大象传媒

Donald Macleod explores how Gluck finally became a fixture of Vienna鈥檚 musical scene, and explores the Paris version of his most famous work, Orpheus and Eurydice.

Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) arguably did more to transform opera than any composer of his generation: thinking deeply about how text and music should work together, and trying to strip away fripperies to ensure it was urgent, powerful and arresting. His radical approaches made him one of the most influential composers in history - and yet today, he鈥檚 known in the concert hall almost exclusively for one work: his masterpiece 鈥淥rpheus and Eurydice鈥�. This week, Donald Macleod puts that right: showcasing Gluck鈥檚 dazzling and enchanting music from across his life - whilst also showing off his most famous work across the week in its many fascinating versions.

After years of criss-crossing Europe, by the late 1750s Gluck was mostly settled in Vienna, where he was a favourite of the Empress Maria Theresia. He鈥檇 also married and was enjoying a happy domestic life. Donald Macleod explores one of the sunniest periods of Gluck鈥檚 career, and delves into the radically different version of Orpheus and Eurydice Gluck prepared for the tastes of the Paris stage when he took his masterpiece to the French capital in 1774.

Dance of the Furies (Orphee et Eurydice: Act 2, Scene 1)
Les Musiciens du Louvre, conductor Marc Minkowski

Tremo fra dubbi miei (La Clemenza di Tito, Wq 16) (Act 3)
Cecilia Bartoli, soprano (Vitellia)
Akademie f眉r Alte Musik Berlin, conductor Bernhard Forck

Son lungi e non mi brami (Le Cinesi, Wq 18)
Daniel Behle, tenor (Silango)
Armonia Atenea, conductor George Petrou

Berenice che fai (Antigono, Wq 21)
Cecilia Bartoli, soprano (Berenice)
Akademie f眉r Alte Musik Berlin, conductor Bernhard Forck

Orphee et Eurydice (Act 2, Scene 2)
Richard Croft, tenor (Orph茅e)
Mireille Delunsch, soprano (Eurydice)
Marion Harousseau, soprano (L'Amour)
Claire Delgardo-Boge, soprano (Une ombre heureuse)
Les Musiciens du Louvre, conductor Marc Minkowski

Produced by Steven Rajam for 大象传媒 Audio Wales & West