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Donald Macleod explores the beguiling music and colourful life of a composer who influenced almost every opera composer that followed him - from Mozart to Berlioz to Wagner. Today, he unravels Gluck鈥檚 early years growing up in Bohemia.

Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) arguably did more to transform opera than any composer of his generation: thinking deeply about how text and music should work together, and trying to strip away fripperies to ensure it was urgent, powerful and arresting. His radical approaches made him one of the most influential composers in history - and yet today, he鈥檚 known in the concert hall almost exclusively for one work: his masterpiece 鈥淥rpheus and Eurydice鈥�. This week, Donald Macleod puts that right: showcasing Gluck鈥檚 dazzling and enchanting music from across his life - whilst also showing off his most famous work across the week in its many fascinating versions.

We begin with the composer鈥檚 early years amongst the shifting boundaries of 18th century central Europe - born in what is now Bavaria, raised in Czechia, and before long a fixture in Vienna. Donald explores the parallel rise of a poet that would prove pivotal in Gluck鈥檚 work - and many others鈥� - Pietro Metastasio - and we begin our exploration of 鈥淥rpheus and Eurydice鈥� with Gluck鈥檚 first version of the opera, written for the Vienna stage in 1762.

Dance of the Blessed Spirits (Orfeo ed Eurydice)
Pygmalion, director Rapha毛l Pichon

Non hai cor per un'impresa (Ipermestra, Wq 7)
Daniel Behle, tenor (Danao, King of Argos)
Armonia Atenea, conductor George Petrou

Sperai vicino il lido (Demofoonte, Wq 3)
Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor (Timante)
Le Concert d鈥橝str茅e, Emmanuelle Ha茂m

Se in campo armato (La Sofonisba, Wq 5)
Sonia Prina, soprano (Siface)
laBarocca, conductor Ruben Jais

Nobil onda (La Sofonisba, Wq 5)
Sonia Prina, soprano (Siface)
laBarocca, conductor Ruben Jais

Orfeo ed Euridice (1762 Vienna version): Scene 1 (opening)
Fatma Said, soprano (Amore)
Jakub J贸zef Orli艅ski, countertenor (Orfeo)
Il Giardino d'Amore Choir, Il Giardino d'Amore, conductor Stefan Plewniak

M'opprime, m'affanna (La Sofonisba, Wq 5)
Sonia Prina, soprano (Siface)
laBarocca, conductor Ruben Jais

Produced by Steven Rajam for 鲍鱼tv Audio Wales & West