Desmarets & Campra : Iphigénie en Tauride

Nearly a century before Gluck, another opera called Iphigénie en Tauride - same plot, same protagonists - had immense success on the opera stage. This 'first' Iphigénie has rather a curious history. The opera was sketched out by composer Henri Desmarest around the year 1695, but he was then banished from France by Louis XIV for having married a young girl without her father's consent. The uncompleted score of Iphigénie was then entrusted to André Campra. The opera, since lost and forgotten, was rediscovered by Benoît Dratwicki, Director of the Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles, who marvels at its stylistic unity: 'Campra easily adopted Desmarest's style. He just added some virtuoso arias to the divertissements, as well as the tuneful choruses that were his speciality.' Iphigénie en Tauride had its premiere on 6 May 1704, and was revived throughout Europe from 1711. Thanks to Hervé Niquet, a top-flight team of singers, an orchestra well versed in French repertoire, and all their collaborative research into the practices and specific playing techniques of the early 18th century, Iphigénie sees the light of day once more.