Washington National Opera Presents Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride 5/6-28

Washington National Opera (WNO), under the leadership of General Director Plácido Domingo, presents Christoph Willibald Gluck's masterpiece Iphigénie en Tauride in eight performances, May 6 to 28 at the Kennedy Center Opera House. Starring soprano Patricia Racette as Iphigénie and world-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo as Oreste, Gluck's mythological tale is led by William Lacey in this powerful and suspenseful production from Opera de Oviedo. Iphigénie en Tauride is performed in French with English supertitles. See below for production information, performance dates and ticketing information. Artist biographies may be found here or are available upon request.

An acclaimed singing-actress, American soprano Patricia Racette makes her role debut as the eponymous Iphigénie. Last seen at WNO in Jen?fa (2007) and Peter Grimes (2009), Racette's work is praised as "ravishing" and "powerfully expressive" (Opera News). Called the "greatest tenor of all time" (BBC Music Magazine), Maestro Domingo sings Iphigénie's long-lost brother, Oreste, one of the star tenor's recent forays into the baritone repertoire. His Oreste with the Metropolitan Opera was hailed as "dignified, inward, [and] tragic" (Opera News) and "enthusiastically operatic" (Washington Post). In his final appearance as WNO's General Director, Maestro Domingo will sing Oreste in all performances.

The all-star cast also features Italian bass-baritone Simone Alberghini, last seen in Washington as Figaro in 2009's The Barber of Seville, as the cruel and savage King Thoas of Tauris; and American tenor Shawn Mathey as Oreste's faithful friend Pylade. A story of love, sacrifice, and fate, Iphigénie en Tauride is based on the ancient Greek playwright Euripides' play of the same name. The opera tells the tale of Iphigénie, saved by the goddess Diana only to be held captive on the island of Tauris to serve as the goddess' high priestess. Wracked by omens of his downfall and suspicious of all who come to the island, King Thoas orders Iphigénie to sacrifice two newly arrived strangers. Unbeknownst to Iphigénie, one of the strangers is her own brother Oreste, who has left Greece after murdering their mother Clytemnestra, herself a murderous force. Iphigénie is tormented by dreams of her family's bloody past and desperately struggles to save the two prisoners. As the hour of sacrifice draws near, mistaken identity, a battle, and the intervention of the gods ensues in this powerful and dramatic work.

A seminal work in the history of opera, Iphigénie en Tauride is considered Gluck's masterpiece. Composed in 1779, Gluck believed that opera should be freed of all stilted affectations or formal conventions and should instead emphasize emotional truth. Above all, he prescribed that music should serve the drama and forced his audiences to focus on the story at hand, entrancing them with unprecedented continuity between recitative and aria, an emphasis on the emotional complexity of everyday life, and empathetic characters of middle-class or low birth. Iphigénie en Tauride is today the most performed of Gluck's operas and admired for its haunting, moving melodies.

Leading the WNO Orchestra and Chorus is William Lacey, who won high praise when he led WNO's Tamerlano in 2008. Directing his production from Spain's Opera de Oviedo is Emilio Sagi, with a production team that includes set design by Luis Antonio Suarez; costumes by Pepa Ojaguren; lighting by Eduardo Bravo; and choreography by Diniz Sanchez.

COMPLETE PRODUCTION INFORMATION: Washington National Opera's Iphigénie en Tauride

IPHIGÉNIE EN TAURIDE by Christoph Willibald Gluck
Libretto by Nicolas-François Guillard
Company premiere, Opera de Oviedo production
In French with English supertitles

The running time for this production is approximately two hours
and two minutes, with one 20-minute intermission.

Friday, May 6, 7:00 p.m.
Monday, May 9, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 12, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 15, 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 17, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 20, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 25, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 28, 7:00 p.m.

SYNOPSIS: Iphigénie, high priestess of Tauride, must decide if she will obey the evil King Thoas and sacrifice two strangers, including her brother Oreste. Featuring Patricia Racette and Plácido Domingo. May 6-28 at the Kennedy Center. Tickets range from $25 to $300 and are available through WNO Audience Services, 202.295.2400 or www.dc-opera.org.

TICKETS AND PATRON INFORMATION

· Tickets range from $25 to $300 and are available through WNO Audience Services, 202.295.2400 or 800.US.OPERA, or online at www.dc-opera.org.
· WNO is committed to serving patrons with disabilities. Wheelchair accessible seating is available in all price categories for all operas. Contact Audience Services at 202.295.2400, email adacoordinator@dc-opera.org, or visit www.dc-opera.org for more information.
· For information about specially-priced tickets, available through Generation O (for patrons 18 to 35) and other programs, visit www.dc-opera.org.
· All performances of Washington National Opera's Iphigénie en Tauride are held in the Kennedy Center Opera House, located at 2700 F Street NW, Washington, D.C.
· Casting, program, schedules and pricing are subject to change without notice.

Iphigénie en Tauride-Related Programs and Events

O-Zone Lecture-May 12, 2011, 6:15 p.m.-Kennedy Center Opera House

These free and educational pre-performance lectures by musicologist Saul Lilienstein provide insight into the inspiration behind your favorite operas. This event is free to all patrons presenting a ticket or ticket stub from any WNO performance of Iphigénie en Tauride.

Artist Q&As-May 9 and May 15, post-performance-Kennedy Center Opera House

Following Sunday and monday performances, join WNO's Christina Scheppelmann, Director of Artistic Operations, and select cast members for an opportunity to discuss Iphigénie en Tauride. This event is free to all patrons presenting a ticket or ticket stub from any WNO performance of Iphigénie en Tauride.

Iphigénie en Tauride is a production of the Clarice Smith Opera Series.

 

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