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The Lyric Stage: Nov. 19 - Mozart's Idomeneo

Mozart wrote Idomeneo to fulfill a commission from Karl Theodor, Elector of Bavaria, who wanted a new opera for a court carnival. For Mozart and his librettist Giambattista Varesco, the commission was a big opportunity, but there were conditions. Theodor wanted an Opera Seria, "serious opera", the style that dominated much of the 18th century, more or less in the elevated classicist vein of Gluck. Mozart certainly complied, while making the opera seria style his own.

The premiere of “Idomeneo,” in Munich in 1781, took place two days after Mozart’s 25th birthday. It was his 12th opera.

Idomeneo, the king of Crete, returning victorious from war with Troy, encounters a storm that threatens his fleet. In return for safe passage, he vows to Neptune to sacrifice to the sea god the first person that he sees upon arriving ashore. When that person turns out to be his son, Idamante, Idomeneo sends Idamante away, hoping to avoid his pledge to Neptune.

A complication is Idamante and a Trojan prisoner, the princess Ilia, are in love. Elettra, herself a princess in exile also loves Idamente. Of course, breaking a vow to a god is just not done. Peeved at Idomeneo, Neptune sends a monster to ravish Crete. Idomeneo slays the monster and offers himself instead of his son as the sacrifice to Neprune, as, indeed, do Ilia and Elletra, But an oracle intervenes and everyone lives happily ever after. The music and the real emotions overcome any reservations you might have about the story, which begs the question how serious can it be with plot points around Neptune, whose status as God is pretty much debunked these days, sea monsters and benevolent oracles who make everything right.

The cast includes Fleicity Palmer and Simon Estes, and Nicholas Harnoncourt conducts the Zurich Mozart Opera Orchestra and the Zurich Opera Chorus.