Gluck: Iphigénie en Tauride

A daughter of sacrifice

A family divided by destiny, reunited by hope. Gluck’s rarely performed opera, Iphigénie en Tauride makes its ENO debut in a new staging for 2026/27 by Olivier award-winning director Lyndsey Turner.

Overview
Iphigénie and her brother Oreste are the children of the most blood-soaked dynasty in Greek history. Their inheritance is a legacy of violence dating back to the dawn of time.

Her journey has taken her to a forlorn temple at the ends of the earth. His has taken him to the edge of madness. Each fears the other is dead.

Stranded on a remote island, forced to minister to the wishes of a terrifying ruler, Iphigenie dreams of home. The hope that she will one day reunite with her brother Oreste is all that stands between her and despair.

So, when a mysterious stranger washes up on the island’s shores with news of the collapse of her family, Iphigenie fears the worst. But is all as hopeless as first seems? Or is there more to this stranger than meets the eye?

Find out what fate has in store for the siblings, in a new interpretation of this rarely performed operatic masterpiece.

Staging and score
Widely regarded as Gluck’s most important work, Iphigénie en Tauride will be performed in its original French libretto by Nicolas-François Guillard with English surtitles projected above the stage.

Singers and creatives
Baroque specialist David Bates makes his ENO debut on the podium, while Lyndsey Turner directs.

Christine Rice leads the cast as Iphigénie after her unforgettable performance in Dead Man Walking, with her brother Oreste played by Jacques Imbrailo.

This production has been made possible through the generous support of a syndicate comprising Kathryn Uhde, Stephen & Margaret Bickford-Smith, Liz Cratchley OBE, Vincent Mercer & Mrs Anzo Francis, Frances Tait, Su-Mei & Marcus Thompson, Mark Tousey and Elizabeth Wright.