Met Opera Has Not Staged Iphigénie en Tauride's Prequel, Iphigénie en Aulide

Summary: Met Opera has not staged Iphigénie en Tauride's prequel, Iphigénie en Aulide, but its Young Artist Development Program has hosted three performances.

(left to right) Takaoki Onishi (Patrocle), Andrew Stenson (Achille), conductor Jane Glover, Ying Fang (Iphigénie) and Virginie Verrez (Clytemnestre) in the Met+Juilliard presentation of Gluck's Iphigénie en Aulide at The Juilliard School's Peter Jay Sharp Theater; photo by Marty Sohl: The Juilliard School @TheJuilliardSchool, via Facebook March 6, 2015

Met Opera has not staged Iphigénie en Tauride's prequel, Iphigénie en Aulide, but the opera house's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program has partnered with Juilliard School to host three concert performances.

German classical composer Christoph von Gluck (July 2, 1714-Nov. 15, 1787) based two operas on Greek mythology's Princess Iphigenia of Mycenae, daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra. He premiered his first Iphigenia-themed opera, Iphigénie en Aulide, on Tuesday, April 19, 1774, at Théâtre du Palais-Royal, also known as Salle du Palais-Royal. Five years later, on Tuesday, May 18, 1779, Paris Opéra premiered the opera's sequel, Iphigénie en Tauride, at Salle du Palais-Royal.

The United States premiere of Iphigénie en Tauride took place Saturday, Nov. 25, 1916, at the Metropolitan Opera House. In the 1916-1917 season, Iphigénie en Tauride received five performances. Prior to the 2021-2022 season, the Greek mythology-themed opera has a history of 19 performances, distributed over three seasons (premiere season 1916-1917; new production 2007-2008 season; revival 2010-2011).

Met Opera has never added Iphigénie en Tauride's prequel, Iphigénie en Aulide, to its repertoire. The opera house, however, has hosted three concert performances through its Lindemann Young Artist Development Program's partnership with The Juilliard School. The three concert performances were offered during the 2014-2015 season at The Juilliard School's Peter Jay Sharp Theater on Tuesday, Feb. 10; Thursday, Feb. 12; and Valentine's Day, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015.

All three concert performances of the Met+Juilliard program featured The Juilliard School's period-instrument orchestra, Juilliard415, under the conductorship of Jane Glover (born May 13, 1949). The British conductor had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Dec. 16, 2013, in the opera company's 409th performance of Die Zauberflöte by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

The production was directed by Germany-born, Brooklyn-based opera, theater and film director David Paul. The production team comprised Paul Hudson as lighting designer.

The 11-member cast comprised five singers from The Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and six singers from Juilliard Opera. Ying Fang, Yunpeng Wang, Andrew Stenson, Brandon Cedel and Sava Vemic represented the Lindemann program. Virginie Verrez, Liv Redpath, Takaoki Onishi, Angela Vallone, Kara Sainz and Mary-Elizabeth O'Neill appeared as Juilliard Opera members.

Ying Fang sang Princess Iphigénie, whose sacrifice is demanded, then cancelled, by goddess Diane (Diana). The Chinese operatic soprano had made her Met Opera debut Saturday, Sep. 28, 2013, as a Female Voice at Kazan Cathedral in the opera company's seventh performance of The Nose by Russian composer and pianist Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (Sep. 25, 1906-Aug. 9, 1975).

Yunpeng Wang sang Agamemnon, King of Mycenae, who is tormented by goddess Diane's demand. The Chinese baritone made his Met Opera debut Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, as Fiorello in the opera company's 608th performance of Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (Feb. 29, 1792-Nov. 13, 1868).

Andrew Stenson sang Achille, the Greek warrior hero who, contrary to Greek mythology, rescues and marries Iphigénie. The Korean-born, adopted American tenor had made his Met Opera debut Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, as a Quartet member in the opera company's third performance of The Enchanted Isle by German-British baroque composer George Frideric Handel (Feb. 23, 1685-April 14, 1759), Italian Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi (March 4, 1678-July 28, 1741), French composer and music theorist Jean-Philippe Rameau (Sep. 25, 1683-Sep. 12, 1764) and French operatist André Campra (bapt. Dec. 4, 1660-June 29, 1744).

Virginie Verrez sang Clytemnestre, Queen of Mycenae, who opposes her husband's compliance with goddess Diane's demand. The French mezzo-soprano later made her Met Opera debut Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, as the Solo Madrigalist in the opera company's 216th performance of Manon Lescaut by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

Brandon Cedel sang Calchas, the Seer who announces goddess Diane's demand and then, contrary to Greek mythology, rescinds Iphigénie's sacrifice. The American bass-baritone had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013, as a Watchman in the opera company's 60th performance of Die Frau ohne Schatten by German composer Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864-Sep. 8, 1949).

Liv Redpath sang goddess Diane, who, contrary to Greek mythology, rescinds her order of Iphigénie's sacrifice in favor of allowing the wedding of the Mycenean princess with Greek warrior hero Achille. The American soprano's association with Met Opera has been restricted to the three concert performances of Iphigénie en Aulide.

Sava Vemic sang Arcas, captain of King Agamemnon's guards, who directs Iphigénie to join her father at the sacrificial altar. The Serbian bass later made his Met Opera debut Monday, Dec. 12, 2016, as the High Priest in the opera company's 58th performance of Nabucco by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Takaoki Onishi (born Oct. 16, 1985) sang Patrocle (Patroclus), childhood friend and warrior companion of Achille. The Japanese baritone's association with the Metropolitan Opera has been restricted to Met+Juilliard's three concert performances of Iphigénie en Aulide.

Angela Vallone sang dual roles as a Greek Woman and a Greek Slave. The American soprano's association with the Metropolitan Opera has been restricted to the three concert performances of Iphigénie en Aulide.

Kara Sainz sang as one of the opera's three Greek Women. The American mezzo-soprano's association with the Metropolitan Opera has been restricted to Iphigénie en Aulide.

Mary-Elizabeth O'Neill sang as one of the opera's three Greek Women. The American mezzo-soprano's association with the Metropolitan Opera has been restricted to the Met+Juillliard concert performances.

The takeaways for Met Opera's not staging Iphigénie en Tauride's prequel, Iphigénie en Aulide, are that the opera house has presented the first of two Iphigénie (Iphigenia)-themed operas by German classical composer Christoph von Gluck via Met+Juilliard, the partnership program of Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program with The Juilliard School; that Met+Juilliard offered three concert performances of Iphigénie en Aulide in February 2015; and that the 11-member cast comprised five singers from The Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and six singers from Juilliard Opera.

Met+Juilliard, the partnership of the Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program with The Juilliard School, presented three concert performances of Gluck's Iphigénie en Aulide in February 2015 at The Juilliard School's Peter Jay Sharp Theater: The Juilliard School @JuilliardSchool, via Twitter Feb. 10, 2015

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

(left to right) Takaoki Onishi (Patrocle), Andrew Stenson (Achille), conductor Jane Glover, Ying Fang (Iphigénie) and Virginie Verrez (Clytemnestre) in the Met+Juilliard presentation of Gluck's Iphigénie en Aulide at The Juilliard School's Peter Jay Sharp Theater; photo by Marty Sohl: The Juilliard School @TheJuilliardSchool, via Facebook March 6, 2015, @ https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheJuilliardSchool/posts/

Met+Juilliard, the partnership of the Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program with The Juilliard School, presented three concert performances of Gluck's Iphigénie en Aulide in February 2015 at The Juilliard School's Peter Jay Sharp Theater: The Juilliard School @JuilliardSchool, via Twitter Feb. 10, 2015, @ https://twitter.com/JuilliardSchool/status/565217211116449792

For further information:

Cohn, Fred. "Iphigénie en Aulide New York City Met+Juilliard 2/10/15." Opera News, vol. 79, no. 11 (May 2015).
Available @ https://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2015/5/Reviews/NEW_YORK_CITY__Iphigenie_en_Aulide.html

"Debut: Sava Vemic." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356561 Nabucco {58} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/12/2016., Metropolitan Opera Radio Sirius XM channel 74 Broadcast live.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356561

"Debut: Yunpeng Wang." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355634 Il Barbiere di Siviglia {608} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/18/2014. Metropolitan Opera Radio Sirius XM channel 74 Broadcast live.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355634

"Debuts: Anne Schwanewilms, Nathan Stark, Anthony Kalil, Jihee Kim, Megan Marino, Danielle Talamantes, Jeongcheol Cha, Brandon Cedel, Andrey Nemzer, Matt Gibson." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355114 Die Frau ohne Schatten {60} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/07/2013. Metropolitan Opera Radio Sirius XM channel 74 Broadcast live.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355114

"Debuts: Fotini Dimou, Zach Borichevsky, Virginie Verrez, Rosalie Sullivan." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356304 New Production Manon Lescaut {216} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/12/2016., Metropolitan Opera Radio Sirius XM channel 74 Broadcast live.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356304

"Debuts: Jane Glover, Andre Gulick, Julius Ahn." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355192 Die Zauberflöte {409} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/16/2013. Metropolitan Opera.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355192

"Debuts: Ying Fang, Matt Boehler, Joseph Barron, Kevin Glavin, Christopher Job." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355027 The Nose {7} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 09/28/2013.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355027

The Juilliard School @TheJuilliardSchool. "British conductor Jane Glover led Juilliard415, Juilliard singers, and singers from The Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program in the Met+Juilliard production of Gluck's 'Iphigenie en Aulide.' February 10, 12, 14 in Peter Jay Sharp Theater." Facebook. March 6, 2015.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/TheJuilliardSchool/photos/a.703042743106895/773356859408816/

The Juilliard School @JuilliardSchool. "#TodayAtJuilliard Opening Night of @metopera + #JuilliardOpera's 'Iphigenie en Aulide'! http://juilliard.edu/metjuilliard." Twitter. Feb. 10, 2015.
Available @ https://twitter.com/JuilliardSchool/status/565217211116449792

Marriner, Derdriu. "Iphigénie en Tauride Was To Be Saturday Matinee Broadcast Feb. 26, 2022." Earth and Space News. Monday, Aug. 8, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/08/iphigenie-en-tauride-was-to-be-saturday.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera Launched Iphigénie en Tauride's New Production Nov. 27, 2007." Earth and Space News. Monday, Aug. 22, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/08/met-opera-launched-iphigenie-en.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera Staged Iphigénie en Tauride's U.S. Premiere Nov. 25, 1916." Earth and Space News. Monday, Aug. 15, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/08/met-opera-staged-iphigenie-en-taurides.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera Revived Stephen Wadsworth's New Iphigénie en Tauride in 2011." Earth and Space News. Monday, Aug. 29, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/08/met-opera-revived-stephen-wadsworths.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Paul Groves Sang 14 Friendly Performances as Met Opera's Second Pylade." Earth and Space News. Monday, Sep. 5, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/09/paul-groves-sang-14-friendly.html

"Met+Juilliard: Iphigénie en Aulide." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355809 Iphigénie en Aulide. Peter Jay Sharp Theater, The Juilliard School, New York: 02/10/2015.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355809

"Met+Juilliard: Iphigénie en Aulide." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355810 Iphigénie en Aulide. Peter Jay Sharp Theater, The Juilliard School, New York: 02/12/2015.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355810

"Met+Juilliard: Iphigénie en Aulide." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355910 Iphigénie en Aulide. Peter Jay Sharp Theater, The Juilliard School, New York: 02/14/2015.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355910

"New Production: Iphigénie en Tauride." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352202 New Production Iphigénie en Tauride {6} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/27/2007.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352202

Rhinebeck Chamber Music Society. "RCMS shares this with our friends to highlight VIRGINIE VERREZ, FRENCH MEZZO-SOPRANO who was a RCMS guest artist a few years ago. The Metropolitan Opera and The Juilliard School Present a Concert Performance of Gluck's 'Iphigenie en Aulide,' Conducted by Jane Glover and Directed by David Paul, February 10, 12, and 14, 2015. . . ." Facebook. Feb. 3, 2015.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/26194344905/posts/rcms-shares-this-with-our-friends-to-highlight-virginie-verrez-french-mezzo-sopr/10153029296819906/

"United States Premiere: Iphigénie en Tauride." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 64130 United States Premiere Iphigénie en Tauride {1} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 11/25/1916.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=64130