Discover Iphigénie en Tauride

Iphigénie en Tauride Synopsis

Act I

Iphigenia is high priestess of the goddess Diana in the temple at Tauris, having been miraculously (and unknown to everyone) transported there by the goddess at the moment her father Agamemnon sacrificed her at Aulis.

A storm batters Tauris. Iphigenia and the other priestesses, likewise captives from Greece, pray for protection from the storms raging outside and in their hearts.

The storm dies down, but Iphigenia remains tormented by dreams in which she has seen her mother Clytemnestra murdering Agamemnon, then her brother Orestes killing Clytemnestra, and finally her own hand stabbing her brother. She prays to Diana to reunite her with Orestes.

Thoas, King of the Scythians, enters.
The oracles predict doom if any strangers in Tauris escape with their lives, so the local custom is to sacrifice anyone shipwrecked on their shores.

Two Greek men are found shipwrecked. They are Orestes and his friend Pylades. Thoas condemns them to die.

Act II

Orestes and Pylades are imprisoned in the temple. Orestes curses himself for causing the death of his friend, but Pylades is happy to share his fate. Orestes is tormented by visions of the Furies, seeking revenge for his murder of his mother Clytemnestra.

Iphigenia meets Orestes but does not recognise him. She asks him about the fate of Agamemnon and of Greece, and Orestes tells her of Agamemnon’s murder by Clytemnestra, and of her murder by her son. The distressed Iphigenia asks about the fate of the son, and Orestes tells her that he found the death he sought, and that only Electra, sister of Iphigenia and Orestes, remains alive out of all the family.

Iphigenia, now bereft of country, family and hope, mourns her loss with the other priestesses.

Act III

Iphigenia tells Orestes and Pylades she can persuade Thoas to spare one of them, and asks for the one who is spared to carry news of her fate to Electra in Greece.

She chooses Orestes to survive. Pylades rejoices at the thought of dying so Orestes can live. But Orestes refuses to let Pylades stay to be sacrificed. Pylades eventually agrees to obey Orestes: he will leave for Greece. He swears to do everything in his power to save his friend.

Act IV

Iphigenia is required to sacrifice Orestes, but she cannot bring herself to harm him and cries out angrily against Diana. Orestes tells her not to lament him, but to strike, since it is the will of the gods.

While she wields the knife, Orestes calls out his sister’s name, and at last she recognises him as her brother. But Thoas arrives and, discovering who Orestes is, he is now determined to sacrifice both brother and sister.

At this moment, Pylades returns with Greek soldiers, cutting down Thoas. The resulting rout of the Scythians is halted when an unexpected visitor arrives. Orestes is pardoned for the murder of his mother. Brother and sister, and the priestesses, can return home to Greece.

Synopsis courtesy of Metropolitan Opera