In 1773, when Gluck announced his intention to have Iphigénie en Aulide performed at the Académie Royale de Musique in Paris, he was already famous throughout Europe, not only for the quality of his music but above all for his reforming spirit. Gluck’s innovative ideas with regard to music theatre were summed up in the preface to his Alceste, also based on a libretto by Calzabigi, first performed in 1767 and published in 1769.

He advocated abandoning the da capo aria; he rejected vocal virtuosity and singers’ freedom to ornament their music; he recommended syllabic word setting to make the text intelligible and give the vocal line declamatory power; he called for greater melodic simplicity; he advised against repetition of the words in arias and ensembles; he blurred the distinction between recitative and aria with a view to creating a continuous discourse; he favored accompanied recitatives rather than secco ones; he suggested linking the overture to the rest of the opera, either by reusing melodic motifs or by creating an overall mood appropriate to the character of the subject. These were all ideas that would find their fullest expression in the last reform he undertook, in Paris: that of French tragédie lyrique.

“In creating ‘our’ version of Iphigénie en Aulide, we have opted for the manuscripts used for the 1774 performances rather than the edition printed at the time, which does not reflect the reality of the stage production. We know that Gluck had not provided all the ballets that were considered de rigueur and was forced to add more following a cabal fomented by the dancers.”