Écho et Narcisse (1779) is a three-act drame lyrique (pastoral opera) by Christoph Willibald Gluck, representing his final opera and his sixth for the French stage. Based on Ovid’s Metamorphoses, it focuses on the myth of the vain Narcissus and the nymph Echo, featuring notable, charming, and woodwind-heavy music but, unlike his earlier, dramatic works, it was a commercial failure.
Plot: The story follows the nymph Echo, who falls in love with the vain Narcissus. He only loves his own reflection, causing Echo to pine away, but unlike the tragic myth, this version ends with Cupid intervening to unite them.
Reception & Impact: Premiered in Paris in 1779 shortly after the success of Iphigénie en Tauride, it failed due to its light, pastoral style, which audiences did not expect from Gluck. Following this failure, a disappointed Gluck ceased composing, making this his last work.
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