -an, -and or -ant)

Waarom bouwen wij de muur?

Mijn kinderen, mijn kinderen

Waarom bouwen wij de muur?

Waarom bouwen wij de muur?

Daar krijgen wij de vrijheid van

Dus bouwen wij de muur

Daar krijgen wij de vrijheid van

Hoe brengt de muur ons vrijheid dan?

Mijn kinderen, mijn kinderen

Hoe brengt de muur ons vrijheid dan?

Hoe brengt de muur ons vrijheid dan?

De muur weerhoudt het buitenland

En daar krijgen wij de vrijheid van

Dus bouwen wij de muur

Daar krijgen wij de vrijheid van

Wat zit er in het buitenland?

Mijn kinderen, mijn kinderen

Wat zit er in het buitenland?

Wat zit er in het buitenland

De armoede, de immigrant

En de muur weerhoudt het buitenland

En daar krijgen wij de vrijheid van

Dus bouwen wij de muur

Daar krijgen wij de vrijheid van

I’m not sure if I’ll have time this summer to watch it, but I’d love to watch it at home!

Because English and Dutch are not the same, some meaning, especially double meaning, is lost in translation. Most of the time I pick one of those meanings and then use a different line to get the other across, but ofcourse that doesn't always work. Are there any lines, meanings, ideas or other things that you believe I should focus on, to make sure they're not lost?

I’m not usually a broadway/showtimes fan, but Hadestown has been on repeat in my car for weeks.

Musically it’s got deep roots blues and soul, which definitely has some common ancestry with the soulful rock ballads of the protomen.

Without spoiling much, there are a lot of parallels or mirroring of the stories. Hades and Dr Wily could be sharing cigars and whisky, trading notes about the difficulties of being cruel overlords.

Just sharing in case anyone else would enjoy!

Are there any other music / other art that gives YOU the protoman vibe?

Very very very excited about this.
Saw the show in West End December 2024.
General sale starts next week and group sales before that over the weekend.
Decided to jump the queue and pay £60 for a membership (I could have done the same tomorrow for £25, but daren’t wait).
I got my pick of the seats. Very expensive because I have to buy for four each time, but I think I’m lucky to be able to share these shows with spouse and children.
The theatre have done well out of me because I also bought four tickets for Jesus Christ Superstar with Sam Ryder and five tickets for Jersey Boys (my mum will join).
I discovered that buying three shows at once gives a 10% discount.

Here’s something that surprised me. Hadestown tickets were cheaper than both JCS and JB.

Okay so, just to make sure everone aware: This post spoils the ending!!

Alright, so Eurydice dies for good at the end right; that is what happens. My question is: where exactly does she go?
I may be thinking waaaaay too hard about this as a lover of greek mythology, but I still think it's an interesting question to ask. So quick warning this post is largely gonna be me rambling about some mythology stuff and applying it to Hadestown regardless of if it was intended or not hahshah ^^.

Context for people who are interested in my post but may not be that well versed in greek mythology:
The underworld in greek mythology is divided into three realms: The Elysium fields, the Asphodel meadows, and ofc Tartarus.
Elysium was in short paradise, the place where the typical greek heroes of myths went. They basically lived eternal lives in blissfulness and happiness. They also kept their earthly memories and persoanlities. (In some versions there is another "part of Elysium" called the Lethean fields where mysteries went such as Plato and Socrates and others like them in these versions they do still drink from gthe lake of Lethe thus they don't experience deep emotions forget their earthly memories, personality and passions, however in other versions they just go to the same Elysium fields. In other other version people like them just go to the next realm I'll talk about...)
The meadows of Asphodel is basically just the afterlife for "regular people". It is said that the shades drink from the lake of Lethe (one of the great lakes of underworld; the word Lethe, if i remember correctly, literally means to forget or forgetfulness) causing them to forget all earthly memories, personalities and passions. They basically live eternally mediocre (Note: I'm really boiling/dumbing it down here ahsahah)
Lastly Tartarus, the plains where "bad souls" went to face eternal suffering, basicslly.

Okay, so now that that's established: I've always enterpreted Hadestown's "Neon necropolis" as an interely seperat realm, or one closely tied to tied to Asphodel since the workers there lose their earthly person indicating that they may have been drinking the water of Lethe in some sense. Since Hades created that place as a result of his "longing" for Persephone do y'all think he ends the 'Neon necropolis' at the end of the musical when we see that it's spring again since Hades and Persophone are trying to rekindle their marriage. If so, where do you think the souls go.
My take is that he wouldn't be allowed/it would cause too much imbalance if he took souls from either Elysium or Tartarus, so my interpreytation is that the souls in the 'Neon necropolis' are shades either from Asphodel or souls that were meant to go there so as (or if) the 'Neon necropolis' is put out of order the souls there would just go to Asphodel.
This would also align with most tellings of Orpheus and Eurydice, since Eurydice (a normal nymph, as indirectly predicted by Hyman god of marriage, killed by a snake) ends up in the Asphodel Meadows. Or does the 'Neon necropolis' keep running and they just return back there.

Here comes another thing to think about, cause why not tehee.
In some versions of the story such as Ovid's, Orpheus wanders and sings/plays for some time before dying (usually he dies brutally btw, in this version mentioned here he dies by being torn to peices). When he dies he eventually ends up in Elysium and somehow reunites with Euridyce (note: Ovid usually doesn't seperate Asphodel and Elysium that's why they're able to reunite in his version i chose to write Elysium for the easyness of it :P).
In other versions (Mostly newer versions and retellings) Orpheus in some shape or form lives eternally singing sad songs and playing sad melodies mourning Eurydice.
I personally like to think that he in Hadestown at some point ends up dying and reuniting with her in Elysium (ofc assuming Eurydice ends up there too). But this interpretation another question is posed: Why would they still have to keep singing it again and again?
My answer would be, that it still doesn't change the importance/reason for retelling it. They keep retelling it, just as we do/did maybe in hopes of eventually getting an ending where Orpheus and Eurydice end up together in the life of the living, or to honor the story of the romance between the greatest poet and musician there ever was and his wife who was tragically killed (by a snake usually). Maybe you could argue that they keep telling it so that the gods never forget the song of their love ever again. It could also be sung again and again to keep reminding the people about their freedom of fight and importance of trying to fight for a better future (playing harder into the capitalist "undertones" in Hadestown).

Anyways, I jumped a bit quickly past the part about Orpheus' fate, the eternal retelling of the story, the themes of Hadestown and how they all play together sorry about that tehee. That just leaves room for you all to write your opinions on it. I realize now that my post mostly is a rant than a queation, so take the entire last part as a question for you to answer (and please do so in the replies I reaaaaally wanna read them all nyehehe!!).
Can't wait to hear what the people in here have to say about it, and if you have any questions about what I've written then feel free to ask.

Have an amazing day, byeee!!

I've been searching for ages for a full slime tutorial for the entire performance for Chibueze Ihouma's Orpheus but got no results. This is my last plea for hope lol

The way I’ve ALWAYS interpreted it, “Wedding Song” is the proposal, and “Promises” feels like a vow ceremony of sorts😭 I was talking to my partner about this and how “Promises” is like “Wedding Song Part 2” in my mind and he said that thought has never crossed his mind before. Idk maybe I’m crazy someone validate me here😂

I like musicals but I’m not a musically gifted person (aka, I don’t know music theory).

I know in Wait II (Wait For Me reprise) during Eurydice’s verse some actresses opt up or down, which from what I managed to find means they sing a higher or lower note, respectively.

Can anyone who IS musically gifted (or at least knows more music theory than me) help me understand where exactly it happens? 😂

I saw the musical a whole bunch of times (first time live with Maia Reficco, then I managed to find some bootlegs with Maia, Isa, Lola, Eva, Morgan and Myra) and I obviously saw different ways each one approached that part of Wait II, but I can’t for the life of me fully understand the opt up/down thing.

I honestly feel so dumb for not being able to figure that out 😂😂😂

If you have a video of literally any Eurydice doing an opt up/down, just a video where it’s specifically that part, I think it could help me understand…

Anyways, I appreciate any reply 🫶🏻

Hades town but the longer that Persephone is with hades she looks like a fate and sings with them until Orpheus shows up.

Like the fates are just women that hades took advantage of so at the end when eyurdice is dragged back down the fates grab her to drag her and put her in a coat like theirs.

Obv this sub is full of fans but i wanted to ask based on what i like. imma buy the ticket myself, but im working my first ever job for the summer in fast food so im kinda stingy about spending it for myself on a movie. i’ll list some and say what i thought about it.

(i like a lot of disney animation movie songs but too many to list all such as lion king, pocahontas, anastasia, etc)

Frozen live at disney: magical for me as a kid. loved the technical aspects and artistry and vocal and choreography talent more than anything else.

West end story movie (2021): didnt like it too much. visuals were nice and songs were only kind of nice for me personally. i am also not in a good place rn so i didn’t want anything too sad.

into the woods movie: liked it a lot as a kid with the tale based story and songs. i’ve heard ppl dont like it much, but i still do, dk if its cuz of nostalgia.

sound of music movie: love it

hamilton proshot: LOVE LOVE LOVE it. i think the modern take on broadway music helped. loved the choreography, the singing, the emotion, etc

greatest showman movie: ik its kinda controversial but i still loved the songs and visuals in it.

wicked: didnt like it…. i just didnt find the songs and acting all that good pls dont flame me just personal opinion. I do however LOVE the drums in no one mourns the wicked.

la la land: i dont remember anything about it somehow. not that i don't like it, I somehow don't remember it, like i forgot les miserables cuz i was way too young, and didnt understand anything especially cuz english isnt my first language and these two were a bit more real life type.

mamma mia: mmm, sort of fun movie but not looking for that unserious rom com vibe

(these are off the top of my head, there might be more, but really like the songs in hamilton and greatest showman. not a musical nerd in any means pls dont flame me. i love greek mythology and i want another experience like hamilton in the theatre so i wanna see if it would be worth it.)

Now Im just mainly talking about lyricism. I love this musical to death but every version of Epic 3 just gets worse and worse. Off Broadway Epic 3 is so grand and beautiful then the version in the Original Broadway Cast Recording is amazing but just lacks some of the detail and beautiful metaphors of the off broadway version. Then the newest changes just remove so much nuance and make it so much flatter and more straightforward. Any one else feel the same way?