France Pageant d’Aix-en-Provence [4] – Gluck, Iphigénie en Aulide and Iphigénie en Tauride: Soloists, Le Choeur d’Astrée (refrain director: Richard Wilberforce), Le Live performance d’Astrée, Emmanuelle Haïm (conductor). Grand Théâtre de Provence, Aix-en-Provence, 11.7.2024 (MB)

Manufacturing:
Director, Set designs – Dmitri Tcherniakov
Costumes – Elena Zaytseva
Lighting – Gleb Filtschinsky
Dramaturgy – Tatiana Werestchagina

Forged:
Iphigénie – Corinne Winters
Agamemnon – Russell Braun
Clytemnestre – Véronique Gens
Achille – Alasdair Kent
Calchas – Nicolas Cavallier
Diane – Soula Parassidis
Patrocle – Lukáš Zeman
Arcas / Minister / Scythian – Tomasz Kumięga
Oreste – Florian Sempey
Pylade – Stanislas de Barbeyrac
Thoas – Alexandre Duhamel
Priestess – Laura Jarrell

It’s not on daily basis one has alternative to see Iphigénie en Aulide, not to mention in tandem with Iphigénie en Tauride. Even I, fervent Gluckian that I be, had by no means seen the previous staged. That is, after all, simply what a serious pageant needs to be doing: one thing that can’t readily be replicated in a home season. Enlisting Dmitri Tcherniakov, one among in the present day’s most sought-after opera administrators, underlined the Pageant d’Aix-en-Provence’s intent. It was, by any requirements, a memorable event, even when Tcherniakov’s manufacturing proved a little bit extra simple, even standard – I can not think about why some booed the primary opera – than one might need hoped for, and the interval devices of Emmanuelle Haïm’s Live performance d’Astrée usually lacked the dramatic dedication both of the extra vibrant interval ensembles (resembling Raphaël Pichon’s Pygmalion the next night) or of recent orchestras.

Tcherniakov’s Paris Troyens (evaluation right here) was a landmark staging, its twin presentation of conflict and therapeutic aftermath within the two components of Berlioz’s opera forged a strong, provocative spell that has but to recede. Right here, in a dramatic œuvre of nice significance to Berlioz and Wagner, the uncharitable would possibly say there was a little bit an excessive amount of retreading of floor, if in near-reverse, conflict naturally coming second and introduced as such on the shut of Iphigénie en Aulide, the curtain starkly asserting ‘GUERRE’. To be truthful, although, the Tcherniakov therapeutic flip, which after his fitful Ring appeared to many people to have run its course, is simply hinted at within the group of refugees amongst whom Iphigénie (en Tauride) stays behind. Trauma itself stands rightly, strongly within the foreground, from the second drama’s announcement of casualties over a era of conflict (‘une vingtaine d’années plus tard’, we’re knowledgeable as we re-enter the theatre after the only, dinner interval). Oreste’s shellshock is horrifying all through, rendering his emergent friendship – maybe on this situation, it may be not more than that – with Pylade a vital, if extremely restricted, solace.

Tcherniakov, as traditional, gives his personal set design, a constructing define that may serve, each intact and never, for a variety of dramatic functions — and to my thoughts did so very effectively. (It likely depended the place one was within the theatre, however I heard complaints opposite to my expertise, however undoubtedly real, from each visible and acoustic standpoints.) At any charge, the distinction on one stage between the 2 dramas registers strongly, the ambiguities of sacrifice readily obvious on the shut of Aulide. Iphigénie has been rescued for now, however at what value, each private (marriage) and societal (impending conflict)? An excellent few of those that had been initially comfortable, or not less than compliant, to cooperate in her sacrifice should certainly want that they had gone via with it. The wrestle of Achille and his males to beat Agamemnon and his path is effectively dealt with: one of the crucial convincing combat scenes I’ve seen on the operatic stage. Few are the opera productions in the present day, or so it feels, that escape foolish dancing, neither associated to the music nor clever set in (non-musical) counterpoint to it. This, alas, proved no exception, however most of us are wearily accustomed to the follow by now; not less than it’s at a marriage, which one would possibly say is a pure house to mad dancing. It stays a pity, although, that the expressive, dramatic position performed by dance in a lot eighteenth-century opera, particularly that we could broadly contemplate to be French, as soon as once more goes ignored.

The query of the deus ex machina, acquainted to Wagner, who wrote a revised ending of his personal (surprisingly adopted by Riccardo Muti at La Scala), is muddied, however that’s most likely the purpose. Having Diane communicate via the sacrificed Iphigénie – seen at first, in Agamemnon’s creativeness – permits Iphigénie herself, in double, to witness that horror, in addition to compound concern instilled amidst the equally consecrated nuptials regarding Agamenon’s voyage. The scene is recalled on the finish of Tauride, a properly ambiguous shut into which we are able to most likely learn what we’ll, although it will be troublesome to really feel wildly optimistic, given what now we have seen. There are occasions when subverting or, extra usually, merely disregarding the lieito high-quality irritates, at finest, however that is higher thought via and with out narrowing insistence.

Haïm’s course had its moments. The vigour of the Scythian choruses specifically evoked a correctly barbaric, brutally war-torn ambiance from percussion and the superb refrain alike. Normally, although, even for many who discover it simpler to take such ‘whiteness’ of strings than I do, the emotional vary was restricted, belying Gluck’s standing as a grasp musical dramatist. Purely orchestral actions usually appeared merely fairly or, worse, fey, somewhat than performing as bearers and drivers of the drama. Dance music thereby doubly suffered, given Tcherniakov’s parallel lack of curiosity. Intonation, furthermore, was variable, even given common retuning. The viewers, nonetheless, greeted Haïm with rapturous applause.

Corinne Winters’s efficiency would have significantly impressed, had it solely been in one of many operas. Hers was a musicodramatic achievement of excessive order, no mere ‘feat’. As effectively acted because it was sung, one might learn nearly as a lot into her diverse facial expressions as her vocal palette. Right here was a survivor in each sense. From a powerful forged, Véronique Gens as a glamorous but intensely human (and humane) Clytemnestre, Alasdair Kent’s Achille, cocky self-importance matching but not exceeding his valour, Florian Sempey’s resolute but extremely traumatised Oreste, and Stanislas de Barbeyrac’s heart-rendingly stunning efficiency of Pylade stood out for me. This, although, was an Iphigénie forged in depth; I recall no weak hyperlinks. No matter my reservations, its reminiscence can even likely endure.

Mark Berry