 alceste, wq. 37 (the later french version is wq. 44), is an opera by christoph willibald gluck from 1767. the libretto (in italian) was written by ranieri de' calzabigi and based on the play alcestis by euripides. the premiere took place on 26 december 1767 at the burgtheater in vienna. ==preface and reforms== when calzabigi published alceste, he added a preface signed by gluck, which set out their ideals for operatic reform. the opera displays the features set out in this manifesto, namely: * no da capo arias * little or no opportunity for vocal improvisation or virtuosic displays of vocal agility or power * no long melismas * a more predominantly syllabic setting of the text to make the words more intelligible * far less repetition of text within an aria * a blurring of the distinction between recitative and aria, declamatory and lyrical passages, with altogether less recitative * accompanied rather than secco recitative * simpler, more flowing melodic lines * an overture that is linked by theme or mood to the ensuing action * more prominence for the chorus, giving it, in imitation of classical greek drama, an important role commenting on the events unfolding on the stage. alceste also has no role for the castrato voice, although gluck would return to using a castrato in his next opera, paride ed elena, and even rewrite the tenor role of admetus for the soprano castrato giuseppe millico, in the 1770 revival of alceste in vienna.hayes, p. 62. for millico, gluck's favourite singer and intimate friend, the composer had already transposed up the originally contralto role of orfeo in the first italian performance of orfeo ed euridice, at parma in 1769 (cf.: le feste d'apollo and orfeo ed euridice#revised versions). in 1774, while travelling through paris, he was also called upon to perform in private the french version of orphÃ©e et eurydice (with gluck himself at the harpsichord) before it was premiered at the opÃ©rapatricia howard (ed.), c.w. von gluck: orfeo, cambridge/new york/melbourne, cambridge university press, 2010, p. 71, isbn 0-521-29664-1 ==performance history==  the second of gluck's so-called "reform operas" (after orfeo ed euridice), it was first performed at the burgtheater in vienna on 26 december 1767. a heavily revised version with a french libretto by leblanc du roullet premiered in paris on 23 april 1776 in the second salle du palais-royal. the opera is usually given in the revised version, although this is sometimes translated into italian. both versions are in three acts. revised for presentation in paris, alceste became an essentially new work, the translation from italian to french 
1767_operas 1776_operas Burgtheater_world_premieres Italian-language_operas Operas Operas_based_on_Greco-Roman_mythology Operas_by_Christoph_Willibald_Gluck