IDOMENEO, RÈ DI CRETA

The story takes place in Kydonia (Cydonia or Khania), sometimes called Sidon, in Crete, about 1200 BC.

ACT I
In an opening recitative, Ilia tells the background for the story. She is the daughter of King Priam of Troy, who was defeated by the Greeks in the Trojan War. Along with other Trojans she was sent into exile on the island of Crete. During a fierce storm, the fleet became separated, and she was rescued by Idamante, the son of King Idomeneo of Crete, the general of the Cretan forces. The rest of the fleet, including the ship carrying Idomeneo, has not yet arrived home, and she wonders if the Trojan loss has been avenged by the death of Idomeneo. Ilia has fallen in love with her rescuer but thinks Idamante prefers the Greek princess Elettra, who fled to Crete after her brother Orestes killed their mother. The captive feels guilty because, in spite of herself, she loves an enemy of Troy. (Padre, germani —Father, brothers).

News has been brought that Idomeneo’s ships have been spotted. Idamante orders the captive Trojans to assemble and a celebration to be prepared. The captives are to be given their freedom, all but Ilia. She has captured his heart, and he wants her to stay. She protests that their fathers are enemies, but he says that is not their fault. (Non ho colpa — It,s not my fault). One woman, Helen, caused the enmity between Greece and Troy. He and another woman, Ilia, shall unite the two countries again.

Elettra accuses Idamante of offending Greece by protecting the Trojans. Arbace arrives with the false news that Idomeneo has been drowned. Elettra is distressed at the news, because that makes Idamante king, and he can now make his own choice of a bride. She knows it will be the captive Ilia, not herself. She vows revenge on the Trojan girl (Tutto nel cor — All in my heart).

The scene changes to the sea. Nettuno (Neptune-Poseidon) appears and calms the storm. Idomeneo begs for his aid, but the sea god disappears with a baleful look. When Idomeneo and a few followers struggle on shore, he asks his followers to leave him alone for a while. He regrets the vow he made to Nettuno to sacrifice the first human he meets so that he and his crew may live; the thought of the innocent blood he is about to shed haunts him (Vedrommi intorno — I shall see about me). Idamante approaches but his father does not recognize him. The Prince offers aid to the man he thinks is a shipwreck victim and tells him that his father, Idomeneo, was lost at sea. When the general reveals his identity, Idamante greets him joyfully but is dismayed that his father seems so distant to him (Il padre adorato — Beloved father).

INTERMEZZO
The Cretan troops disembark, sing the praises of Nettuno for saving them, and they greet their loved ones.

ACT II
Idomeneo confides in Arbace the secret of his vow to Nettuno. To save Idamante, they decide to send Idamante as an escort for Elettra on her return to her native land. There some other god will protect him and they can then find someone else to sacrifice. Ilia greets Idomeneo and congratulates him on his safe arrival. He tells her she can count on him as a friend, and she says he will be like a father to her (Se il padre perdei — If I have lost my father). Left alone, Idomeneo sings of the desperate storm raging within him over the necessity of sacrificing his only son (Fuor del mar — Fury of the sea). He observes that Ilia and Idamante seem to be in love; his vow will hurt three people, Idamante with the knife, and he and Ilia by grief.

Elettra rejoices in the news that Idamante is to accompany her to Argos.

On the trip, she will make him forget Ilia and fall in love with her (Idol mio, ritroso — My dearest, if reluctantly). All the people approach the shore where preparations are underway for the departure of Idamante and Elettra. Just as they are about to leave, a terrible storm springs up. The ships are struck by lightning and set on fire. When a terrible monster appears, Idomeneo begs Nettuno to take him for the sacrifice, rather than his innocent son.

ACT III
Ilia sings of her love and begs the zephyrs to carry that love to Idamante (Zeffretti luginghieri — Kind zephyrs). Idamante appears and asks her forgiveness. To save Crete, he will leave to fight the sea monster and he is resigned to the probability of death. He is grief-stricken because his father refused to tell him why he is so distant, but when Ilia confesses her love for him, he declares she will become his wife. Idomeneo cannot bring himself to tell his son the truth, and tells him to leave the country. Ilia vows to go with Idamante, but he tells her to stay in the safety of Crete.

A crowd led by the High Priest of Nettuno is gathering at the palace. Arbace wishes some god would take pity on Crete but fears there is no one; all Crete will soon be lying in ruins. He offers his own blood if it will save the kingdom. The monster has been ravishing the island and the High Priest begs Idomeneo to name the sacrificial victim. An agitated King reveals it is his own son.

In the temple of Nettuno preparations are being made for the sacrifice, when the news is brought that Idamante has slain the monster. The Prince kneels at the feet of his father, says he is ready to be sacrificed for the good of the people (No la morte io non pavento — No, I do not fear death), and asks Idomeneo to treat Ilia as his daughter. As Idomeneo is about to strike the blow, Ilia causes it to be averted and begs to be substituted as the sacrifice victim. As a Trojan and an enemy of the Greeks, she is a better choice. The earth shudders and the voice of Nettuno is heard, exclaiming that love has triumphed. Idomeneo shall cease to be king and be replaced by Idamante with Ilia as his wife. A furiously jealous Elettra exclaims that she would rather die than see Ilia in the arms of Idamante (D’Oreste, d’Aiace — Of Orestes and of Ajax), and she leaves. Idomeneo presents his son and Ilia to the populace as their new king and queen. A jubilant chorus asks the blessings of the gods on the bridal couple.


Notes on the Story, the Characters and the Music

THE STORY
Idomeneo, Rè di Creta may be classed as a Sacrifice Story. The theme of human sacrifice was persistent in Enlightenment art, and many operas had it as a theme. In particular, the sacrifice of one’s child for the greater good was frequently portrayed. Another favorite subject was rash vows to God and whether they are binding if made under duress.

Although sacrifice was a late addition to the legends surrounding Idomeneo, the roots of such stories go back to both the Hebrew Bible and Greek legend. To test his faith, God ordered Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, as a burnt offering. The devout father prepared the sacrifice but, just as Abraham raised the knife, an angel stopped him. Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket and sacrificed it instead.

A less happy story, closer to the one of Idomeneo, is that of Jephthah, who asked God to help him win a battle. In return, he would sacrifice the first person who comes to meet him as he returns home. To his great sorrow, it is his daughter who comes dancing to meet him. She was not as lucky as Isaac. Jephthah carried out his vow.

As the Greek ships, which had gathered at Aulis to prepare for their onslaught on Troy, were about to sail when the winds failed. A priest told the Greek general, Agamemnon, the only way to get favorable winds would be to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia. As the knife struck her throat she disappeared, and a deer appeared in her place.

In each story, the father has to decide whether to sacrifice one life for the good of many lives. Idomeneo thinks he can save the lives of a boatload of weary Greek heroes, by sacrificing one unknown individual. When the unknown one turns out to be his son, Idamante, he is torn by the conflict between his duty to the state (to carry out the vow) and his love for his son and heir. In the original story, Idamante dies, but by Mozart’s time, it was thought that virtue should be rewarded and justice seen to be done. Nettuno may be fierce but he is just. He sees that the love of Ilia and Idamante can set matters right and restore harmony between Greece and Troy.


THE CHARACTERS
Idomeneo, Rè di Creta was one of the first operas in which the characters were real people, emotional and human. The quartet in Act II allows us to see into the hearts of the four main characters: the despair of Idomeneo, the fury of Elettra, the resignation of Idamante, and the love of Ilia.

As one of the heroes of the Trojan War, Idomeneo has done his share of killing. It is a way of life and not of much account to him until his son is involved. As a loving but tortured father, he tries to find a way to save his son without arousing the wrath of Nettuno. Yet he can’t take responsibility and tries to rationalize his vow in all sorts of ways. He spends much of the opera railing against the cruelty of the gods, blaming them, Fate and even Idamante for his dilemma. Perhaps the gods are angry because his son loves the enemy captive.

During Idomeneo’s absence, Idamante has grown to manhood and learned how to govern. He represents all that is good but, unhappy about escorting Elettra home, he decides to get killed in combat with the sea monster. When he learns of his father’s vow, he offers himself as a sacrifice, pointing out that it is only right for his father to take his life since he is the one who gave it to him in the first place.

Elettra and Ilia are opposites, one all irrational passion and the other calm and thoughtful. Elettra comes from early Greek plays. (Her presence on the island conflicts with the other stories. See the article on Greek sources.) She remains outside the drama, being interested only in herself. By the end she is oblivious to everyone around her. An opera seria character, she is uncontrolled and self-destructive, finally descending into madness. Her music requires long stretches of sustained high-tessitura singing over a full orchestra, strength at the bottom of the voice, and the ability to move quickly between extremes. In the second act she must exhibit momentary serenity by floating long, high-lying, florid lines.

In the beginning, Ilia is torn between love for her country and love for its enemy. At the end, she reaches greatness offering herself as victim, not just for Idamante, but for Idomeneo and all the people of Crete. Both women start by wanting revenge. Ilia transcends the conflict, but it destroys Elettra.

The other major character in the opera is the chorus, with nine big numbers. The members represent the people of Crete, a part of the story, rather than just observers commenting on the action as was more usual in opera seria.

THE MUSIC
By the late eighteenth century, people outside Italy were getting tired of opera seria. Germans were being influenced by French opera and Idomeneo is a hybrid, combining the older Italian form with the French tragédie lyrique. Mozart took opera seria with its complex rules, and turned it into something new he called dramma per musica. The score is one of most elaborate and complex of the period. Among other things, he attempted to break down the unnatural distinction between recitative and aria. Idomeneo looked forward to the through-composed operas of the nineteenth century, with the overture leading right into the opening lines and a wealth of accompanied recitatives. He discarded exit arias and added ensembles, seldom heard in opera seria. He also made the chorus an integral part of the action.
(For more on opera seria see the article on Baroque Opera.) Thus, while Idomeneo is often identified as an opera seria, it is actually a blend of French and Italian forms. Except for the, at the time, obligatory use of a castrato, it is really an example of a reform opera. As Ruston says, “It remains in many respects, the richest and most original of all Mozart’s operas, and indeed, of all serious operas of the eighteenth century.”

One reason the music is so good is that Mozart was writing for the Mannheim orchestra, which had moved with the Elector to Munich. Its expertise allowed Mozart to experiment with new forms. It was said of that orchestra: “Its piano was a vernal breath, its forte was thunder, its crescendo a cataract, its diminuendo a crystal stream, murmuring as it evanesced into the distance”.