Iphigenie en Aulide

Iphigénie en Aulide is the first of six operas that Gluck composed for the Académie Royale de Musique. In keeping with his plans for operatic reform, he sought to create noble, expressive, and natural melodies that did justice to every language and every national spirit while eliminating the "ridiculous distinction" between national styles of music. Although the première was coolly received at first by the contemporary press, “Iphigénie” developed into a tremendous success. The onrush of listeners was said to have been so great that the management of the Paris Opéra considered placing guards in front of the theater.