Music and Time Annotation << Back An Outstanding Operatic Reformer A.I. Demchenko The premise of this article is to demonstrate C.W. Gluck's unquestionable standing among the leading representatives of the Viennese Classical School, and then to explore the evolution of his defi ning operatic genre. The central question is the composer's guiding efforts in his radical reform of opera, which led to the creation of musical drama (from "Orpheus and Eurydice" to "Iphigenia in Tauris"). The principles of this reform are then examined, conditioned by the desire to ensure that words, stage action, and music merge into an inseparable unity in theatrical performance. Keywords: Viennese Classical School and Gluck, operatic reform. DOI: 10.25791/music.3.2026.1399 Pp. 03-15.