Search - Christoph Willibald Gluck, Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre :: Gluck - Iphigénie en Tauride / Delunsch · Keenlyside · Beuron · Naouri · Cousin · Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski

Gluck - Iphigénie en Tauride / Delunsch · Keenlyside · Beuron · Naouri · Cousin · Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski
Christoph Willibald Gluck, Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre
Gluck - Iphigénie en Tauride / Delunsch · Keenlyside · Beuron · Naouri · Cousin · Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski
Genre: Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (25) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (21) - Disc #2

Following the success of 1999's thrilling Armide, Marc Minkowski and his excellent cast fully convey the power and drama of Gluck's masterpiece. They pull you into the story (based on a play by Euripides) through the emoti...  more »

     
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Amazon.com
Following the success of 1999's thrilling Armide, Marc Minkowski and his excellent cast fully convey the power and drama of Gluck's masterpiece. They pull you into the story (based on a play by Euripides) through the emotional truth of their interpretation. The opening quiet strings create an air of mystery dispelled by a ferocious storm magnificently conveyed by these early-music specialists. Within a few phrases of Iphigénie's opening lament, Delunsch creates a believable, sympathetic character. Keenlyside as Oreste and Beuron as his sidekick, Pylade, pack a ton of emotion into their singing, too. Minkowski takes chances, going for the emotional jugular in ways that some may find excessive. But the stakes involved for these characters are of the life-and-death variety, and this recording gets that across as no other does. A more contained version by Martin Pearlman's Boston Baroque on Telarc, boasting another outstanding Iphigénie in Christine Goerke, will appeal to those who find Minkowski overly forceful. I'd hate to be without either. --Dan Davis
 

CD Reviews

The ultimate recording
nicngu | 05/13/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre have done it again : there are few baroque ensembles who are able to bring so much life in a recording. Thanks to outstanding singing, playing and directing, this recording of Gluck's masterpiece (his best opera if you ask me !) is truly a theatre experience. This is much better than anything recorded before : the Muti/Scala Sony recording with Vaness was always a bit too "exotic", and the Boston Baroque for Pearlmann (with Goerke) are too boring for words. The Gardiner version (with modern instruments) on Philips was the only recommandable version so far, but Diana Montaigue is no match for Delunsch. What is more, the cast is outstanding. The soloists all have a perfect command of the language (Keenlyside, the only non-native speaker of the cast, included), and, what is more, a perfect understanding the verses they declaim : finally a recording that will not make French ears cringe. Naouri's bass, somewhat lacking in colour, might not be my favourite but is very suitable as the barbaric king Thoas. Beuron's Pylade is generous and moving. Keenlyside's portrayal of the tortured Oreste is breathtaking throughout : there is so much suffering in the voice. Delunsch, whom I found slightly distant in the concert hall, here just blows away any reservations I might have had : her Iphigénie is of classical grandeur and her singing superb... Listen to her big 2nd act aria with choir, the famous "O malheureuse Iphigénie..." and you will be sold ! If you are not moved, this is just not the work for you !"
Exceptionnel
Constantin Declercq | 10/14/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Cette version est la meilleure des versions officielles, et de très loin. Comme d'habitude Minkowski a le sens du théâtre et son orchestre accompagne parfaitement les sentiment exprimés que ce soit l'angoisse ou la méditation. Les chanteurs et les choeurs sont en symbiose parfaite avec cette vision de l'oeuvre, ce qui leur fait éviter le piège de la théâtralité froide. Mireille Delunsch est parfaite : elle compense ce qu'elle n'a pas en puissance (et que le rôle ne demande d'ailleurs pas) par une émotion et une intelligence du rôle rares. De toutes les chanteuses qui ont chanté Iphigénie elle est la plus émouvante et attachante. La clarté de son timbre et son phrasé participent à cette impression. «Ô malheureuse Iphigénie» en devient superbe de sensibilité et d'intensité. Les autres chanteurs sont aussi excellents."