John Eliot Gardiner conducts Gluck’s 1776 French version of “Alceste” at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Soprano Anne Sofie von Otter takes the title role of Alceste, Queen of Thessaly, who offers to die at the hands of the gods in place of her husband, Admète (Paul Groves), so that the people will not lose their king. Alceste is then saved from the underworld by Hercule (Dietrich Henschel).
Paul Groves
AdmeteLudovic Tézier
A herald and ApolloAnne Sofie von Otter
AlcesteLucie Barret
Alceste’s childArthur Canyon
Alceste’s childYann Beuron
EvandreDietrich Henschel
High Priest and HerculesFrederic Caton
Oracle and infernal God