Niccolò Piccinni – Iphigénie En Tauride

Niccolò Piccinni – Iphigénie En Tauride
Recorded live in Bari, Italy, between the 6th and the 10th of December, 1986
(First world recording)

About the Opera:
Iphigénie en Tauride (Iphigeneia in Tauris) is a tragédie lyrique in four acts by Niccolò Piccinni, which was first performed at the Académie royale de musique (the Paris Opéra) on January 23, 1781. The opera’s libretto, by Alphonse du Congé Dubreuil, is based on a play of the same name by Claude Guimond de la Touche, although the ultimate source was the tragedy Iphigeneia in Tauris by Euripides. This opera marked the climax of the quarrel between the supporters of Piccinni and those of Christoph Willibald Gluck. Piccinni had been brought to Paris in the mid-1770s as a rival to the German composer, who had already had great success with his operas there. Arguments about the respective merits of their heroes raged between “Gluckists” and “Piccinnists”, although the composers themselves showed less enthusiasm for the fight. When Gluck learned that Piccinni was setting the same libretto to Roland as he was, he abandoned work on his score. For his part, Piccinni was an admirer of Gluck’s music and was reluctant to challenge him.  Nevertheless, in 1778 the director of the Paris Opéra, De Vismes du Valgay, finally succeeded in arranging a direct confrontation when he persuaded both composers to write an opera on the same story, but not the same libretto: Iphigénie en Tauride. Piccinni accepted on condition that his version was staged first. In the event, problems with the quality of the libretto (and, possibly, backstage political manoeuvrings) meant that Gluck’s opera was the first to receive its premiere in May, 1779. Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride was immediately acclaimed as a masterpiece. The success of his rival caused Piccinni to delay his own opera even further and it was not until a year and a half later that it was finally presented to a Parisian audience. The reaction was lukewarm, although a revival in 1785 was received more favourably.

Track List:
cd1
01. Ouverture (7:32)
02. Act 1 (Scene I) – “O jour fatal!” (2:01)
03. Act 1 (Scene II) – “Jeune et belle princesse!” (1:28)
04. Act 1 (Scene II) – “Pour adoucir mes maux” (1:57)
05. Act 1 (Scene II) – “Diane! Suspends ton courroux” (2:01)
06. Act 1 (Scene III) – “A mes peines sensible” (1:28)
07. Act 1 (Scene III) – “A la triste clarte” (2:01)
08. Act 1 (Scene III) – “Mais tout-a-coup le Ciel est sans nuage” (3:29)
09. Act 1 (Scene IV) – “De Diane en ce jour” (1:21)
10. Act 1 (Scene V) – “Mon Peuple, qui me croit heureux” (2:30)
11. Act 1 (Scene V) – “Quelle epaisse vapeur” (3:41)
12. Act 1 (Scene VI) – “Les Dieux ne sont point courrouces” (0:51)
13. Act 1 (Scene VI) – “Vous nous envoyez des victimes” (3:40)
14. Act 2 (Scene I) – “O sort funeste!” (3:49)
15. Act 2 (Scene II) – “Quel moment pour mon coeur sensible!” (4:11)
16. Act 2 (Scene II) – “Fais eclater la foudre” (1:58)
17. Act 2 (Scene III) – “Arretez, rendez-vous, ennemis de nos Dieux!” (2:42)
18. Act 2 (Scene IV) – “Dieux tout-puissants!” (4:00)
cd2
01. “Ah! barbare Thoas!” (5:38)
02. “Etrangers, que je plains” (2:50)
03. “Son fils… il a venge son pere.” (0:43)
04. “Qu’est devenu ce fils?” (0:53)
05. “Eh! Que reste-ti-il donc… ?” (2:05)
06. “O jour fatal!” (2:58)
07. “Au trepas tous les deux… ” (1:19)
08. “O moment cher a ma tendresse!” (0:44)
09. “Cruel! et tu dis que tu m’aimes?” (4:04)
10. “Je t’aime plus que moi” (2:31)
11. “Non, ne l’espere pas… ” (1:07)
12. “Mon coeur se fie a votre zele” (3:08)
13. “Si mon coeur ressent leurs alarmes” (5:59)
14. “On va conduire ici la victime innocente.” (4:30)
15. “Pour votre mort en ces lieux tout s’apprete” (3:27)
16. “Quel bonheur!” (2:13)
17. V) – “Que vois-je!” (2:04)
18. VII) – “Ah! pour nous le Ciel de declare” (2:17)
19. IX) – “J’abolis a jamais l’usage” (1:22)
20. IX) – “Quittez cet horrible rivage” (3:20)

The Artists:

mp3, 320 kbps, cd ripping, 103:52 minutes
Covers, info & synopsis included.

Part1 —–  Part2 —–  Part3

Christoph Willibald Gluck – Iphigénie En Aulide

Christoph Willibald Gluck – Iphigénie En Aulide

About the Opera:
This is the only available recording of a neglected masterpiece, Gluck’s first “Iphigenie” opera, (there was a recording by Riccardo Muti, a few years back, which is now deleted) 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.

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.

Track List:
cd1
01. Ouverture (6:23)
02. Acte I – Scene 1. “Diane Impitoyable” (1:26)
03. Acte I – Scene 1. Air. “Brillant Auteur de la Lumiere” (2:25)
04. Acte I – Scene 2. Choeur. “C’est Trop Faire de Resistance” (1:27)
05. Acte I – Scene 2. “D’une Sainte Terrreur” (2:19)
06. Acte I – Scene 2. Choeur “Nommez-Nous la Victime” (0:57)
07. Acte I – Scene 3. “Vous Voyez Leur Fureur Extreme” (0:45)
08. Acte I – Scene 3. Air. “Peuvent-Ils Ordonner?” (2:06)
09. Acte I – Scene 3. “Vous Oseriez Etre Parjure?” (1:10)
10. Acte I – Scene 4. Air. “au Faite Des Grandeurs” (1:43)
11. Acte I – Scene 4. “Dieux Cruels!” (0:24)
12. Acte I – Scene 4. Choeur. “Que D’attraits!” (3:22)
13. Acte I – Scene 5. Air. “Que J’aime a Voir Ces Hommages Flatteurs” (1:04)
14. Acte I – Scene 5. “Demeurez Dans Ces Lieux” (0:23)
15. Acte I – Scene 5. Choeur. “Non, Jamais” (2:38)
16. Acte I – Scene 5. Air “Les Voeux Dont ce Peuple M’honore” (1:05)
17. Acte I – Scene 5. Air (Mouvement de Passepied) (0:45)
18. Acte I – Scene 6. “Allez, il Faut Venger Notre Gloire Offensee” (1:14)
19. Acte I – Scene 6. Air. “Armez-Vous D’un Noble Courage” (1:27)
20. Acte I – Scene 7. “L’ai-je Bien Entendu?” (0:34)
21. Acte I – Scene 7. Air. “Helas! Mon Coeur Sensible!” (2:51)
22. Acte I – Scene 8. “en Croirai-je Mes Yeux?” (1:37)
23. Acte I – Scene 8. Air. “Iphigenie, Helas!” (1:00)
24. Acte I – Scene 8. “S’il Est Vrai” (0:21)
25. Acte I – Scene 8. Air. “Cruelle, Non Jamais” (2:43)
26. Acte I – Scene 8. “Mon Trouble, Mes Soupcnons” (0:36)
27. Acte I – Scene 8. Duo. “ne Doutez Jamais de ma Flamme” (3:50)
28. Acte II – Scene 1. Choeur. “Rassurez-Vous, Belle Princesse” (2:29)
29. Acte II – Scene 1. Air. “Par la Crainte et Par L’esperance” (2:28)
30. Acte II – Scene 2. “ma Fille, Votre Hymen S’apprete” (0:52)
31. Acte II – Scene 3. Marche (1:00)
32. Acte II – Scene 3. “Rival de ma Valeur” (0:33)
33. Acte II – Scene 3. “Chantez, Celebrez Votre Reine” (2:37)
34. Acte II – Scene 3. Air. “Achille Est Couronne” (1:06)
35. Acte II – Scene 3. “Ami Sensible, Ennemi Redoutable” (0:56)
36. Acte II – Scene 3. Air Gai (Danse) (0:45)
37. Acte II – Scene 3. Passacaille (Ballet) (7:19)
cd2
01. Scene 3. Choeur. “Les Filles de Lesbos” (2:00)
02. Scene 3. Air Pour Les Esclaves (3:58)
03. Scene 3. Quatuor. “Jamais a Tes Autels” (1:12)
04. Scene 4. “Princesse, Pardonez” (1:39)
05. Scene 4. Air. “Par un Pere Cruel” (4:15)
06. Scene 4. “Reiner, Rassurez-Vous” (0:36)
07. Scene 4. Trio. “C’est Mon Pere, Seigneur” (3:08)
08. Scene 5. “Suis-Moi, Patrocle” (1:33)
09. Scene 6. “je le Vois” (2:27)
10. Scene 6. Duo. “de Votre Audace Temeraire” (1:01)
11. Scene 7. “tu Decides Son Sort” (5:12)
12. Scene 7. Air. “o Toi, L’objet le Plus Aimable” (4:18)
13. Scene 1 &2. Choeur. “Non, Non, Nous ne Souffrirons Pas” (1:25)
14. Scene 3. “Princesse, Suivez-Moi” (1:07)
15. Scene 3. Air. “il Faut, de Mon Destin” (1:42)
16. Scene 3. “et Vous M’aimez” (0:40)
17. Scene 3. “Adieu: Conservez Dans Votre Ame” (3:12)
18. Scene 3. “Sans Vous, Achille Pourrait Vivre?” (0:41)
19. Scene 3. Air. “Calchas, D’un Trait Mortel Perce” (1:18)
20. Scene 4. “Cruel! il Fuit” (0:29)
21. Scene 5. “Osez Mettre le Comble” (1:20)
22. Scene 5. Air. “Adieu, Vivez Pour Oreste” (1:30)
23. Scene 5. “Vous Entendez Les Cris” (1:01)
24. Scene 6. “Dieux Puissants Que J’atteste” (2:34)
25. Scene 6. Air. “Jupiter, Lance la Foudre” (1:38)
26. Scene 6,7,8. Choeur. “Puissante Deite” (3:48)
27. Scene 9. Descente de Diane “Votre Zele Des Dieux a Flechi la Colere” (1:36)
28. Scene 9. “Adorez la Clemence” (1:30)
29. Scene 9. Quatuor. “Mon Coeur ne Saurait Contenir” (2:21)
30. Scene 9. Choeur “Jusque Aux Voutes Etherees (1:47)
31. Scene 9. Passacaille (2:44)
32. Scene 9. Choeur “Partons, Volons a la Victoire” (1:53)

The Artists:

mp3, 320 kbps, cd ripping, 2 hours 12 minutes
Covers, info & synopsis included.

Part1 —–  Part2 —–  Part3 —–  Part4