Ifigenia (Pizzetti)

Lore & Background

The opera's background is presented by a narrator: the gods were angry with the Greeks and imposed on King Agamennone to sacrifice his daughter, Ifigenia, as a condition for fair winds for the Greek fleet bound for Troy. Ifigenia and her mother, Clitennestra, were invited by Agamennone, believing they were preparing for a marriage ceremony between her and Achille. Upon arrival, Achille unveiled the truth to them, showing firmness towards the divine will. The king is relentless, beyond the wrath of the gods, also fearing the rebellion of the soldiers impatient to set sail. He calls upon Ifigenia and urges her to face the terrible trial with courage. The girl accepted her fate and surrendered to the altar of sacrifice.

Reader's Guide

In the epilogue, when the mist descending to hide the sacrificial act thins out, a mysterious voice rises to ask why the eternal perpetuation of the war. There was no answer, and the same voice, after the intervention of the choir, which symbolically multiplies the painful question in several languages—'Why? Pourquoi? Por qué? Warum? Why? Quare?'—and chanting the prayer in Latin 'Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine, quis substinevit? irascaris, Domine. Dona nobis pacem' for all the victims and perpetrators. The opera's significance lies in its radio premiere and its Prix Italia award, marking an early recognition of radio as a medium for opera. Its theatrical debut at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino further cemented its place in 20th-century Italian opera. The work's multilingual epilogue and Latin prayer underscore a universal plea for peace, reflecting post-war anxieties.

Did You Know?

• The opera was premiered as a radio broadcast from RAI Auditorium in Turin on 3 October 1950.
• It received the first prize of the Prix Italia radio annual award in the same year, held in Turin.
• The theatrical debut took place at Teatro Comunale in Florence on 9 May 1951 during the 14th Maggio Musicale Fiorentino festival.
• The libretto was written by Ildebrando Pizzetti with Alberto Perrini, in Italian.