Idomeneo

Act One

Finding herself a prisoner of the King of Crete, Ilia struggles to understand the new raft of emotions that threatens to overwhelm her (‘Quando avran fine’). She hates her captor, but has fallen in love with his son, Idamante. She loves her father and brothers, and feels guilty for loving their enemy (‘Padre, germani, addio’).

Idamante himself enters to tell Ilia that she will soon be freed; his father’s ship has been spotted, and with his return all the prisoners are to be pardoned (‘Radunate i Troiani’). Ilia does not let herself be taken in immediately by his charm. While he tries to flatter her, she firmly reminds him who her father was: the King of Priam. Idamante pleads with Ilia, trying to explain that her situation had nothing to do with him, and tells her that he is so in love with her he would gladly kill himself if she desired it (‘Non ho colpa’).

A group of Trojan prisoners are led in, and Idamante calls for their chains to be removed (‘Scingete le catene’). He