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Gluck's first Iphigenie...

Kicek&Brys | USA/UK | 02/20/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is the only available recording of a neglected masterpiece, Gluck's first "Iphigenie" opera, premiered in Paris in 1774, five years before his greatest work, "Iphigenie en Tauride". Though "Iphigenie en Aulide" doesn't have the concentrated force of the later opera, it is still very moving and contains much beautiful music. It was the first of Gluck's six operas to be written for the French stage and while it certainly forms part of his mission to reform the old, seemingly undramatic style of Baroque opera, it also owes a great deal to the tradition of `tragedie lyrique', and listeners familiar with Rameau or Leclair will be at home here - Gluck's work, like theirs, is built up from a mosaic of short arias, choruses and dances, with plenty of opportunity for big setpiece scenes. The story is set against the background of the Trojan War. King Agamemnon, the supreme commander of the Greeks, has assembled his army at the port of Aulis, ready to embark for Troy. But the winds won't come, the gods are angry and Agamemnon will only be allowed to sail with his fleet on one condition - that he sacrifice his young daughter, Iphigenia. Agamemnon is torn between love for his child and duty to his people. He is also threatened by the hotblooded young Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior and Iphigenie's fiancée, and by the wrath of his wife, Clytemnestra. This provided the composer and librettist with great opportunities for anguished monologues and angry clashes between the main characters and the increasingly mutinous Greek army, and also for moving irony - the innocent heroine simply cannot believe that her father means anything but the best for her (connoisseurs of historical irony might want to note the fact that the ravishing chorus announcing the arrival of the unwitting Iphigenie to Aulis was also used to announce Marie Antoinette's entrance at the opera house, another princess who was later to be sacrificed). However, the conventions of eighteenth century dictated that the opera must end happily, and just as Agamemnon is about to sacrifice his daughter, the goddess Diana descends from the heavens to announce that divine anger is appeased, Iphigenie's life is spared, the winds begin to blow and the Greeks give thanks in a massive final chorus.(Opera fans are probably more familiar with the alternative version in which Iphigenia is indeed sacrificed and her mother Clytemnestra takes revenge against her husband leading to a family feud which reaches its bloody climax in Strauss's "Elektra". Gluck's other opera on the theme, "Iphigenie en Tauride", uses an alternative version of the myth where Iphigenia vanishes at the moment of sacrifice and is taken off by the goddess Diana to serve as her priestess in the desolate, far distant region of Tauris on the Black Sea, until she is rescued, years later, by her long-lost brother, Orestes). This is apparently the only version of this important opera now available (there was a recording by Riccardo Muti, a few years back, which I haven't heard and which is now deleted). It is generally fine but it has several problems which mean that it cannot be regarded as definitive. The most serious drawback of this recording is perhaps the fact that it is not performed on period instruments, causing a severe drop in dramatic power. Lots of the detail of Gluck's simple yet subtle orchestration is lost with a blander, smoother sounding modern orchestra. The orchestra and chorus here also sound underpowered, as if on a chamber scale (although perhaps this is the fault of the recording which has the voices well forward). This can be charming in some of the dance music (the same ensemble was great in Gardiner's recording of Gluck's lighter comic opera, "Les Pelerins de la Mecque") but it makes the drama seem far less involving and detracts from some critical moments: the Greek soldiers hardly sound as if they are baying for Iphigenie's blood at the start of Act 3 and when Clytemnestra sings "Jupiter, lance ta foudre", the crash of the thunderbolt is nowhere to be heard. Whatever the problem, either the use of modern instruments or the recording itself, this version lacks sufficient 'bite'. The biggest advantage of the recording is the cast - the four main characters, the focus of Gluck's drama, are all excellently sung. Jose van Dam is an Agamemnon of great authority and he sounds torn apart in his famous monologue, "O toi, l'objet le plus aimable". Lynne Dawson, with her plangent soprano, is ideal as the naïve, young Iphigenie - no-one could fail to be moved by her touching farewell, "Adieu, conservez dans votre ame", one of Gluck's very finest moments. Anne-Sofie von Otter is the outraged mother, singing her ballad-like aria ,"Par un pere cruel," with great pathos; and John Aler makes a youthful, fervent Achilles. Gardiner's conducting moves the drama onwards but he is seriously hampered by the lack of power from his orchestra. With any luck, Mark Minkowski's wonderful Gluck series will get round to this neglected masterpiece before long (or even Gardiner himself could re-record it with period instruments - I'm looking forward to his new `authentic' recording of "Alceste", also with von Otter). Until then, this version is still worth exploring, since this opera contains music which no Gluck fan should miss. (Brys)"

Gardiner's Iphigenie en Aulide

Gayla McDowell | Orange, CA United States | 02/13/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The main review is very helpful indeed, but one thing that should have been mentioned is that a lot of the ballet music is omitted, including the first Air gai and Lento (no. 7) after Clytemnestra's first aria (no. 6) and the Air gai from the no. 11 ballet, both in Act I. These are very familiar and well known melodies, and there are others omitted too. I made a tape with these numbers inserted from a recording of some of the Aulide ballet music. I got the recording because it was the best available, but we really need a COMPLETE recording of the opera. I doubt if Gardiner will come to the rescue, because his recent recording of Alceste omits most of the ballet music too.

I for one am really a fan of Gluck."

The previous reviewer is wrong

Boris Shingarov | 09/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The previous reviewer is wrong in saying the Muti recording is the only other one available. To me, the definitive recording is the 1972 one with Fischer-Dieskau, Moffo, Auger, Weikl, conducted by Eichhorn, on RCA. Its musical merit is above any compliment."