Recorded as part of the Innsbruck Festival (Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik), Tommaso Traetta’s *Iphigenia in Tauride* is released on album for the first time, performed by Les Talens Lyriques conducted by Christophe Rousset. A deluxe double album, in a limited and numbered edition
An opera of passion, tragedy, and modernity
Long before Gluck, Tommaso Traetta reshaped the conventions of 18th-century Italian opera. With Ifigenia in Tauride, premiered in Vienna in 1763, he places drama at the very heart of the music: here, recitatives no longer merely serve to advance the plot—they become the very space where emotion unfolds.
Traetta gives the orchestra an essential role, almost like an additional character. The voices follow the natural rhythm of speech, silences carry weight, harmonies create unease, and the choruses heighten the tension. Everything contributes to conveying the characters’ pain, fear, guilt, and hope.
At the center of the work are two beings shattered by fate: Iphigenia, exiled far from her homeland, and her brother Orestes, haunted by remorse after murdering his mother. When they meet again without recognizing each other, the full tragedy of the House of Atreus resurfaces.
Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques at the peak of their art
A leading specialist in 17th- and 18th-century opera, Christophe Rousset continues his exploration of the forgotten treasures of the Italian repertoire.
At the helm of Les Talens Lyriques and the Novocanto Choir, he restores all the theatrical power of this exceptional score.
A special edition
This double album is presented as a deluxe book-disc, in a limited and numbered edition.
With its richly illustrated and documented booklet, this release offers opera lovers, baroque music enthusiasts, and collectors of fine objects a true journey into the world of Tommaso Traetta.
Press reviews
Les Talens Lyriques display remarkable agility, dramatic and vibrant playing, and a magnificent sound.
A flawless and nuanced performance.
This recording reveals a brilliant theatrical work, sumptuously vocal, delivered with impressive intensity.
© Birgit Gufler, Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik
