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Iphigénie en Aulide (1811), copy 2 - Christoph Willibald Gluck
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Background
Although he did not have a production planned, Gluck composed the music for Iphigénie en Aulide for Paris, with the intention (along with Roullet) of establishing himself at the Opéra. He initially had difficulties convincing the Academy of Music to arrange for the production, but with the support of Marie Antoinette, the opera was finally realized in 1773.
Gluck revised Iphigénie for performances in 1775. The most significant change was the addition of Diana as a character, whose appearance serves as the deus ex machina of the plot. He also altered and expanded the divertissements. This version remained popular through the first half of the nineteenth century, even resulting in a German version by Wagner (Dresden, 1847). Wagner made vast changes to his adaptation, both musically and dramatically. Wagner's piece was performed frequently in Germany, and in 1907, Mahler revived it in Vienna.
Plot
When the High Priest Calchas consults the oracle at the beginning of Act One to learn the fate of King Agamemnon’s fleet of ships that are headed for Troy, he is told that Agamemnon must make a sacrifice to Diana, who is angry that her favorite stag has been killed by the king. Only by killing his daughter Iphigénie can he be assured a safe voyage. Agamemnon summons Iphigénie, under the pretense that she will marry Achilles, but then he sends his captain of the guards, Arcas, to turn her back, claiming that Achilles has been unfaithful. While Agamemnon declares that he will not kill his daughter, Calchas assures the people that the sacrifice will happen. Iphigénie arrives with her mother Clytemnestra, to learn of Achilles’s betrayal. Achilles did not expect Iphigénie to arrive in Aulis, and when he discovers her, he insists that the accusations are untrue. The two lovers decide to marry that day.
At the beginning of Act Two, preparations are being made for the upcoming wedding. Although Agamemnon sanctions the wedding, he waits at the altar to offer Iphigénie as a sacrifice to Diana. Arcas reveals this information, and Achilles rushes to defend his beloved. Agamemnon is struggling with conflicted emotions, torn between helping his people and saving his daughter.
In Act Three, the Greeks expectantly await the sacrifice. Iphigénie decides to allow the event to take place, succumbing to her impending destiny. At the last possible moment, Calchas intervenes, explaining that Diana has changed her mind. Gluck revised this ending to include the appearance of Diana, who not only blesses the wedding of Achilles and Iphigénie but also supports the Greeks’ voyage to Troy.
Bibliography
Title from title page: IPHIGENIE / EN AULIDE / TRAGÉDIE / Opera en trois Actes
Genre: Tragédie
Siglum from Gluck thematic catalog: W. 46
Composer: Christoph Willibald Gluck, 1714-1787
Librettist: Marie François Louis Gand LeBlanc Roullet, 1716-1786
Libretto based on: Jean Racine’s Iphigénie en Aulide, after Euripides
Setting: Aulis, a town on the island of Euboea off the coast of Greece at the time of the Trojan War
Premiere: Paris, Opéra, 19 April 1774
First published: Paris: Le Marchand, n.d.
Volume in the UNT Collection: Paris: Boieldieu jeune, n.d.
For further reading on Iphigénie en Aulide, see:
Dahlhaus, Carl. “Tragodie, Tragedie, Reformoper: Zur Iphigenie in Aulis von Euripides, Racine und Gluck.” In Oper als Text: Romanistische Beitrage zur Libretto-Forschung, ed. Albert Gier, pp. 95-100. Heidelberg, 1986.
Del Monte, Claudio. Christoph Willibald Gluck nel 200’ anniversario della morte. Edited by Vincenzo Raffaele Segreto, Quaderni del Teatro Regio Citta di Parma, no. 19. Parma, Italy: Grafiche, 1987.
Hayes, Jeremy. “Iphigénie en Aulide.” Grove Music Online, ed. Laura Macy. [Accessed 17 December 2003]. <http://www.grovemusic.com>
Hortschansky, Klaus, ed. Christoph Willibald Gluck und die Opernreform, Wege der Forschung, no. 613. Darmstadt, Germany: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 1989.
Physical
Dimensions: 35.2 x 26.5 cm.
Collation: [20: unable to determine formula]; 152 leaves, pp. [4] 1-298 [299-300].
Conservation: Moderate to heavy foxing; deckle edges.
Binding: Three-fourths binding with patterned paper-covered board and gold-stamped brown buckram spine that reads “IPHIGENIE / EN AULIDE / TRAGÉDIE / GLUCK”; rebound in modern library style.
Comments: Copper-plate engraving (plates measure 26.5 x 20 cm); dealer plate reads “H. BARON / Music and Books, / 136 CHATSWORTH ROAD, / LONDON, N.W. 2, England”; from the Lloyd Hibberd Collection.