mozart 3 cds idomeneo, re di creta - naxos music library€¦ · scene 2 0 pietà! numi pietà!...

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Above: Ángeles Blancas Gulín as Ilia • Front cover: Kurt Streit as IdomeneoBoth photos by Luciano Romano

MOZARTIdomeneo, re di Creta

Streit • Gulín • Tamar • GanassiSchneider • Magnabosco • Vatchkov

Chorus and Orchestra of the San Carlo Theatre, NaplesMarco Guidarini

3 CDs

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660250-52bk Idomeneo:570034bk Hasse 2/4/10 8:25 PM 2

Marco GuidariniMarco Guidarini had a broad and comprehensive education in classics, composition andthe cello. He studied conducting with Mario Gusulla and Franco Ferrara and became assistantto Sir John Eliot Gardiner at the Opéra de Lyon. He made his operatic début there conductingFalstaff and went on to conduct at the opera houses of Los Angeles, Dallas, Minneapolis,Sydney, Nice, Montpellier, Marseille, Bologna, Berlin (Deutsche Oper), Munich (BayerischeStaatsoper), Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, English National Opera, Stockholm,Oslo, Copenhagen, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Naples Teatro San Carlo andat many festivals, notably Wexford and Martina Franca where his performances of Verdi’sMacbeth, Il Trovatore and Mascagni’s Roma were recorded for the Dynamic label. He hasalso conducted major orchestras in the concert hall. At the beginning of the 2001/2 season

he became Chief Conductor of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice, and has since also been appointed Musical Directorof the Opéra de Nice. His recording of Puccini’s Le Villi won the Grand Prix du Disque 2004 and other recordings includeSimon Boccanegra in New Zealand for MMT and Alfano’s Cyrano de Bergerac with Roberto Alagna for EMI.

The San Carlo OrchestraThe history of the San Carlo Orchestra is closely linked to that of the Teatro San Carlo itself, the oldest in Europe,inaugurated on 4th November 1737 with Domenico Sarro’s Achille in Sciro. Since then the theatre’s music-making hasnever ceased, surviving war and fire. The orchestra has always been characterized by its strong involvement in operaand in the nineteenth century it had the honour of giving the premières of works by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi.During the twentieth century the orchestra became more and more active in symphonic performances. Even as farback as 1884, however, the young Giuseppe Martucci conducted a programme of music by Weber, Saint-Saëns andWagner. It is impossible to count the names of the world’s great conductors who have worked with the San CarloOrchestra: from Toscanini in 1909 to Victor de Sabata in 1928, as well as the composers Pizzetti and Mascagni, andRichard Strauss who conducted a concert of his own work in January 1934. Between the Second World War and thedecade to follow, Naples and the San Carlo welcomed many of the world’s most outstanding conductors, including Gui,Serafin, Santini, Gavazzeni, Böhm, Fricsay, Scherchen, Cluytens, Knappertsbusch and Mitropoulos. In October 1958the orchestra had the honour of being directed by Igor Stravinsky, and was conducted by Claudio Abbado in 1963 andRiccardo Muti in 1967. At the same time, the Theatre’s orchestra began to make a name for itself abroad, thanks to aseries of high-profile tours, appearing in France, Brazil, Hungary, Germany, Japan, and the United States. Othermusicians who have worked with the orchestra include Daniel Oren, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Lorin Maazel, SalvatoreAccardo, Georges Prêtre, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Mstislav Rostropovich, Gary Bertini, Djansug Khakidze andJeffrey Tate, who was appointed, following Gary Bertini, as Musical Director in 2005 and succeeded in 2010 byMaurizio Benini.

11 8.660250-52

Wolfgang AmadeusMOZART

(1756–1791)

Idomeneo, re di Creta, K.366Dramma per musica in three actsLibretto by Giambattista Varesco

based on Antoine Danchet’s Idomenée

Idomeneo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kurt Streit Ilia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ángeles Blancas Gulín Elettra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Iano Tamar Idamante . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sonia Ganassi Arbace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jörg Schneider Il Gran Sacerdote di Nettuno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dario MagnaboscoLa voce dell’Oracolo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deyan Vatchkov Two Cretan People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Antonietta Bellone, Lucia Gaeta Two Trojan People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carmine Durante, Carmine MennellaChorus Soloists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cristina Casillo, Silvia Cialli, Bruno Iacullo,

Antonella Sdoia, Paola Tedesco, Giuseppe Valentino

Chorus and Orchestra of the San Carlo Theatre, NaplesChorus-master: Ciro Visco

Conductor: Marco Guidarini

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660250-52bk Idomeneo:570034bk Hasse 2/4/10 8:25 PM

Marco GuidariniMarco Guidarini had a broad and comprehensive education in classics, composition andthe cello. He studied conducting with Mario Gusulla and Franco Ferrara and became assistantto Sir John Eliot Gardiner at the Opéra de Lyon. He made his operatic début there conductingFalstaff and went on to conduct at the opera houses of Los Angeles, Dallas, Minneapolis,Sydney, Nice, Montpellier, Marseille, Bologna, Berlin (Deutsche Oper), Munich (BayerischeStaatsoper), Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, English National Opera, Stockholm,Oslo, Copenhagen, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Naples Teatro San Carlo andat many festivals, notably Wexford and Martina Franca where his performances of Verdi’sMacbeth, Il Trovatore and Mascagni’s Roma were recorded for the Dynamic label. He hasalso conducted major orchestras in the concert hall. At the beginning of the 2001/2 season

he became Chief Conductor of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice, and has since also been appointed Musical Directorof the Opéra de Nice. His recording of Puccini’s Le Villi won the Grand Prix du Disque 2004 and other recordings includeSimon Boccanegra in New Zealand for MMT and Alfano’s Cyrano de Bergerac with Roberto Alagna for EMI.

The San Carlo OrchestraThe history of the San Carlo Orchestra is closely linked to that of the Teatro San Carlo itself, the oldest in Europe,inaugurated on 4th November 1737 with Domenico Sarro’s Achille in Sciro. Since then the theatre’s music-making hasnever ceased, surviving war and fire. The orchestra has always been characterized by its strong involvement in operaand in the nineteenth century it had the honour of giving the premières of works by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi.During the twentieth century the orchestra became more and more active in symphonic performances. Even as farback as 1884, however, the young Giuseppe Martucci conducted a programme of music by Weber, Saint-Saëns andWagner. It is impossible to count the names of the world’s great conductors who have worked with the San CarloOrchestra: from Toscanini in 1909 to Victor de Sabata in 1928, as well as the composers Pizzetti and Mascagni, andRichard Strauss who conducted a concert of his own work in January 1934. Between the Second World War and thedecade to follow, Naples and the San Carlo welcomed many of the world’s most outstanding conductors, including Gui,Serafin, Santini, Gavazzeni, Böhm, Fricsay, Scherchen, Cluytens, Knappertsbusch and Mitropoulos. In October 1958the orchestra had the honour of being directed by Igor Stravinsky, and was conducted by Claudio Abbado in 1963 andRiccardo Muti in 1967. At the same time, the Theatre’s orchestra began to make a name for itself abroad, thanks to aseries of high-profile tours, appearing in France, Brazil, Hungary, Germany, Japan, and the United States. Othermusicians who have worked with the orchestra include Daniel Oren, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Lorin Maazel, SalvatoreAccardo, Georges Prêtre, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Mstislav Rostropovich, Gary Bertini, Djansug Khakidze andJeffrey Tate, who was appointed, following Gary Bertini, as Musical Director in 2005 and succeeded in 2010 byMaurizio Benini.

11 8.660250-52

Wolfgang AmadeusMOZART

(1756–1791)

Idomeneo, re di Creta, K.366Dramma per musica in three actsLibretto by Giambattista Varesco

based on Antoine Danchet’s Idomenée

Idomeneo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kurt Streit Ilia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ángeles Blancas Gulín Elettra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Iano Tamar Idamante . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sonia Ganassi Arbace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jörg Schneider Il Gran Sacerdote di Nettuno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dario MagnaboscoLa voce dell’Oracolo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deyan Vatchkov Two Cretan People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Antonietta Bellone, Lucia Gaeta Two Trojan People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carmine Durante, Carmine MennellaChorus Soloists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cristina Casillo, Silvia Cialli, Bruno Iacullo,

Antonella Sdoia, Paola Tedesco, Giuseppe Valentino

Chorus and Orchestra of the San Carlo Theatre, NaplesChorus-master: Ciro Visco

Conductor: Marco Guidarini

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CD 1 55:121 Overture 4:29

Act IScene 1

2 Quando avran fine omai (Ilia) 3:493 Padre, germani, addio (Ilia) 3:254 Ecco, Idamante (Ilia) 2:275 Non ho colpa (Idamante) 6:196 Ecco il misero resto de’ Trojani (Ilia, Idamante) 0:387 Godiam la pace, trionfi amore (Chorus) 2:308 Prence, signor (Elettra, Idamante, Arbace, Ilia) 4:119 Tutte nel cor vi sento (Elettra) 3:30

Scene 20 Pietà! Numi pietà! (Chorus) 1:25! Ecco ci salvi alfìn (Idomeneo) 3:08@ Vedrommi intorno l’ombra dolente (Idomeneo) 3:44# Cieli! Che veggo! (Idomeneo, Idamante) 5:03$ Il padre adorato ritrovo (Idamante) 2:52% March 2:04^ Nettuno s’onori (Chorus) 5:37

CD 2 39:44Act IIScene 1

1 Tutto m’è noto (Arbace, Idomeneo) 3:052 Se il padre perdei (Ilia) 5:453 Qual mi conturba i sensi (Idomeneo) 2:144 Fuor del mar (Idomeneo) 6:465 Chi mai del mio provò (Elettra) 1:496 Idol mio (Elettra) 4:517 Odo da lunge armonioso suono (Elettra) 1:108 Sidonie sponde (Elettra) 0:39

Scene 29 Placido è il mar (Chorus) 3:14

0 Vattene prence (Idomeneo, Idamante) 0:28! Pria di partir (Elettra, Idamante, Idomeneo) 3:54@ Qual nuovo terrore (Chorus) 1:58# Eccoti in me (Idomeneo) 1:54$ Corriamo, fuggiamo (Chorus) 1:55

CD 3 64:55Act IIIScene 1

1 Solitudini amiche (Ilia) 1:102 Zeffiretti lusinghieri (Ilia) 5:243 Ei stesso vien (Ilia) 3:284 S’io non moro (Ilia, Idamante) 2:595 Cieli che vedo? (Idomeneo, Ilia, Idamante, Elettra) 1:276 Andrò ramingo e solo (Ilia, Elettra, Idamante,

Idomeneo) 5:137 Sventurata Sidon (Arbace) 2:598 Se colà ne’ fati è scritto (Arbace) 3:46

Scene 29 Volgi intorno lo sguardo (Gran Sacerdote,

Idomeneo) 4:290 O voto tremendo (Chorus) 4:46

Scene 3! March 0:43@ Accogli, o re del mar (Idomeneo, Sacerdoti) 3:31# Stupenda vittoria (Chorus) 0:47$ Padre mio, caro padre (Idamante, Idomeneo, Ilia,

Gran Sacerdote, Elettra) 5:41% Ma, che più tardi? (Idamante) 2:14^ Hai vinto l’amore (La voce) 2:43& Oh, smania! (Elettra) 2:49* D’Oreste, d’Ajace (Elettra) 3:30( Popoli, a voi l’ultima legge (Idomeneo) 5:17) Scenda amor (Chorus) 1:56

Iano TamarIano Tamar was born in Georgia and studied piano, music und singing at the TiflisConservatory. After her sensationel début as Semiramide in Pesaro, she sang Lina in Verdi’sStiffelio, Alice in Falstaff, and Lady Macbeth at La Scala, Milan, under Riccardo Muti,marking the start of a highly successful stage career. She was highly acclaimed as Elisabethde Valois in a new production of the five-act version of Verdi’s Don Carlos, as Elvira inErnani and as Mathilde in Rossini’s Guillaume Tell at the Vienna State Opera, as Marchesadel Poggio in Un giorno di regno at Covent Garden, as Rachel in a new production of LaJuive at the Teatro la Fenice, as Tosca in Geneva, as Leonora in Il trovatore at the Bregenzfestival, as Leonora in Il trovatore and in the revival of La forza del destino at the BavarianState Opera in Munich, as Elisabetta in Maria Stuarda at the Opéra de Lyon, as Semiramide

and Lady Macbeth at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, as Amelia in Un ballo in maschera in Hamburg and as Norma and asElettra in Idomeneo at the Gran Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona.

Sonia GanassiThe mezzo-soprano Sonia Ganassi was born in Reggio Emilia and studied singing with AlainBillard. In 1990 she won the Spoleto Premio A. Belli and made her début two years later asRosina in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Rome Teatro dell’Opera. After this brilliantstart to her career she was invited to appear at the most famous opera houses throughout theworld, in Florence, Bologna, New York, San Francisco, Paris, London, Milan, Madrid,Barcelona and Washington. Further operatic projects followed in Leipzig, Vienna, Madrid,Turin, Naples and Bilbao. She has worked with the most distinguished conductors and isconsidered one of the most important interpreters of mezzo-soprano and dramatic soprano rôlesin Rossini and bel canto repertoire. Her Mozart rôles have included Idamante in Idomeneo,Dorabella in Così fan tutte and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. French repertoire includes

Charlotte in Werther, the title rôle in Carmen and Niklausse in Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann. She has won greatsuccess in the concert hall in repertoire including Stravinsky’s Pulcinella and Oedipus Rex, Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrendenGesellen, Verdi’s Requiem, Berlioz’s Les nuits d’été und Schumann’s Paradies und die Peri. She was awarded the Italianmusic critics’ Abbiati Prize for her interpretation of Zaide in Donizetti’s Dom Sébastien.

Jörg SchneiderJörg Schneider was born in 1969 at Wels in Austria. He had his early training as a memberof the Vienna Boys’ Choir, followed by private study in Vienna with Elfriede Obrowsky.In 1995 he joined the Wiesbaden Staatstheater, with rôles including Ramiro (La Cenerentola),Chateauneuf (Zar und Zimmermann), Alfred (Die Fledermaus), Alberto (La Gazetta),Belmonte (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) and Stanislaus (Der Vogelhändler). From 1997to 2000 he was a member of the Deutsche Oper Am Rhein in Düsseldorf, with a similar seriesof leading tenor rôles. This marked the beginning of a busy career that has taken him in guestengagements to leading opera houses throughout Europe, collaborating with conductors ofthe highest distinction. He has also taken part in concert performances and Lieder recitals.He made his début as Idamante in Idomeneo in the 2002-2003 season at the Teatro delle Musein Ancona.

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Kurt StreitKurt Streit’s renown as a Mozart specialist has in recent years led him to further success inhis broadening repertoire, encompassing works from composers such as Janácek, Wagner,Berlioz, Bizet, Weber and Beethoven, while keeping his Mozart interpretations alive withrôles such as Tito and Idomeneo. Kurt Streit has performed Die Zauberflöte in 23 differentproductions around the world (over 150 times) and Idomeneo in seven different productions,in the opera houses of Naples, Vienna, Madrid, London, Hamburg, Bilbao and Lausanne.As well as performing in numerous productions of Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte and DieEntführung aus dem Serail, he regularly sings the title rôles in Idomeneo, Lucio Silla, andLa clemenza di Tito in opera houses such as the Metropolitan Opera in New York, theVienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in London, La Scala in Milan,

the Bastille in Paris, Teatro Real in Madrid, and on the prestigious stages of San Francisco, Tokyo, Aix-en-Provence,Chicago, Munich, Berlin, Rome and Salzburg.

Ángeles Blancas GulínThe daughter of Spanish singers, Ángeles Blanca Gulín studied at the Escuela Superior deCanto de Madrid and began her career in 1994 with her début as the Queen of the Night inDie Zauberflöte at the Madrid Teatro de la Zarzuela. Her subsequent successful career hasbrought performances in important European and American theatres in operas such as DieZauberflöte, La Bohème, Gianni Schicchi, Rigoletto, L’Elisir d’amore, Giulio Cesare, MarinFaliero and Il barbiere di Siviglia. After her success in Rome with Pagliacci, she won wideacclaim for her Maria Stuarda in Zurich, Oviedo and Las Palmas, Luisa Miller at CoventGarden, Die Fledermaus in Trieste, Semiramide in Turin and Madrid, and Manon in Jerezde la Frontiera. She has won particular success as Ilia in Idomeneo and in Il Turco in Italiain Naples and with Pelléas et Mélisande and L’incoronazione di Poppea in Seville. Otherrecent successes include La Juive in Zurich, Il Turco in Italia in Hamburg, Maria Stuarda

in Marseille, Turandot in Barcelona, La Traviata at La Coruña, Die Zauberflöte in Naples and Macerata, Don Giovanniin Bilbao and Naples, Il Turco in Italia at the Opera di Roma, La voix humaine in Bari and Barcelona and her début asRusalka in Turin, Britten’s The Turn of the Screw in Cremona and Brescia and Lucrezia Borgia in Turin.

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& Elettra rages against the Voice and Idamante’s winningof Ilia’s hand, vowing to follow her brother Orestes in thedepths of hell.

* She recalls the torments of Ajax and Orestes andsummons the Furies to destroy her – or she will die by thesword.

( Idomeneo relinquishes his kingdom with joy andcommends Idamante and Ilia to his former subjects.

) A happy chorus ends the proceedings with greetings oflove to the new king and his queen – a joyful outcome tothis harrowing tale of love and sacrifice.

Paul CampionThe rehearsals which took place during December 1780and January 1781 for Mozart’s new opera Idomeneo musthave been pretty impressive; the Elector of Bavaria, KarlTheodor, was present at one of them and praised it highly– no bad thing since the première would shortly take placein his own Court Theatre.

Mozart was delighted to receive the commission for thepiece, to be composed to celebrate a carnival in theBavarian capital, which was probably the initiative ofJoseph Anton, Count Seeau, the Opera Intendant at theMunich Court. Life in his native Salzburg had becomestultifying for Mozart and he relished the opportunity toget away for a while. He left on 5th November 1780,hoping privately that he might gain a permanent place at theCourt of Elector Karl Theodor. This was not to be and twomonths later, after three successful performances ofIdomeno, he made a circuitous and reluctant journey home.

The libretto of Idomeneo was prepared by the AbbateVaresco, a poet and musician resident in Salzburg andchaplain to the Archbishop; he based his adaptation on anearlier work in French by Danchet, which well suited thepreferences of Munich’s cultural élite. Indeed, whilstMozart’s Idomeneo is basically an Italian-style piece,following some of the conventions of the opera seria, itretains a distinctly French flavour, harking back to aspectsof the musical and dramatic world of Christoph WillibaldGluck and his contemporaries. Also, by the popular demandof Munich audiences, a series of divertissements had to bedanced during the opera; this, too, was a very Frenchtradition which continued into the nineteenth century.Wagner, for example, was required to adapt Tannhäuser byextending a ballet sequence for its first Paris production, aswas Verdi for Macbeth.

Mozart’s relationship with Varesco was not an easy oneat this time. Not only was it inconvenient to have sectionsof text arriving in Munich by coach from Salzburg on an

irregular basis, but the young composer had very specificideas about the tight, clear libretto he wanted to set.Leopold, Wolfgang’s father, was also living in Salzburgand acted as intermediary between composer and writer –an unenviable position under the circumstances. Gradually,and after considerable delays, the text was shaped in theway Mozart required and then the work progressed quickly.The composition and rehearsal period was carefullyplanned, involving all who had a part to play in staging theopera: stage managers, designers and builders of scenery,dancers, orchestral musicians, the chorus and, by no meansleast, the soloists. In this respect, Mozart was fortunate inbeing able to write for voices that he knew, even if theywere not necessarily the finest available and, as compositionprogressed, he found the opportunity to tailor and adapt hismusic to the singers’ capabilities. Always aware of dramaticeffect, during rehearsals Mozart was ruthless in rejectingnumbers that he had already composed for the Munichperformances, when he thought that to do so would improvethe pace and narrative; thus, when first seen, Idomeneo wasa shorter opera than it might have been – though still ofgood length. Mozart’s extensive correspondence from thisperiod documents these changes in some detail; fortunatelymuch of the cut music survived and has been re-instated inlater productions.

The rôle of Idomeneo himself was taken by veterantenor Anton Raaff, whose vocal prime was past. ButMozart’s skill ensured that his music sounded virtuosicwhilst remaining within Raaff’s now-limited range. Thefirst Idamante, Vincenzo dal Prato, a castrato whoseinexperience needed much encouragement, was not sofortunate and did little credit to his own performance. Twomagnificent sopranos took the rôles of Ilia and Elettra; theywere the sisters-in-law Dorothea and Elisabeth Wendling,who brought real pathos and drama to their interpretations,much to the composer’s satisfaction. The première was

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)Idomeneo, re di Creta, K.366First performed at the Alte Residenztheater (Cuvilliés Theater), Munich, on 29th January 1781

This opera is going to be charmante, it will bring you great honour … who should think that such great thingscan come out of such a small head.

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delayed by the need for extra rehearsals, the last of whichtook place on Mozart’s 25th birthday, 27th January 1781.Two days later Idomeneo was presented for the first timeto an admiring public and a delighted Elector – all the efforthad paid off and what is now regarded as Mozart’s firstopera of genius had finally taken to the stage.

All the effort … for three performances …Later in 1781, after finally moving to Vienna, Mozart

considered the possibility of adapting the music quiteradically and bringing further French influences to bear onhis score of Idomeneo, as well as using a completely freshtext. This would have necessitated altering the voice rangeof some of the characters, including changes for Idomeneoto a bass and Idamante to a tenor, according to the preferredFrench tradition. Perhaps, as he was distracted by otheropportunities, these ideas came to nothing but he was ableto include numbers from the opera in concerts in and aroundVienna, hoping that they would excite sufficient interestto lead to full performances in the Austrian capital. On 13thMarch 1786, by which date he had added Die Entführungaus dem Serail and Der Schauspieldirektor to his operaticoutput (and only two months before the first staging of Lenozze di Figaro) Mozart finally conducted a single concertpresentation of Idomeneo at the Auersperg Palace inVienna. Then, for over twenty years, it disappeared fromsight and sound.

This one Austrian performance demanded majoralterations to the Munich score, the most radical being theconversion of Idamante from castrato to tenor. Mozart re-worked several of the numbers, deleted some sections andcomposed fresh music to accommodate the new singers.Most importantly, these changes comprised a new tenoraria at the opening of the second act, the omission ofArbace’s aria a little later, a fresh duet for Idamante and Iliain Act 3 and yet another loss for Arbace by the cutting ofhis florid third act aria. In addition, Idomeneo’s second actFuor del mar was simplified and a fair quantity of recitativewas removed. (Most subsequent performances have alsoreduced or entirely omitted the ballet sequences, asseemingly preferred by modern audiences.) The resultingVienna version with tenor has been popularised by severalproductions during the last seventy years, though it is

usually the Munich Idomeneo, (with a mezzo, not castratoIdamante!) that is heard in the world’s opera houses today.

After Mozart’s death Idomeneo was seldom performedoutside Germany and Austria but some further recognitionwas achieved in 1902 when a concert version took place inParis. Other German productions led to an extraordinary1931 adaptation of both libretto and music by RichardStrauss which is occasionally performed but which mustremain a curiosity rather than a valid version of Mozart’sopera. Also in 1931, Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari produced hisown arrangement of Idomeneo for a production in Munichto celebrate the 150th anniversary of the première. The firstBritish performance took place in Glasgow in 1934 but itwas not until 1951 that it was presented professionally inEngland for the first time – at Glyndebourne Festival Opera,conducted by Fritz Busch. This was basically the Viennaversion, which has remained popular at Glyndebourne andhas been presented in several different productions thereduring the last sixty years. In the United States Idomeneowas first performed for the Berkshire Festival atTanglewood in 1947 but had to wait until 1982 to be stagedat the Metropolitan Opera in New York, when LucianoPavarotti took the title rôle.

Every page of the score deserves mention andappreciation, but critics have commented particularly onthe orchestration devised by Mozart for Idomeneo; ofimportance is his innovative use of clarinets (for the firsttime in any of his opera scores) and of horns. His use of aleitmotif representing ‘Idamante’ and ‘sacrifice’ has alsobeen noted, first appearing as it does in the overture andrecurring throughout the opera at appropriate moments. Ofthe many exceptional arias and ensembles, especiallyworthy of comment is the third act quartet Andrò ramingoe solo, one of the most moving concerted numbers in anyof Mozart’s operas.

The production consists principally of the originalMunich version, but without the extended ballet. It alsoincludes some sections of music cut by Mozart before thefirst performance and excludes others that were heard onthat occasion. Following convention, Idamante is sung bya mezzo-soprano, Sonia Ganassi. Also starring in thisinternational cast are American tenor Kurt Streit, who has

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CD 3

Act III

Scene 1: The garden of the palace

1 Ilia is lonely and sorrowful without Idamante.

2 She bids the gentle zephyrs, the plants and the flowersto bear a message of love to him.

3 Suddenly she sees Idamante approaching, but isuncertain what to say. He asks for her forgiveness beforehe battles against the monster, uncertain whether he willsurvive the ordeal. He professes his love for her, as shedoes to him, urging him to return to her when he isvictorious.

4 Their days of sorrow are past and their shared love isparamount.

5 But Ilia and Idamante are discovered together byIdomeneo and Elettra. The prince begs his father to revealwhy he has spurned and rejected him, only to receive adismissive response; and Elettra perceives Idamante’sperfidy in truly loving Ilia.

6 In an extended quartet the four characters express theirfeelings. Idamante grieves at his father’s coldness; Iliapledges to remain faithful and joins him in urgingIdomeneo to be more generous of heart; the king himselfseeks death and condemns Neptune for his cruelty andElettra, still consumed with jealousy, seeks vengeance.

7 Arbace laments over the misery of the city of Sidonand, without the gods’ intervention, foresees Crete’sdestruction.

8 If, indeed, Crete has been at fault, then it should sufferat the hands of the gods – but at least may the king and theyoung prince be spared.

Scene 2: A large square in front of the palace

9 The High Priest confronts Idomeneo with the news thatthe monster has brought death and terrible destruction tothe country. He implores the king to reveal who the victimis to be and thus pacify Neptune’s fury; distraught,Idomeneo finally admits that it is to be Idamante.

0 The High Priest and the people are horrified that theking should thus have to slay his own innocent son.

Scene 3: The Temple of Neptune

! Idomeneo and the priests enter the temple during a brieforchestral march.

@ They prepare for the sacrifice of the victim, asIdomeneo implores Neptune to restore peace and harmonyto their country.

# A fanfare and a sudden shout are heard in the distanceas Arbace reveals that the monster has been killed byIdamante. The people and the country are safe fromdanger.

$ Idamante is led in by guards and priests, not as a victorbut as a sacrificial victim; he now understands his father’sdismissive coldness and is proud to die for the people.Idomeneo despairs but is powerless to intervene, whilstIdamante is reconciled to his fate and anticipates his eternalrepose in death for the good of his country.

% Idamante awaits the fatal stroke; but as father and sonbid each other tender farewells, Ilia enters and offersherself as the sacrificial victim. Idamante refuses to allowit, but Ilia runs to the altar.

^ As she kneels, and prepares to die in his place, theVoice of the Oracle is distantly heard. Ilia’s willing offerof self-sacrifice has caused love to triumph over evil;Idomeneo shall no longer reign as king and Idamante shallsucceed him, with Ilia as his consort.


@ Idomeneo has a vision of the innocent victim he hascondemned to death, a sacrifice that will ever haunt him.

# He sees a man approaching – the man who must die;it is none other than Idamante, searching for his fatherafter the shipwreck. They do not immediately recogniseeach other but it is soon clear that Idomeneo must make theterrible sacrifice of his own son. When the king dismissesIdamante from his presence he cannot understand hisfather’s reaction and fears a tragic outcome.

$ Idamante is distraught at his adored father’s apparentrejection and fears that he will die of uncomprehendinggrief.

% Processional March

^ In a stirring chorus praising the god Neptune, Cretanwomen join the warriors in thanks for their safe returnafter the storm.

CD 2

Act II

Scene 1: Apartments in the royal palace

1 Idomeneo tells his confidant Arbace of his terriblepredicament – the vow to Neptune which has resulted inhis obligation to kill his own son. Arbace advises thatIdamante should leave Greece forthwith and take Elettraback to Argos, thus escaping his terrible fate. Ilia expressesher gratitude that Idomeneo has returned safely to Creteafter the storm and she rejoices in her newly-gained liberty.

2 She tells him of her contentment in the fair land ofCrete and, far from her homeland, Ilia now happily regardsIdomeneo as a new-found father.

3 Idomeneo is troubled by her tender words for surelyshe, too, is now bound up in the ongoing tragedy of thesacrifice and Idamante’s planned departure.

4 Saved from the storm by Neptune’s costly intervention,Idomeneo now sees the turbulence of his troubled mind asa dearer penalty to pay.

5 Elettra muses joyfully on her departure for Argos withIdamante, the man she loves.

6 She anticipates a serene life with him in which theywill be far from her rival, Ilia.

7 At the opening of an orchestral march, Elettra preparesto board the ship for Argos.

8 She bids farewell to the port of Sidon as she makesready for her departure.

Scene 2: The Port of Sidon

9 Elettra joins the chorus in extolling the gentle breezesthat will carry them to their destination.

0 Idomeneo urges Idamante to leave immediately and tobring back with him the virtues of heroic deeds andbenevolent kingship, when eventually he returns to Crete.

! Before leaving, Idamante and Elettra bid a gentle, sadfarewell to their king, who wishes them joy; but inundertones father and son reveal their troubled hearts.Idamante thinks lovingly of Ilia while Idomeneo regrets thefate that has forced this cruel parting.

@ A terrible storm suddenly breaks out as a monsteremerges from the sea. As they beg for mercy, the peopledo not understand whose sin has given cause for Neptune’sanger.

# Idomeneo reveals that the responsibility is his aloneand seeks to pay for his sin; but he fails to acknowledgethat it is Idamante whom he has condemned to die by hisactions.

$ As the people make their escape from the monster, thestorm becomes ever more terrifying.

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CD 1

1 The overture

Act I

Scene 1: In the royal palace – Ilia’s apartments.

2 The Princess Ilia, daughter of King Priam, has beentaken prisoner by Idomeneo, King of Crete, during thewars. Sorrowful at her ignominious fate, she neverthelessloves Idomeneo’s son, Prince Idamante, but fears that hein turn loves Elettra, a Greek princess (daughter ofAgamemnon and Clytemnestra), and so cannot reciprocateher feelings.

3 Ilia bids a distant farewell to her countrymen, regrettingthe love she bears for an enemy of her homeland.

4 Idamante approaches; he tells her that his father is safeand that his ship has been seen near the coast. As an act ofgratitude, Idamante will set free the Trojan prisoners. Hegently expresses his love for Ilia, sentiments which sherejects.

5 He maintains that he has committed no wrong andblames his suffering on the gods, urging Ilia to accept hisword.

6 The Trojan prisoners are brought in and Idamantereleases them gladly, hoping that harmony will prevailbetween their two nations.

7 The prisoners praise Idamante for his noble act andgreet peace and love in celebration of their freedom.

8 Elettra loves Idamante but is roused to fury by therelease of the prisoners; he attempts to calm her but Arbaceenters with the news of a shipwreck in which Idomeneo isfeared to have perished.

9 Elettra’s anger is unabated as she sees that, if the kingis dead, Idamante will finally turn his affections towardsIlia.

Scene 2: A stormy sea shore, strewn with the wreckage ofa ship

0 Rescued sailors beg the gods for mercy from the storm.

! Idomeneo, also rescued, comes ashore; the sailors leavehim quietly alone. At the height of the storm he made avow to the god Neptune that he would sacrifice the firstliving creature he meets on land if his own life were spared– a vow he now regrets but knows he must keep.

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Synopsis

The action takes place on the island of Crete, following the Trojan Wars.

made something of a speciality of singing Idomeneo –certainly Raaff cannot have sounded as good as this. Ilia’sgentle, lyrical rôle is taken by Ángeles Blancas Gulín(daughter of the late dramatic soprano Ángeles Gulín) andElettra, surely one of Mozart’s most dramatic sopranocreations (second only to the Queen of the Night inZauberflöte?), is portrayed by Georgian soprano IanoTamar.

As the notable musicologist Alfred Einstein averred,Idomeneo is ‘one of those works that even a genius ofhighest rank, like Mozart, could write only once in his life.’

Paul Campion

With acknowledgments to The New Grove Dictionary ofOpera and The New Kobbé’s Opera Book


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Above: Ángeles Blancas Gulín as Ilia • Front cover: Kurt Streit as IdomeneoBoth photos by Luciano Romano

MOZARTIdomeneo, re di Creta

Streit • Gulín • Tamar • GanassiSchneider • Magnabosco • Vatchkov


3 CDs

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8.660030-31

8.660080-82 8.660102-04

Also available:

8.660040-41

OPERA

CLASSICS

KYMC

The notable musicologist Alfred Einstein commented that Idomeneo is ‘one of those worksthat even a genius of highest rank, like Mozart, could write only once in his life’. Every pageof the score deserves appreciation. Of the many exceptional arias and ensembles, especiallynotable is the third act quartet ‘Andrò ramingo e solo’, one of the most moving concertednumbers in any Mozart opera. This recording is based on the original 1781 Munich version,without the extended ballet but including some music cut by Mozart before the première. DDD

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Wolfgang Amadeus

MOZART (1756–1791)

Idomeneo, re di Creta, K.366

CD 1 1 Overture / 2–^Act I 55:12 CD 2 1–$Act II 39:44CD 3 1–)Act III 64:55

A full track list can be found on page 3 of the bookletThe Italian libretto may be accessed at www.naxos.com/libretti/660250.htm

Recorded live at the Teatro di San Carlo, Naples, Italy, May 2004 Producer: Alberto Dellepiane • Engineer & Editor: Rino Trasi

Booklet notes: Paul Campion • Cover image © Luciano Romano

Playing Time159:51

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Idomeneo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kurt StreitIlia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ángeles Blancas Gulín Elettra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . Iano TamarIdamante . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sonia Ganassi Arbace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jörg SchneiderIl Gran Sacerdote di Nettuno . . . . . . . . . Dario Magnabosco


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