| Composer: | Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) |
| Librettist: | Ranieri de’ Calzabigi, after Euripides (Italian version) |
| Marie FranÁois Louis Gand Leblanc Roullet, based on Calzabigi (French version) |
First Performance:
| Italian Version | 26 December 1767, Burgtheater, Vienna |
| French Version | 23 April 1776, AcadÈmie Royale de Musique, Paris |
Principal Characters:
| Italian version | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alceste, Queen of Pherae in Thessaly | Soprano | |
| Admeto, her husband | Tenor | |
| Eumelo, their child | Soprano | |
| Aspasia, their child | Soprano | |
| Evandro, a confidant of Admeto | Tenor | |
| Ismene, a confidante of Alceste | Soprano | |
| A Herald | Bass | |
| High Priest of Apollo | Baritone | |
| Apollo | Baritone | |
| Oracle | Bass | |
| Infernal Deity | Bass |
| French version | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alceste, Queen of Thessaly | Soprano | |
| AdmËte, her husband | Tenor | |
| Their two children | Silent | |
| Evandre, a confidant of Admeto | Tenor | |
| Ismene, a confidante of Alceste | Soprano | |
| A Herald of Arms | Bass | |
| High Priest of Apollo | Bass | |
| Apollo | Baritone | |
| Oracle | Bass | |
| Hercules | Bass | |
| Thanatos, an infernal deity | Bass |
Time and Place: Pherae in ancient Thessaly
Synopsis (Italian version):
Act I
A herald announces to the people of Thessaly that King Admeto is gravely
ill and that there is little hope. Evandro calls upon all to pray to the
oracle at the temple of Apollo. Alceste joins them and asks Apollo for pity.
The oracle says Admeto can be rescued if another voluntarily sacrifices his
life. This causes great consternation. Alone, Alceste agonizes whether to
give her life for that of her husband.
Act II
In a dense forest dedicated to the gods of the underworld, Ismene asks
Alceste why she is leaving her husband and children. Alceste tells Ismene of
her intentions. Meanwhile, Admeto has a miraculous recovery to the joy of all
Thessaly. Evandro tells him that someone has apparently sacrificed himself
for the king. When Alceste appears, he questions her until she confesses. The
desperate king hurries into the temple to plead with the gods. However,
Alceste says good-bye to the children.
Act III
The decision of the gods is not revoked. The people lament the approaching
death of Alceste. Having said good-bye to Alceste, Admeto decides to follow
her into death. Then the heavens open, Apollo descends and proclaims that
the gods have given them their lives as a reward for their steadfast love.
Click
here for the complete libretto (Italian version).
image=http://www.operatoday.com/content/mort_alceste_detail.jpg
image_description=Detail from La Mort d’Alceste ou L’HÈroÔsme de l’amour conjugal by Pierre Peyron, 1785 (MusÈe du Louvre)
audio=yes
first_audio_name=Christoph Willibald Gluck: Alceste
first_audio_link=http://www.operatoday.com/Alceste.m3u
product=yes
product_title=Christoph Willibald Gluck: Alceste
product_by=Maria Callas (Alceste), Renato Gavarini (Admeto), Rolando Panerai (Apollo), Giuseppe Zampieri (Evandro), Paolo Silveri (High Priest), Nicola Zaccaria (Oracle), Coro e Orchestra del Teatra alla Scala di Milano, Carlo Maria Giulini (cond.)
Live recording, 4 April 1954, Milan.