CCCLVIII. MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus: Idomeno, K. 366

CCCLVIII. MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791)

Idomeneo, K. 366 (1781)
Steve Davislim, Idomeneo
Monica Bacelli, Idamante
Camilla Tilling, Ilia
Emma Bell, Elettra
Francesco Meli, Arbace
Robin Leggate, High Priest of Neptune
Ernesto Panariello, The Voice
Silvia Mapelli, First Cretan Woman
Marzia Castellini, Second Cretan Woman
Massimiliano Italiani, First Trojan Man
Giuseppe Cattaneo, Second Trojan Man
Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro Alla Scala
Daniel Harding, cond.
(2:37:56)

The Plot in a Cartoon (5:36)

Wikipedia

**

It struck me while studying this great opera, that Mozart's libretto, with its ridiculous plot is similar to today's superhero films with huge budgets that are all based on a comic book story from the 50's.

Adapted by Giambattista Varesco from a French text by Antoine Danchet, based on a 1705 play by Crébillion père, which had been set to music by André Campra in 1712.

As silly as the story is, Mozart's music turns it all into a grand feast for the eyes and ears ...

Overture

With a grand start outlining a D Major triad, notice how Mozart quickly digresses into foreboding chromaticism:

Modulation to A Major:

ARIAS

Act One

1. ILIA: Padre, germani, addio (Father, brothers, farewell)

Father, brothers, farewell!
You are no more; I have lost you.
Greece, you are the cause;
And shall I now love a Greek?

I know that I am guilty
Of abandoning my kin;
But I cannot bring myself,
O gods, to hate that face.

2. IDAMANTE: Non ho colpa (I am not guilty)

Note that Idamante -- a young man -- is played by a woman. As the castration of young boys became passé, the roles were often taken up by tenors (Mozart used one in the Vienna production of this opera) ... the use of females to play these parts is a fairly recent innovation. See here.

The fault is not mine, and you condemn me,
My love, because I adore you.
The fault is yours, tyrannical gods,
And I die of distress and pain
For a crime which is not mine.

If you so desire it, at your command
I will pierce this breast of mine;
I read it in your eyes, it's true,
But at least tell me with your lips,
And I will ask no other mercy.

3. ELETTRA: Tutte nel cor vi sento furie del cupo averna (I can feel you all in my heart, furies of the dark hell)

Matching the text, the music is full of fury and torment:

In my heart I feel you all,
Furies of bitter Hades;
Far from such fierce torment
Be love, pity, or mercy.

Let her who stole that heart
Which betrayed mine
Feel my fury
And cruel revenge.

4. IDOMENEO: Vedrommi intorno (I shall see around me)

I shall see about me
A lamenting shade
Which night and day
Will cry to me "I am innocent."

The blood spilt
From his pierced breast,
His pale corpse
Will point out to me
My crime.

What horror,
What grief!
How many times
This heart
Will die
Of torment!

5. IDAMANTE: Il padre adorato (My beloved father)

My beloved father
I find again, only to lose him.
He scorns and flies me,
Trembling with horror.

I thought I would die
Of joy and love,
But, cruel gods,
Grief is killing me.

Act Two

6. ILIA: Se il padre perdei (If I lost my father)

(With woodwinds and horn providing a light touch of accompaniment.)

If I have lost my father,
My country and my peace of mine,
You are now a father to me,
And Crete is for me
A blessed land to stay.

Now I recall no more
My anguish and distress;
Now heaven has given me
Joy and contentment
To compensate for my loss.

7. IDOMENEO: Fuor del mar (Out of the sea)

Idomeneo regrets the devilish deal he made with Neptune ...

Saved from the sea, I have a raging sea
More fearsome than before within my bosom,
And Neptune does not cease
His threats even in this.

Stern god! Tell me at least,
If my body was so close to shipwreck,
For what cruel purpose
Was that wreck withheld?

8. ELETTRA: Idol mio (My sweetheart)

My dearest, if reluctantly
Your other lover yields you to me,
Constrained love does not deter me,
And your coldness is more alluring to me.

Passion close at hand will drive
From your heart more distant fires;
The hand of love has more power
When the beloved is near.

Act Three

9. ILIA: Zeffiretti lusinghieri (Zephyrs caressing)

Gently caressing zephyrs,
Oh fly to my beloved
And tell him I adore him
And to keep his heart true to me.

And you plants and tender flowers
Which my bitter tears water
Tell him that you never saw
A love more rare beneath the sky.

10. Quartet: ILIA/IDAMANTE/IDOMENEO/ELETTRA: Andro ramingo e solo (I will go on my wanderings alone)

Mozart quartets like this are not be missed!

IDAMANTE:

I will go on my wanderings alone,
Seeking death elsewhere
Until I find it.

ILIA:

You will have me as a companion in your grief
Wherever you go.
And where you die I too will die.

IDAMANTE:

Ah, no!

IDOMENEO:

Pitiless Neptune!
Who, in mercy, will take my life?

ELETTRA:

When shall I be revenged?

IDAMANTE, ILIA:

Calm your angry brow!

IDOMENEO, IDAMANTE, ILIA:

Ah, my heart is breaking.

ALL:

To suffer more is impossible.
Such great grief
Is worse than death.
No one ever suffered
A harsher fate
Or greater punishment.

11. THE VOICE: Ha vinto amore (Love has triumphed)

The trombone players have been sitting around for hours without playing a single note. Suddenly, they are required to play long tones to accompany Neptune's voice:

Love has triumphed ... Idomeneo

Shall cease to reign; Idamante shall be king, and Ilia
His bride ... Then will Neptune be appeased,
Heaven contended and innocence rewarded.

12. ELETTRA: D'Oreste, d'Ajace ho in seno i tormenti (I feel Orestes's and Ajax's torments in my heart)

Within my breast I feel
The torments of Orestes and Ajax;
Alecto's torch
Brings me death.

Tear out my heart,
You horned serpents
Or a sword
Shall end my pain.

13. IDOMENEO: Torna la pace (Peace comes again)

Peace returns to my heart
And extinguished ardour is rekindled;
Youth is reborn in me.

Thus does Flora's season
Make the old tree bloom again
And give it fresh vigour.