WOLFGANG A M ADEUS MOZART
IDOMENEO
CONTENTS
P.
4
SYNOPSIS P.
6
“I OFTEN ADMIRE THE SILVERPOINT IN MOZART” INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTOPH ESCHENBACH P.
10
“IT IS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE” INTERVIEW WITH KASPER HOLTEN P.
16
IDOMÉNÉE, ROI DE CRETE FÉNELON
P.
18
THE OPERA’S CHARACTERS IN MYTHOLOGY OLIVER LÁNG P.
20
THE GUILT OF MEN AND THE PUNISHMENT OF THE GODS KONRAD PAUL LIESSMANN P.
26
IDOMENEO IN THE TROJAN WAR HOMER P.
30
“COURAGE AND EFFORT IN EQUAL MEASURE...” ANDREAS LÁNG P.
35
IMPRINT
WOLFGANG A M ADEUS MOZART
IDOMENEO, RÈ DI CRETA DRAMMA PER MUSICA in tre atti Libretto GIAMBATTISTA VARESCO
ORCHESTRA
2 flutes / piccolo 2 clarinets / 2 oboes 2 bassoons / 4 horns 2 trumpets / percussion violin I / violin II viola / cello / double bass / fortepiano
STAGE ORCHESTRA
3 trombones / 2 horns
AUTOGRAPH Acts 1 and 2: Biblioteka Jagiellońska Cracow Act 3: Berlin State Library – Prussian Cultural Heritage
WORLD PREMIÈRE 29 JAN 1781 Munich Court Theatre (Cuvilliés Theatre) FIRST PERFORMANCE IN THE HOUSE ON THE RING Vienna Court Opera
DURATION
3 H 30 M
25 OCT 1879
INCL. 2 INTERMISSIONS
IDEOMENEO
SYNOPSIS
The Trojan war is over. Idomeneo, king of Crete and victorious general of the Greek forces, is sailing home. However, a storm prevents him from arriving safely. The raging seas only abate when he swears that if saved from death he will sacrifice the first human whom he encounters on land. However, this first human turns out to be his son, Idamante. Idamante is in love with the Trojan king’s daughter, Ilia, who is living on Crete as a prisoner of war; and she is in love with him too. However, Elettra, who fled from Argos after murdering her mother and has sought refuge in Crete, is also in love with Idamante and believes that she will win him for her own. To save his son from being sacrificed, Idomeneo plans to send him and Elettra to Argos, where they will rule as the new royal couple. His plan fails, and Crete is afflicted by destruction and chaos. Idomeneo vacillates between sacrificing his son and saving his people. When he decides in favour of his people and against this son, Ilia stops the sacrifice, offering herself in his place. However, this does not occur. Idamante breaks free of his overpowering father and together with Ilia takes over the rule of Crete. Idomeneo and Elettra succumb to the demons of their past.
Previous pages: SCENE
4
MARIA BENGTSSON as ELETTRA