Gluck’s Iphigine en Tauride

Image: supplied

As always Pinchgut’s production is superb. This year their December production is Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride (1779) marking 300 years since his birth. It is dark and intense, full of drama and passion with a dazzlingly score. First premiered in Paris, its plot is based on Greek myths and tells of a grieving heroine, a family broken by war, a hero caught in captivity and tormented madness.

The Orchestra of the Antipodes, under the very energetic conducting of Anthony Walker were in magnificent form glowing with a refined, subtle and stylish tone on their period instruments. Vocally it was superb too with fine work from the ensemble (Cantillation) and the excellent leads.

The ominous, looming dangerous set of shattered, teetering white marble is superb with the cast striding, lying and scrambling over it. It is used at times by the women’s chorus to ‘sleep’ on. In their dark blood red dresses they have blocks of ritualised, stylised movement, sometimes slow walking dances, sometimes frieze like as if on an ancient Greek vase. At one point they fan out behind Iphigénie like an extension of her train, at another they hysterically grab Orestes in a wall of arms, as if Iphignie’s churning hidden feelings.They are contrasted with the rushing, exuberant warlike joy of the men’s chorus in black. Wonderful lighting by Matthew Marshall echoed the storm outside.

As Iphigenie, Caitlin Hulcup is superb. Stern and refined as the priestess she hides a compassionate heart. She sings divinely and is in glorious form with a warm tone. She is always conscious of the phrasing and shaping of the vocal line and very dramatically moving and convincing.   

As Thoas, the Scythian ruler, Christopher Richardson is striking and dramatic in black, and gives a glittering menacing performance. Crow-like, he is tall and lethal, his face in white makeup and in fine commanding voice. In this production he and his men have anachronistic guns and with their turbans and face scarves: are we meant to think of the Taliban and ISIS?

Tall, bearded, scruffy Orestes, tormented and heroic, was brilliantly played by baritone Grant Doyle. His solos are fabulous, especially fine was his singing of ‘Le calme rentre dans mon coeur‘ (Calm returns to my heart), a well known moment in opera history: it is cited as the first major instance of a character being contradicted by the orchestral accompaniment that underscores the character’s vocal line. He has some very moving duets with his friend Pylades (Christopher Saunders) also a magnificent sweet, supple tenor voice. His Act 2 aria is tremendous.They both try to outdo themselves, yet sacrificing themselves for the other.    

Richly rewarding, full of glorious music the Deus ex Machina of the appearance of Diane (strongly sung by Margaret Plummer) somewhat lifts the constant sense of impending doom and one can breathe a sigh of relief that all has been put to rights.

Another magnificent production from wonderful Pinchgut.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars  

Pinchgut’s Iphiginie en Tauride
City Recital Hall Angel Place