The four-act tragedy Iphigénie en Tauride (1779), culmination of Gluck’s ‘reform’ style, was given in Paris at the Académie-Royale de Musique, 18 May 1779, a German version being staged at the Burgtheater, 23 October 1781, marking the visit of Grand Duke Paul of Russia (Catherine the Great’s son) to the Habsburg capital. Set in Tauris (modern Crimea), the libretto, by Nicolas-François Guillard, was based on Euripides. The part of Pylades, friend of Iphigénie’s brother Oreste, was created originally by Legros. In Act 4 Thoas, king of the Scythians, orders the sacrifice of Iphigénie and Oreste who have just been re-united. Pylades and a band of Greeks enter. Thoas is cut down. Iphigénie en Tauride was the first Gluck opera Berlioz saw, at the Paris Opéra in 1821. The following year he copied out a number of pages in full score (together with passages from Iphigénie en Aulide).

from notes by Ateş Orga © 2010