Overview
Synopsis
King Idomeneo is returning from his victory in the Trojan war when a great storm destroys his ship. Desperate to save his own life, he begs the god Neptune to spare him, and Neptune asks him for a sacrifice in return: the first living person that Idomeneo sees when he reaches the shore.
Back in Crete, reports of the wreckage of his father’s ship have brought Idamante to the sea’s edge to see if his father is alive. A fatal reunion on the shore seals Idamante’s fate. His own father must sacrifice him to appease the god of the sea.
Nothing can prevent this destiny. Sending Idamante away will not work, as he would have to travel by sea. Impatient for his sacrifice, Neptune sends a great monster to attack the people of Crete and force Idomeneo to fulfil his oath. Only the pure heart of Princess Ilia can prevent the fatal blow from striking Idamante, as love and innocent triumph over all.
Mozart’s operatic retelling of this ancient story is full of powerful emotions, as people struggle to do what they are bound to by duty over what their own hearts desire.
Show Information
- Music
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Libretto
- Giambattista Varesco
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1781
- Genres
- Drama, Fairy Tale/Fantasy, Historical/Biographical
- Settings
- Period, Fantasy/Imaginary, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Trojan Wars, Sidon, Crete
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult, Elderly Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Although it is now part of the standard operatic repertory, Mozart’s Idomeneo, re di Creta was not immediately popular. Written when the composer was just turning 25, it is considered to be the first opera to reflect the composers maturing sensibilities, while following in the footsteps of the great composers of baroque opera seria. According to the historians, the original work that Mozart produced was never performed in his lifetime, as it was far to big and ambitious for the premiere and
to read the context for Idomeneo and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
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
to read the plot for Idomeneo and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone, Bass, Bass-Baritone |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
Act One
Overture
Scene One
Recitative ‘Quando avran fine’ - Ilia
No. 1 Aria ‘Padre, germani, addio!’ - Ilia
Scene Two
Recitative ‘Radunate i Troiani’ - Idamante, Ilia
No. 2 Aria ‘Non ho colpa’ - Idamante
Recitative ‘Ecco il misero’ - Ilia, Idamante
Scene Three
Recitative ‘Scingete le catene’ - Idamante
No. 3 Chorus ‘Godiam la pace’ - Chorus
Scene Four
Recitative ‘Prence, signor, tutta Grecia oltraggi’ - Elettra, Idamante
Scene Five
Recitative ‘Ma quel pianto che annunzia?’ - Idamante, Arbace
Scene Six
Recitative ‘Estinto è Idomeneo’ - Elettra
No. 4 Aria ‘Tutte nel cor vi sento’ - Elettra
Scene Seven
No. 5 Chorus ‘Pietà, numi, pietà!’ - Chorus, Idomeneo
Scene Eight
Pantomime
Recitative ‘Eccoci salvi alfin’ - Idomeneo
Scene Nine
Recitative ‘Oh voi, di Marte’ - Idomeneo
No. 6 Aria ‘Vedrommi intorno’ - Idomeneo
Scene Ten
Recitative ‘Spiagge romite’ - Idamante, Ilia, Idomeneo
No. 7 Aria ‘Il padre adorato’ - Idamante
March
No. 9 Chorus ‘Nettuno s’onori’ - Chorus
Act Two
Scene One
Recitative ‘Siam soli; odimi Arbace’ - Idomeneo, Arbace
No. 10 Aria ‘Se il tuo duol’ - Arbace
Scene Two
Recitative ‘Se mai pomposo apparse’ - Ilia, Idomeneo
No. 12 Aria ‘Se il padre perdei’ - Ilia
Scene Three
Recitative ‘Qual mi conturba i sensi’ - Idomeneo
No. 13 Aria ‘Fuor del mar ho un mare in senso’ - Idomeneo
Scene Four
Recitative ‘Sire, da Arbace intesi’ - Elettra, Idomeneo
Scene Five
Recitative ‘Chi mai del mio provò’ - Elettra
No. 13 Aria ‘Idol mio! Se ritroso’ - Elettra
Scene Six
Recitative ‘Sidonie sponde!’ - Elettra
No. 15 Chorus ‘Placido è il mar’ - Chorus, Elettra
Scene Seven
Recitative ‘Vatene, Prence’ - Idomeneo, Idamante
No. 16 Trio ‘Prià di partir, o Dio!’ - Idomeneo, Idamante, Elettra
No. 17 Chorus ‘Qual nuovo terrore’ - Chorus
Recitative ‘Eccoti in me, barbaro Nume!’ - Idomeneo
No. 18 Chorus ‘Corriamo, fuggiamo!’ - Chorus
Act Three
Scene One
Recitative ‘Solitudini amiche, aure amorose’ - Ilia
No. 19 Aria ‘Zeffiretti lusinghieri’ - Ilia
Scene Two
Recitative ‘Principessa, a tuoi sguardi’ - Idamante, Ilia
No. 20 Duet ‘S’io non moro a questi’
Scene Three
Recitative ‘Cieli! Che vedo?’ - Idomeneo, Ilia, Idamante, Elettra
No. 21 Quartet ‘Andrò ramingo e solo’
Scene Four
Recitative ‘Sire, all reggia tua’ - Arbace, Ilia, Idomeneo, Elettra
Scene Five
Recitative ‘Sventurata Sidon!’ - Arbace
No. 22 Aria ‘Se colà ne Fati è scritto’ - Arbace
Scene Six
No. 23 Recitative ‘Volgi intorno lo sguardo’ - High Priest, Idomeneo
No. 24 Chorus ‘O voto tremendo!’ - Chorus, High Priest
Scene Seven
No. 25 March
No. 26 Recitative and Chorus ‘Accolgi, o re del mar’ - Idomeneo, Chorus
Scene Eight
Recitative ‘Sire, il prence Idamante l’eroe’ - Arbace, Idomeneo
Scene Nine
Recitative ‘Padre, mio caro’ - Idamante, Idomeneo
No. 27 Aria ‘No, la morte io non pavento’ - Idamante, Idomeneo
Scene Ten
Recitative ‘Ferma, o Sire, che fai?’ - Ilia, Idomeneo, Idamante, High Priest, Elettra, Arbace
No. 28 Recitative ‘Ha vinto Amore…’ - Neptune, Idomeneo, Idamante, Ilia, Arbace, Elettra,
No. 29 Aria ‘D’Oreste, d’Ajace’ - Elettra
Final Scene
No. 30 Recitative ‘Popoli, a voi l’ultima’ - Idomeneo
No. 31 Aria ‘Torna la pace al core’ - Idomeneo
No. 30 Chorus ‘Scenda, amor, scenda’ - Chorus
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.