Composer

:

Christoph Willibald Gluck

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Opera

Publication Date

:

1774

Average_duration

:

100:46

Movement_count

:

53

Movement ....

"Iphigénie en Aulide" is an opera composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck with a libretto by François-Louis Gand Le Bland Du Roullet and based on the Greek myth of Iphigenia. The opera was composed in 1774 and premiered on April 19, 1774, at the Paris Opéra. The plot of the opera revolves around the Greek king Agamemnon, who is preparing to sail to Troy to wage war against the Trojans. However, the goddess Artemis is angry with Agamemnon and demands that he sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia to appease her. Agamemnon is torn between his duty to his country and his love for his daughter, but ultimately decides to sacrifice Iphigenia. However, at the last moment, Artemis intervenes and saves Iphigenia, allowing her to live and Agamemnon to continue with his war. The opera is divided into three acts and features a number of memorable arias and duets. The music is characterized by Gluck's signature style, which emphasizes simplicity and clarity of expression over ornate vocal pyrotechnics. The opera also features a number of choral passages, which serve to heighten the drama and emotion of the story. "Iphigénie en Aulide" was a critical and commercial success upon its premiere, and it remains one of Gluck's most popular works. The opera was part of a larger movement in 18th-century opera known as the "reform opera," which sought to simplify and streamline the art form in order to make it more accessible to audiences. Gluck's music was seen as a major influence on this movement, and his operas continue to be performed and admired to this day.

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