Iphigénie en Tauride
Christoph Willibald Gluck
War and family suffering, ancient and burning topical
Once upon a time, Agamemnon received a heartbreaking prophecy: in exchange for the longawaited wind that would carry the Greek war fleet to Troy, the Mycenaean king would have to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia. According to opera innovator Christoph Willibald Gluck, it was the goddess Diana who barely managed to save Iphigenia. In his stormy Iphigénie en Tauride, the tormented princess languishes in a temple in distant Tauris for many years after that divine intervention. As a high priestess, it is now her gruesome duty to ritually kill strangers. One day, Iphigenia is ordered to kill Pylades and Orestes, two prisoners from her homeland. Years of isolation and torment mean that she and her beloved brother Orestes no longer recognise each other… until it is almost too late. Director Rafael R. Villalobos shows that the classic tragedy about the unsettling consequences of war is not only timeless but also highly topical.
ca. 2 hours 30 minutes, including 1 interval
With Dutch and English surtitles. The first act contains a brief scene of sexual violence.
With support from the Tax Shelter measure of the Belgian Federal Government.
The Young Ensemble is supported by the Friends of OBV.
The creators
-
Benjamin Bayl
Conductor
Rafael R. Villalobos
Staging & Costume design
Emanuele Sinisi
Scenography
Michèle Losier
Iphigénie
-
Kartal Karagedik
Oreste
Reinoud Van Mechelen
Pylade
Wolfgang Stefan Schwaiger
Thoas
Lucy Gibbs
Diane
Photos
Reactions
"**** This excellent production not only offers a sensory experience but also invites reflection. It achieves this with visuals that are in-your-face yet leave just enough room for interpretation. It brings a contemporary urgency to the classic opera that gets under the skin and resonates long after."
De Standaard
"Michèle Losier as Iphigenia is unforgettable. (…) The opera thunders toward the grand finale without a single weak moment. (…) Conductor Benjamin Bay, the director, orchestra, and cast make Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride a timeless and powerful statement against war and abuse of power."
De Tijd
"**** A work filled with majestic choruses (...), singers who throw themselves into their roles with total dedication, a restrained, purposeful direction, and an explosively performing orchestra, inspired by the Dutch-Australian conductor Benjamin Bayl."
Volkskrant
Share your experience