Idomeneo
Dramma per musica in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Giambattista Varesco
German text by Bettina Bartz and Werner Hintze
Tickets
3 hours 15 minutes
Troy has been destroyed, the warriors are returning home, but the gods give the victors no peace. On its way to Crete, Idomeneo's fleet enters a terrible storm, and as he fears for his life, the king swears an oath to the god of the sea that he will sacrifice to him the first person he encounters once he has been saved. This person is the king's own son, Idamantes. Idomeno uses a ruse to try to spare his son from death at the altar, and thus brings his people and his kingdom into grave danger. Idamantes finally recognises what he must do and decides to give his life in order to bring peace to his country and his father.
The story of the father who has to sacrifice his own son is one of humanity's earliest myths. It also forms the basis for the biblical stories of Abraham and Isaac and Jephta and his daughter, which have been interpreted by the Christian doctrine as a demand for humble subordination to God's might. Mozart ignores this tradition and places himself wholly on the side of the people who rebel against divine might and who fight to keep their dignity and humanity in the midst of the darkest despair: this is a subject which must have deeply fascinated the young composer, because never again did he compose music of such burning passion, such emotional power, and such impressive richness of colour.
Look down, o terrible God! Here am I! My death must satisfy thee! If thou demandest another, an innocent sacrifice, then thou art unjust!
Idomeneo in Act 2