Mozart Opera Idomeneo

Classical Music / Opera

Mozart's Opera seria/drama in three acts. Drama opera Idomeneo. Information. Cast of Characters. Synopsis.  

Opera Idomeneo, K366, was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791).  

Libretto by Giambattista Varesco based on Antoine Danchet libretto for "Idoménée" by André Campra.

Language: Italian.

Premiere: Munich, Cuvillies Theater, January 29, 1781.  Revised version by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (premiered in Munich, June 15, 1931).    

Setting:  Port of Sidon, island of Crete, shortly after the Trojan war (12^th century BC).   

Cast of Characters:

Ilia, daughter of King Priam of Troy  (soprano)

Idamante, son of Idomeneo   (male soprano or tenor)

Elettra (Electra), daughter of King Agamemnon of Argos  (soprano)

Arbace (Arbaces), Idomeneo's confidant   (tenor or baritone)

Idomeneo, King of Crete   (tenor)

High priest of Neptune    (tenor)

Voice of Nettuno (Neptune)   (bass)

Two Trojans  (tenor, bass)

Two Cretan girls  (soprano, alto)

Chorus: Retinues of Idomeneo and Idamante, Trojan prisoners, people of Crete, sailors, warriors from Crete and Argos

Synopsis:

Act 1.    

As a result to the Trojan War, Ilia the Trojan princess, daughter of the defeated Trojan King Priam was captured and taken to Crete. She loves Idamante, son of Idomeneo, but tries to keep it from Idamante who also loves her. At first Ilia thought that Idamante loves Elettra. Idamante promises to mitigate the suffering of her countrymen and frees the Trojan prisoners. The Trojans and Cretans welcomed the return of peace but Elettra, daughter of the Greek King Agamemnon rebukes Idamante. Elettra loves Idamante and is jealous of Ilia.  

Meanwhile, Arbace, Idomeneo's confidant, brings news that Idomeneo has been lost at sea. This is not so. Idomeneo was indeed beset by storms on his return home from the Trojan wars, but he seeks Neptune's help and vows that in return for safety, he will sacrifice the first mortal he meets on his return home. He was saved by Neptune, washed up on a beach in Crete. Unfortunately, the first person who approached him was his own son Idamante but didn't recognize him.

Act 2.    

Idomeneo explains his problem to Arbace and asks his advice. Arbace suggests they pack Idamante off to Argos while they find a way to placate Neptune; that another could be sacrificed if Idamante were banished far away. To avert the consequence, Idomeneo sends his son to Argos with Elettra, who welcomes the idea. Idomeneo consoles Ilia. He guesses that she loves Idamante. Elettra is grateful for Idomeneo's kindness and is confident she can win Idamante's heart once she gets him away from Ilia. Elettra prepares to leave. Their departure at the port of Sidon was prevented by strong winds before the ship could sail. A sea serpent also appears. Idomeneo recognizes this as Neptune's doing for his having violated his vow to the god of the sea.

Act 3.

Idomeneo joins the priests of Neptune in prayer that the god of sea may be appeased. Neptune has raised a sea monster that is causing death and destruction. Idamante slays the sea monster. He persuades his father to sacrifice him. Ilia asks to die in Idamante's place but the heavenly voice of Neptune intercedes: Idomeneo must abdicate in favor of his son. Idomeneo proclaims Idamante and his new bride Ilia as the new King and Queen of Crete.

Video Credit:

Mozart's Idomeneo Overture. YouTube, uploaded by TheWiseMonkey89. Accessed January 29, 2018.    

 

Resources:

Quaintance  Opera   p.80

The Da Capo Music p. 280 

And some other opera books from my private library. Tel  

Note:  This piece was first published at Suite101.com, April 21, 2008.

(c) January 2013. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.

Happy 257th Birthday, Mozart!

Classical Composers Datebook: 27 January 2013.

257th Birthday Anniversary of Wolfgang Mozart

Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart

(January 27, 1756-December 5, 1791)

Happy Birthday, Mozart!  Joining all Mozart lovers worldwide in celebrating the birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, January 27. This year, 2013, the musical genius turns 257. Actually, I haven't been that keen in counting the master's birthday after he turned 250.

This post especially dedicated to him, provides numerous links to the wunderkind. Enjoy reflective moments in remembering Mozart's life and music.

Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusic

Classical Music / Mozart Serenade

 

Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major), K. 525, is a 1787 composition for a chamber ensemble by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791). The German title means "a little night music". The work is written for an ensemble of two violins, viola, cello and double bass, but is often performed by string orchestras. 

Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik KV 525, Karl Bohm conducts the Wiener Philharmoniker. 

 As it is informally known, 'Eine kleine Nachtmusik' was Mozart's most famous serenade (chamber work intended for light entertainment). The reason the piece was composed has never been fully established, but we do know he wrote the score at the same time he was working on his opera Don Giovanni, in 1787.

 

Photo credit:

Serenade No. 13 by Mozart. Wikipedia Commons / Public Domain. (The medium of the drawing is called "silverpoint" (German "Silberstiftzeichnung"), which is described in the English Wikipedia as (one of several types of metalpoint), a traditional drawing technique and tool first used by medieval scribes on manuscripts. The drawing was made by Doris Stock when Mozart visited the city of Dresden in April, 1789.)

Resource:

Eine kleine Nachtmusic. en.wikipedia.org

 

(c) January 2013. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved. 

The Genius of Mozart - Miracle of Nature (Part 1) from BBC

Wolfgang Amadaeus Mozart and His Music

The programme, The Genius of Mozart, is produced by Charles Hazelwood.  It consists of 3 series:

Part 1 - Miracle of Nature
Part 2 -  A Passion for the Stage
Part 3 - The First Romantic.

In this well-crafted film, Charles Hazelwood looks at Mozart's extraordinary life and music. Aired on BBC 2, Monday 4th to Wednesday 6th April 2005 (Originally broadcast Friday 19th March to 2nd April 2004.)

Part 1 of 3: In the first part or series of this programme Charles Hazlewood challenges the accepted belief that Mozart was born a genius, and thus became almost an immortal being.How could Mozart have touched our universal pulse without drawing from the turmoil of every day life himself? 

The story begins with Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang's father with whom Mozart conducted a passionate and tortured correspondence. It is Leopold who knows Mozart's secrets. There is another voice: that of the music itself. Music is the key to unlocking the emotions of Mozart, starting in this film with the great piano works. That without this key, how can we ever understand the emotions that gave birth to some of the most beautiful sounds the world has ever heard?

BBC's The Genius of Mozart - Miracle of Nature (Part 1)



Part 2 of 3: The Genius of Mozart. A Passion for the Stage.

Part 3 of 3: The Genius of Mozart. The First Romantic.

    


Video Credit:

BBC - The Genius of Mozart. ( 1 of 3 ). Miracle of Nature. YouTube, uploaded by El musico de Bonn por jcalvodiaz. Accessed January 13, 2013.


Resource:

Sharethefiles.com.  Accessed January 13, 2013.

The Genius of Mozart - The First Romantic (Part 3) from BBC

Wolfgang Amadaeus Mozart and His Music.

The programme, The Genius of Mozart, is produced by Charles Hazelwood. It consists of 3 series: Part 1 - Miracle of Nature, Part 2 - A Passion for the Stage, and Part 3 - The First Romantic.  In this well-crafted film, Charles Hazelwood looks at Mozart's extraordinary life and music. Aired on BBC 2, Monday 4th to Wednesday 6th April 2005 (Originally broadcast Friday 19th March to 2nd April 2004.)

Part Three - The First Romantic - Examines how, towards the end of his life, Mozart mastered the language of instrumental and orchestral writing - and how both love and loss provoked in him an extraordinary burst of creativity.

This was essentially crystallised in Mozart's three ambitious works that changed the future course of music: his last, great trilogy of symphonies - Numbers 39, 40 and 41 - which he wrote in six short weeks.

Part 1 of 3: The Genius of Mozart.  Miracle of Nature.

Part 2 of 3: The Genius of Mozart.  A Passion for the Stage.





BBC's The Genius of Mozart - The First Romantic (Part 3)

Video Credit:

BBC - The Genius of Mozart. ( 3 of 3 ). The First Romantic. YouTube, uploaded by El musico de Bonn por jcalvodiaz. Accessed January 13, 2013.

Resource:

Sharethefiles.com. Accessed January 13, 2013.

The Genius of Mozart - A Passion for the Stage (Part 2) from BBC

Wolfgang Amadaeus Mozart and His Music.

The programme, The Genius of Mozart, is produced by Charles Hazelwood. It consists of 3 series: Part 1 - Miracle of Nature, Part 2 - A Passion for the Stage, and Part 3 - The First Romantic.  In this well-crafted film, Charles Hazelwood looks at Mozart's extraordinary life and music. Aired on BBC 2, Monday 4th to Wednesday 6th April 2005 (Originally broadcast Friday 19th March to 2nd April 2004.)

Part Two - Examines three of Mozart's greatest operas, and shows how The Magic Flute, Idomeneo, and The Marriage of Figaro revolutionised the musical theatre.

The first important part of Mozart's short life was that of the travelling child prodigy - a gifted performer and writer of music - who grew into the genius who, despite working within the restrictions of his time, began to rewrite the musical rules.  But there was another facet to Mozart - the adult thinker aware of the bigger picture, passionately attached to the progressive values of the Enlightenment Period where he belonged - impressively well-read, a speaker of most European languages (even a little English), an Austrian Catholic, a Freemason and above all a composer at the height of his formidable powers, determined to succeed in the most difficult and lucrative genre of all, the Opera.

Part 1 of 3: The Genius of Mozart. A Passion for the Stage.

Part 3 of 3: The Genius of Mozart. The First Romantic.

BBC's The Genius of Mozart - A Passion for the Stage (Part 2)

Video Credit:

BBC - A Passion for the Stage. (2 of 3 ). A Passion for the Stage.  YouTube, uploaded by El musico de Bonn por jcalvodiaz. Accessed January 13, 2013.

Resource:

Sharethefiles.com. Accessed January 13, 2013.

In Search of Mozart - Phil Grabsky Interview

To Mozart lovers and admirers,

Don't miss the film documentary In Search of Mozart.  It's awesome, the best! It has been produced in celebration of the 250th anniversary of Wolfgang A. Mozart's birthday, filmed and directed by Phil Grabsky, narrated by Juliet Stevenson, with Sam West as the voice of Mozart.

I had the most wonderful time watching "In Search of Mozart" at our local Cinema in Cremorne on the North Shore.  After the film I had moments to reflect and discuss the film with a dear friend Agnes Selby, her husband, and another friend of mine. It's all about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This is by far the most awesome, the best ever documentary film I've seen about this child prodigy, this genius wunderkind.

Here's the interview with Phil Grabsky,  director of In Search of Mozart. He  speaks of the making of his award winning film documentary.