Review: Iphigénie en Tauride (London Coliseum)

Review by Sam Woodward

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The English National Opera, as the name suggests, traditionally performs operas in English, helping to make the art form accessible to broad audiences. In a notable departure from that tradition, Christoph Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride arrives at the London Coliseum for four performances only, sung in its original French. Widely regarded as one of Gluck’s greatest works, this rarely staged opera explores sacrifice, inherited violence and survival through a family whose suffering seems destined to continue.

Gluck had already sent Iphigénie to the sacrificial altar once before. His 1774 opera Iphigénie en Aulide follows her father’s decision to sacrifice her so that the Greek fleet can sail to Troy. Five years later, Iphigénie en Tauride premiered in Paris, with a libretto by Nicolas-François Guillard drawing on Euripides’ play. Here, Iphigénie has survived and serves as a priestess in Tauris, where she is ordered to sacrifice two Greek prisoners, unaware that one is her brother. Almost 250 years after its première, this new production marks the first time ENO has brought the opera to the stage.

Directed by Olivier Award winner Lyndsey Turner, whose success spans opera and theatre productions including the recent, much-loved 1536, this new staging marks her return to ENO following Noye’s Fludde in 2019. The opening is slow to establish its setting and dramatic urgency. The priestesses sweep the temple as a storm approaches, yet the scene feels strangely unhurried, while King Thoas’ entrance leaves it unclear whether he is physically present or part of Iphigénie’s visions. By the end of Act I, however, the story and staging are considerably clearer, and Act II’s prison scene transforms the evening. Turner’s emotional intelligence becomes most apparent in the relationships between the characters, with the anguish of the siblings and the devotion between Oreste and Pylade giving the later acts a compelling humanity.

At the heart of this production is Christine Rice as the title character. Widely regarded as one of the leading British mezzo-sopranos, Rice gives an intensely emotive portrayal of Iphigénie’s anguish, bringing her visions, fears and painful memories to life with a convincing sense of torment. Her singing is expressive, although her voice sometimes struggles to carry over the orchestra or match the presence of her fellow principals, particularly in the opening scenes. Her later scenes with her brother Oreste are among the evening’s most affecting. In Acts III and IV, her acting is phenomenal; the outcome may be slightly obvious, but the force of their reunion remains breathtaking.

The standout performances come from Jacques Imbrailo and Nick Pritchard as Oreste and Pylade respectively. Imbrailo is an impressively helpless Oreste, and his grippingly forceful baritone is extraordinary in its ability to fill London’s largest West End venue. He balances vocal power with vulnerability, bringing intensity to Oreste’s mental torment and sensitivity to his relationship with Pylade. Pritchard’s beautifully clear tenor is a particular pleasure, and the warmth and tenderness of his performance in the prison scene make it one of the evening’s most moving moments. The pain the two men cause one another is as affecting as the care they show. Together, Imbrailo and Pritchard are sensational, and the romantic tenderness of their closeness makes the prospect of separation all the more painful.

The contemporary nature of the production is reflected in Soutra Gilmour’s simple and severe set, comprising a concrete surround, a largely bare stage and only a few props. Its simplicity does little to establish the atmosphere of the temple, particularly in the opening scenes, while the costumes pull the production in different directions. Thoas appears in a contemporary suit, and the prisoners’ outfits are similarly modern. The women, meanwhile, wear burgundy robes suggesting a more traditional Greek setting. These contrasting styles never quite establish a coherent world, leaving the production’s visual identity uncertain and somewhat disjointed even as the drama becomes more compelling. Committing to either contemporary freshness or traditional adornment would not only provide visual cohesion but would more successfully allow the opera to convey its settings, story and emotional synthesis. 

Tim Mitchell’s lighting design, however, is particularly successful in bringing atmosphere to the bare stage. The storm’s force, the firepit’s warmth and the visions of Oreste’s past are vividly realised, giving the action a clarity that the set alone lacks. David Bates’ work as conductor is equally impressive. Making his ENO debut, he leads an orchestra that plays with thrilling intensity, its deep, weighty sound filling the Coliseum. The opportunity to discover Gluck’s less familiar score is made all the more rewarding by how closely its changes in mood follow the emotions unfolding on stage. The richness and emotional force of the orchestral playing provide some of the evening’s most stirring moments. The music is simply sublime.

Full of melodrama befitting its Greek storyline, Iphigénie en Tauride is at its best gripping, beautiful and deeply moving. Its uncertain opening and confusing visual choices are frustrating, but the later acts bring the acting, lighting, ensemble and music together with spectacular effect. The siblings’ reunion and the devotion between Oreste and Pylade give the production a powerful emotional centre, matched by Bates’ outstanding conducting. Gluck’s opera deserves to be heard more often, and ENO’s first staging makes a compelling case for its return to the London stage.

Iphigénie en Tauride plays at London Coliseum until 14 November. Tickets from https://www.eno.org/events/iphigenie-en-tauride/.

Photos by Helen Murray.