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Idomeneo

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Idomeneo, re di Creta ossia Ilia e Idamante (usually referred to simply as Idomeneo) is an Italian opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Varesco from a French text by Antoine Danchet, which had been set to music by André Campra in 1712. Mozart and Varesco were commissioned in 1780 by Karl Theodor, Elector of Bavaria for a court carnival. He probably chose the subject, though it might have been Mozart.[1]

It was first performed at the Cuvilliés Theatre of the Residence in Munich on January 29, 1781. Written when he was 24, Idomeneo was Mozart's first mature opera seria, and with it he demonstrated his mastery of orchestral color, accompanied recitatives, and melodic line. In certain aspects (e.g. the choirs), however, this opera is still an experimental drama, resulting more in a sequence of sets than in a well developed plot. Mozart also had to fight with the mediocre author of the libretto, the court chaplain Varesco, making large cuts and changes, even down to specific words and vowels disliked by the singers (too many "i"s in "rinvigorir").[2]

Today Idomeneo is part of the standard operatic repertoire. There are several recordings of it (see below), and it is regularly performed.

Parts and their first performers

  • Ilia, daughter of King Priam of Troy- lyric coloratura - Dorothea Wendling
  • Idamantes, son of Idomeneo- lyric mezzo/lyric soprano - Vincenzo dal Prato
    (Mozart called him his "molto amato castrato del Prato", his "much loved castrato del Prato")
  • Electra, daughter of King Agamemnon of Argos- dramatic coloratura - Elisabeth Wendling
  • Idomeneo, King of Crete- lyric tenor/spinto - Anton Raaff (or Raff or Raaf) (1714-1797) [1]
  • Arbaces, Idomeneo's confidant - tenor

Arias

  • Padre, germani, addio- Ilia
  • Non ho colpa- Idamantes
  • Tutte nel cor vi sento- Electra
  • Il padre adorato- Idamantes
  • Se il padre perdei- Ilia
  • Idol mio- Electra
  • Zeffiretti lusinghieri- Ilia
  • No, la morte- Idamantes
  • D'Oreste, d'Ajace- Electra
  • Vedrommi intorno- Idomeneo
  • Se il tuo duol- Arbaces
  • Fuor del mar- Idomeneo
  • Se colá ne' fati è scritto- Arbaces
  • Torna la pace- Idomeneo

The plot

Act I

Island of Crete. Ilia, daughter of King Priam, loves Prince Idamante, son of Idomeneo, but she hesitates to acknowledge her love. Idamante frees the Trojan prisoners. He tells Ilia, who is rejecting his love, that it is not his fault that their fathers were enemies. Trojans and Cretans together welcome the return of peace, but Elettra, jealous of Ilia, does not approve of Idamante's clemency toward the enemy prisoners. Arbace, the king's confidant, brings news that Idomeneo has been lost at sea while returning to Crete. Elettra, fearing that Ilia, a Trojan, soon will be Queen of Crete, feels the furies of Hades tormenting her.

On a deserted seashore, after the shipwreck, Idomeneo recalls the vow he made to Neptune -- to sacrifice, if he arrived safe, the first living creature he meets on shore. Idamante approaches him, but because the two have not seen each other for a long time, recognition is difficult. When Idomeneo realizes the youth is his own child, he orders Idamante never to seek him out again. Grief-stricken by his father's rejection, Idamante runs off. Cretan troops disembarking from Idomeneo's ship are met by their wives, and all praise Neptune.

Act II

At the king's palace, Idomeneo seeks counsel from Arbace, who says another victim could be sacrificed if Idamante were sent into exile. Idomeneo orders his son to escort Elettra to her home, Argos. Idomeneo's kind words to Ilia move her to declare that since she has lost everything, he will be her father and Crete her country. As she leaves, Idomeneo realizes that sending Idamante into exile has cost Ilia her happiness as well as his own. Elettra welcomes the idea of going to Argos with Idamante.

At the port of Sidon, Idomeneo bids his son farewell and urges him to learn the art of ruling while he is away. Before the ship can sail, however, a storm breaks out, and a sea serpent appears. Recognizing it as a messenger from Neptune, the king offers himself as atonement for having violated his vow to the god.

Act III

In the royal garden, Ilia asks the breezes to carry her love to Idamante, who appears, explaining that he must go to fight the serpent. When he says he may as well die as suffer the torments of his rejected love, Ilia confesses her love. They are surprised by Elettra and Idomeneo. When Idamante asks his father why he sends him away, Idomeneo can only reply that the youth must leave. Ilia asks for consolation from Elettra, who is preoccupied with revenge. Arbace comes with news that the people, led by the High Priest of Neptune, are clamoring for Idomeneo. The High Priest tells the king of the destruction caused by Neptune's monster, urging Idomeneo to reveal the name of the person whose sacrifice is demanded by the god. When the king confesses that his own son is the victim, the populace is horrified.

Outside the temple, the king and High Priest join with Neptune's priests in prayer that the god may be appeased. Arbace brings news that Idamante has killed the monster. As Idomeneo fears new reprisals from Neptune, Idamante enters in sacrificial robes, saying he understands his father's torment and is ready to die. After an agonizing farewell, Idomeneo is about to sacrifice his son when Ilia intervenes, offering her own life instead. The Voice of Neptune is heard. Idomeneo must yield the throne to Ilia and Idamante. Everyone is relieved except Elettra, who longs for her own death. Idomeneo presents Idamante and his bride as the new rulers. The people call upon the god of love and marriage to bless the royal pair and bring peace.

Recordings

2006 Controversy

On September 26, 2006, Berlin's Deutsche Oper announced the cancellation of four performances of the opera planned for November 2006, citing concerns that the production's reference to world religions, including Islam, raised an "incalculable security risk."

"To avoid endangering its audience and employees, the management has decided against repeating 'Idomeneo' in November 2006," the opera house said in a press release.

The "Idomeneo" production, directed by Hans Neuenfels, shows King Idomeneo staggering on stage carrying the decapitated heads of Poseidon, Jesus, Buddha and Muhammad; a departure from the libretto and score. According to the BBC, the German press agency DPA said Berlin police have so far recorded no direct threat to the opera house.[3] However, the New York Times reported that there was an anonymous threat in August against the theatre.[4]

References

  1. ^ David Cairns, Mozart and his operas, 2006, p.36
  2. ^ Cairns, p.45
  3. ^ Religious fears force off opera, BBC News. Retrieved September 26, 2006.
  4. ^ Opera Canceled Over a Depiction of Muhammad, New York Times. Retrieved September 26, 2006.
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