The myth of Orpheus is intricately implicated in the origin of song. For centuries, myth and music have cooperated in a variety of genres, foremost among them in opera. The myth, open to reinterpretation across linguistic, national, and temporal boundaries, served as a starting point for an extracurricular opera project in the metropolitan region of Nuremberg. This article explores the goals, best practices, and outcomes of the Orpheus project, "Schau nicht zurück, Orfeo!" (Do Not Look Back, Orpheus!), that was organized around the principle of involving young adult learners in the creation and production of a work of art. The organizers also hoped to achieve a level of integration across German school systems, ethnic immigrant identities, and age groups. The result is a contemporary opera in which students contribute significantly to the artistic process of writing a libretto, composing music for choruses, and dancing in the opera's premiere.