A unique production is on view at the Washington National Opera, where Christoph Willibald Gluck’s “Iphigenie en Tauride” uses fresh concepts of direction, choreography and lighting to give new life to an opera that is more than 230 years old. Gluck modeled his opera on Euripides’ play of the same name, which in turn is based on Greek mythology. The action begins with the appearance of Iphigenie (Patricia Racette), high priestess of the temple of Diana in Tauris. After a moment of calm, a storm rages.
Racette’s radiant soprano voice is sure and powerful as she creates a sense of the disorder in Iphigenie’s soul and establishes the opera’s recurrent theme of anxiety. Her rendition of “O songe affreux” is intensely moving.
| Onstage |
| ‘Iphig?nie en Tauride’ |
| Where: Washington National Opera, Kennedy Center Opera House, 2700 F St. NW |
| When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and May 17, 20 and 25, 2 p.m. Sunday, 7 p.m. May 28 |
| Info: $25 to $300; 202-295-2400; dc-opera.org |
The barbaric Scythians who inhabit Tauris ritually sacrifice anyone shipwrecked on their land. During the storm two Greeks, Orestes (Placido Domingo) and Pylade (Shawn Mathey), are hurled onto Tauris’ shore. Friends since childhood, Orestes blames himself for causing Pylade’s imminent death.
Domingo is commanding and charismatic as Orestes, his voice rich and beautifully articulated. Orestes’ role is especially difficult since the character is so complex: Orestes has killed his mother in revenge for her murder of his father, and Orestes is tortured by his actions. Domingo effectively demonstrates this internal pain, particularly in “Le calme entre dans mon coeur,” where Orestes deludes himself into thinking he is at peace while the music clearly speaks of his psychological agitation.
Tenor Mathey gives a robust, nuanced performance as Pylade. Simone Alberghini has great vocal and dramatic impact as the Scythian leader Thoas.
Director Emilio Sagi provides visual surprises throughout this “Iphigenie”: his singers sit or lie onstage, sometimes while singing. Sagi has drawn artists from every field to give this production a contemporary feel.
In Luis Suarez’s stark set, gray blocks of concrete create Iphigenie’s temple. Pepa Ojanguren’s period-free costumes rely heavily on black fabrics, leather and sequins, with occasional splashes of red. The chorus of priestesses and the tattooed dancers are choreographed with stylized movements by Diniz Sanchez.
During his 15 years as a leader of the Washington National Opera, Domingo has worked to make opera relevant. It’s appropriate that his final onstage appearance as general director is in an opera that is so accessible to modern audiences.
