Gluck: Alceste, Wq. 44

April 23rd 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Parisian premiere of Gluck’s Alceste at the Palais-Royal. For this French version, the composer extensively revised his original Italian score. At the heart of one of the fiercest aesthetic controversies to sweep the French artistic world - pitting devotees of Italian opera against proponents of Gluck’s reformist vision - Alceste stands as a major milestone in operatic history. It embodies the quintessence of Gluck’s ambitions (as outlined in his famous preface): a more direct art form featuring a streamlined plot and melodies, with fewer recitatives. This superb, abridged version, conducted by Georges Prêtre, showcases the warm voice of Consuelo Rubio in the title role, alongside two renowned soloists, Nicolai Gedda and René Bianco.