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Home , Deutsche Oper Berlin, Gary Bertini, Il turco in Italia, Jeffrey Tate, Kurt Streit, Sonia Ganassi

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MOZART 3 CDs Idomeneo, re di Creta Streit • Gulín • Tamar • Ganassi Schneider • Magnabosco • Vatchkov Chorus and Orchestra of the San Carlo Theatre, Naples Marco Guidarini

C M Y Above: Ángeles Blancas Gulín as Ilia • Front cover: Kurt Streit as Idomeneo Both photos by Luciano Romano K 8.660250-52 12 660250-52bk Idomeneo:570034bk Hasse 2/4/10 8:25 PM Page 2

Wolfgang Amadeus Marco Guidarini Marco Guidarini had a broad and comprehensive education in classics, composition and the cello. He studied conducting with Mario Gusulla and Franco Ferrara and became assistant MOZART to Sir John Eliot Gardiner at the Opéra de Lyon. He made his operatic début there conducting (1756–1791) Falstaff and went on to conduct at the opera houses of Los Angeles, Dallas, Minneapolis, Sydney, Nice, Montpellier, Marseille, Bologna, Berlin (Deutsche Oper), Munich (Bayerische Idomeneo, re di Creta, K.366 Staatsoper), Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, English National Opera, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Naples Teatro San Carlo and Dramma per musica in three acts at many festivals, notably Wexford and Martina Franca where his performances of Verdi’s Libretto by Giambattista Varesco Macbeth, Il Trovatore and Mascagni’s Roma were recorded for the Dynamic label. He has based on Antoine Danchet’s Idomenée also 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 Director of the Opéra de Nice. His recording of Puccini’s Le Villi won the Grand Prix du Disque 2004 and other recordings include Idomeneo ...... Kurt Streit Simon Boccanegra in New Zealand for MMT and Alfano’s Cyrano de Bergerac with Roberto Alagna for EMI. Ilia ...... Ángeles Blancas Gulín The San Carlo Orchestra Elettra ...... Iano Tamar The history of the San Carlo Orchestra is closely linked to that of the Teatro San Carlo itself, the oldest in Europe, Idamante ...... Sonia Ganassi inaugurated on 4th November 1737 with Domenico Sarro’s Achille in Sciro. Since then the theatre’s music-making has never ceased, surviving war and fire. The orchestra has always been characterized by its strong involvement in opera Arbace ...... Jörg Schneider and in the nineteenth century it had the honour of giving the premières of works by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi. Il Gran Sacerdote di Nettuno ...... Dario Magnabosco During the twentieth century the orchestra became more and more active in symphonic performances. Even as far back as 1884, however, the young Giuseppe Martucci conducted a programme of music by Weber, Saint-Saëns and La voce dell’Oracolo ...... Deyan Vatchkov Wagner. It is impossible to count the names of the world’s great conductors who have worked with the San Carlo Two Cretan People ...... Antonietta Bellone, Lucia Gaeta Orchestra: from Toscanini in 1909 to Victor de Sabata in 1928, as well as the composers Pizzetti and Mascagni, and Two Trojan People ...... Carmine Durante, Carmine Mennella Richard Strauss who conducted a concert of his own work in January 1934. Between the Second World War and the decade to follow, Naples and the San Carlo welcomed many of the world’s most outstanding conductors, including Gui, Chorus Soloists ...... Cristina Casillo, Silvia Cialli, Bruno Iacullo, Serafin, Santini, Gavazzeni, Böhm, Fricsay, Scherchen, Cluytens, Knappertsbusch and Mitropoulos. In October 1958 Antonella Sdoia, Paola Tedesco, Giuseppe Valentino the orchestra had the honour of being directed by Igor Stravinsky, and was conducted by Claudio Abbado in 1963 and Riccardo Muti in 1967. At the same time, the Theatre’s orchestra began to make a name for itself abroad, thanks to a Chorus and Orchestra of the San Carlo Theatre, Naples series of high-profile tours, appearing in France, Brazil, Hungary, Germany, Japan, and the United States. Other Chorus-master: Ciro Visco musicians who have worked with the orchestra include Daniel Oren, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Lorin Maazel, Salvatore Accardo, Georges Prêtre, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Mstislav Rostropovich, Gary Bertini, Djansug Khakidze and Conductor: Marco Guidarini Jeffrey Tate, who was appointed, following Gary Bertini, as Musical Director in 2005 and succeeded in 2010 by Maurizio Benini.

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Iano Tamar CD 1 55:12 0 Vattene prence (Idomeneo, Idamante) 0:28 Iano Tamar was born in Georgia and studied piano, music und singing at the Tiflis 1 Overture 4:29 ! Pria di partir (Elettra, Idamante, Idomeneo) 3:54 Conservatory. After her sensationel début as Semiramide in Pesaro, she sang Lina in Verdi’s Act I @ Qual nuovo terrore (Chorus) 1:58 Stiffelio, 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 Elisabeth Scene 1 # Eccoti in me (Idomeneo) 1:54 de Valois in a new production of the five-act version of Verdi’s Don Carlos, as Elvira in 2 Quando avran fine omai (Ilia) 3:49 $ Corriamo, fuggiamo (Chorus) 1:55 Ernani and as Mathilde in Rossini’s Guillaume Tell at the Vienna State Opera, as Marchesa 3 Padre, germani, addio (Ilia) 3:25 CD 3 64:55 del Poggio in Un giorno di regno at Covent Garden, as Rachel in a new production of La 4 Ecco, Idamante (Ilia) 2:27 Juive at the Teatro la Fenice, as Tosca in Geneva, as Leonora in Il trovatore at the Bregenz Act III 5 Non ho colpa (Idamante) 6:19 festival, as Leonora in Il trovatore and in the revival of La forza del destino at the Bavarian Scene 1 State Opera in Munich, as Elisabetta in Maria Stuarda at the Opéra de Lyon, as Semiramide 6 Ecco il misero resto de’ Trojani (Ilia, Idamante) 0:38 1 Solitudini amiche (Ilia) 1:10 and Lady Macbeth at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, as Amelia in Un ballo in maschera in Hamburg and as Norma and as 7 Godiam la pace, trionfi amore (Chorus) 2:30 2 Elettra in Idomeneo at the Gran Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona. 8 Prence, signor (Elettra, Idamante, Arbace, Ilia) 4:11 Zeffiretti lusinghieri (Ilia) 5:24 3 Ei stesso vien (Ilia) 3:28 Sonia Ganassi 9 Tutte nel cor vi sento (Elettra) 3:30 4 The mezzo-soprano Sonia Ganassi was born in Reggio Emilia and studied singing with Alain Scene 2 S’io non moro (Ilia, Idamante) 2:59 Billard. In 1990 she won the Spoleto Premio A. Belli and made her début two years later as 0 Pietà! Numi pietà! (Chorus) 1:25 5 Cieli che vedo? (Idomeneo, Ilia, Idamante, Elettra) 1:27 Rosina in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Rome Teatro dell’Opera. After this brilliant ! Ecco ci salvi alfìn (Idomeneo) 3:08 6 Andrò ramingo e solo (Ilia, Elettra, Idamante, start to her career she was invited to appear at the most famous opera houses throughout the Idomeneo) 5:13 @ Vedrommi intorno l’ombra dolente (Idomeneo) 3:44 world, in Florence, Bologna, New York, San Francisco, Paris, London, Milan, Madrid, 7 Sventurata Sidon (Arbace) 2:59 Barcelona and Washington. Further operatic projects followed in Leipzig, Vienna, Madrid, # Cieli! Che veggo! (Idomeneo, Idamante) 5:03 8 Se colà ne’ fati è scritto (Arbace) 3:46 Turin, Naples and Bilbao. She has worked with the most distinguished conductors and is $ Il padre adorato ritrovo (Idamante) 2:52 Scene 2 considered one of the most important interpreters of mezzo-soprano and dramatic soprano rôles % March 2:04 9 in Rossini and bel canto repertoire. Her Mozart rôles have included Idamante in Idomeneo, ^ Nettuno s’onori (Chorus) 5:37 Volgi intorno lo sguardo (Gran Sacerdote, Dorabella in Così fan tutte and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. French repertoire includes Idomeneo) 4:29 Charlotte in Werther, the title rôle in Carmen and Niklausse in Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann. She has won great CD 2 39:44 0 O voto tremendo (Chorus) 4:46 success in the concert hall in repertoire including Stravinsky’s Pulcinella and Oedipus Rex, Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Act II Scene 3 Gesellen, Verdi’s Requiem, Berlioz’s Les nuits d’été und Schumann’s Paradies und die Peri. She was awarded the Italian music critics’ Abbiati Prize for her interpretation of Zaide in Donizetti’s Dom Sébastien. Scene 1 ! March 0:43 1 Tutto m’è noto (Arbace, Idomeneo) 3:05 @ Accogli, o re del mar (Idomeneo, Sacerdoti) 3:31 Jörg Schneider 2 Se il padre perdei (Ilia) 5:45 # Stupenda vittoria (Chorus) 0:47 Jörg Schneider was born in 1969 at Wels in Austria. He had his early training as a member of the Vienna Boys’ Choir, followed by private study in Vienna with Elfriede Obrowsky. 3 Qual mi conturba i sensi (Idomeneo) 2:14 $ Padre mio, caro padre (Idamante, Idomeneo, Ilia, In 1995 he joined the Wiesbaden Staatstheater, with rôles including Ramiro (La Cenerentola), 4 Fuor del mar (Idomeneo) 6:46 Gran Sacerdote, Elettra) 5:41 Chateauneuf (Zar und Zimmermann), Alfred (Die Fledermaus), Alberto (La Gazetta), 5 Chi mai del mio provò (Elettra) 1:49 % Ma, che più tardi? (Idamante) 2:14 Belmonte (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) and Stanislaus (Der Vogelhändler). From 1997 6 Idol mio (Elettra) 4:51 ^ Hai vinto l’amore (La voce) 2:43 to 2000 he was a member of the Deutsche Oper Am Rhein in Düsseldorf, with a similar series 7 Odo da lunge armonioso suono (Elettra) 1:10 & Oh, smania! (Elettra) 2:49 of leading tenor rôles. This marked the beginning of a busy career that has taken him in guest engagements to leading opera houses throughout Europe, collaborating with conductors of 8 Sidonie sponde (Elettra) 0:39 * D’Oreste, d’Ajace (Elettra) 3:30 the highest distinction. He has also taken part in concert performances and Lieder recitals. Scene 2 ( Popoli, a voi l’ultima legge (Idomeneo) 5:17 He made his début as Idamante in Idomeneo in the 2002-2003 season at the Teatro delle Muse 9 Placido è il mar (Chorus) 3:14 ) Scenda amor (Chorus) 1:56 in Ancona.

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) & Elettra rages against the Voice and Idamante’s winning ( Idomeneo relinquishes his kingdom with joy and Idomeneo, re di Creta, K.366 of Ilia’s hand, vowing to follow her brother Orestes in the commends Idamante and Ilia to his former subjects. depths of hell. First performed at the Alte Residenztheater (Cuvilliés Theater), Munich, on 29th January 1781 ) A happy chorus ends the proceedings with greetings of This opera is going to be charmante, it will bring you great honour … who should think that such great things * She recalls the torments of Ajax and Orestes and love to the new king and his queen – a joyful outcome to can come out of such a small head. summons the Furies to destroy her – or she will die by the this harrowing tale of love and sacrifice. The rehearsals which took place during December 1780 irregular basis, but the young composer had very specific sword. and January 1781 for Mozart’s new opera Idomeneo must ideas about the tight, clear libretto he wanted to set. Paul Campion have been pretty impressive; the Elector of Bavaria, Karl Leopold, Wolfgang’s father, was also living in Salzburg Theodor, was present at one of them and praised it highly and acted as intermediary between composer and writer – – no bad thing since the première would shortly take place an unenviable position under the circumstances. Gradually, in his own Court Theatre. and after considerable delays, the text was shaped in the Mozart was delighted to receive the commission for the way Mozart required and then the work progressed quickly. Kurt Streit piece, to be composed to celebrate a carnival in the The composition and rehearsal period was carefully Kurt Streit’s renown as a Mozart specialist has in recent years led him to further success in Bavarian capital, which was probably the initiative of planned, involving all who had a part to play in staging the his broadening repertoire, encompassing works from composers such as Janácˇek, Wagner, Joseph Anton, Count Seeau, the Opera Intendant at the opera: stage managers, designers and builders of scenery, Berlioz, Bizet, Weber and Beethoven, while keeping his Mozart interpretations alive with Munich Court. Life in his native Salzburg had become dancers, orchestral musicians, the chorus and, by no means rôles such as Tito and Idomeneo. Kurt Streit has performed Die Zauberflöte in 23 different stultifying for Mozart and he relished the opportunity to least, the soloists. In this respect, Mozart was fortunate in productions around the world (over 150 times) and Idomeneo in seven different productions, get away for a while. He left on 5th November 1780, being able to write for voices that he knew, even if they in the opera houses of Naples, Vienna, Madrid, London, Hamburg, Bilbao and Lausanne. hoping privately that he might gain a permanent place at the were not necessarily the finest available and, as composition As well as performing in numerous productions of Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte and Die Court of Elector Karl Theodor. This was not to be and two progressed, he found the opportunity to tailor and adapt his Entführung aus dem Serail, he regularly sings the title rôles in Idomeneo, Lucio Silla, and months later, after three successful performances of music to the singers’ capabilities. Always aware of dramatic La clemenza di Tito in opera houses such as the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Idomeno, he made a circuitous and reluctant journey home. effect, during rehearsals Mozart was ruthless in rejecting Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in London, La Scala in Milan, The libretto of Idomeneo was prepared by the Abbate numbers that he had already composed for the Munich the Bastille in Paris, Teatro Real in Madrid, and on the prestigious stages of San Francisco, Tokyo, Aix-en-Provence, Varesco, a poet and musician resident in Salzburg and performances, when he thought that to do so would improve Chicago, Munich, Berlin, Rome and Salzburg. chaplain to the Archbishop; he based his adaptation on an the pace and narrative; thus, when first seen, Idomeneo was earlier work in French by Danchet, which well suited the a shorter opera than it might have been – though still of Ángeles Blancas Gulín preferences of Munich’s cultural élite. Indeed, whilst good length. Mozart’s extensive correspondence from this The daughter of Spanish singers, Ángeles Blanca Gulín studied at the Escuela Superior de Mozart’s Idomeneo is basically an Italian-style piece, period documents these changes in some detail; fortunately Canto de Madrid and began her career in 1994 with her début as the Queen of the Night in following some of the conventions of the opera seria, it much of the cut music survived and has been re-instated in Die Zauberflöte at the Madrid Teatro de la Zarzuela. Her subsequent successful career has retains a distinctly French flavour, harking back to aspects later productions. brought performances in important European and American theatres in operas such as Die of the musical and dramatic world of Christoph Willibald The rôle of Idomeneo himself was taken by veteran Zauberflöte, La Bohème, Gianni Schicchi, Rigoletto, L’Elisir d’amore, Giulio Cesare, Marin Gluck and his contemporaries. Also, by the popular demand tenor Anton Raaff, whose vocal prime was past. But Faliero and Il barbiere di Siviglia. After her success in Rome with Pagliacci, she won wide of Munich audiences, a series of divertissements had to be Mozart’s skill ensured that his music sounded virtuosic acclaim for her Maria Stuarda in Zurich, Oviedo and Las Palmas, Luisa Miller at Covent danced during the opera; this, too, was a very French whilst remaining within Raaff’s now-limited range. The Garden, Die Fledermaus in Trieste, Semiramide in Turin and Madrid, and Manon in Jerez tradition which continued into the nineteenth century. first Idamante, Vincenzo dal Prato, a castrato whose de la Frontiera. She has won particular success as Ilia in Idomeneo and in Il Turco in Italia Wagner, for example, was required to adapt Tannhäuser by inexperience needed much encouragement, was not so in Naples and with Pelléas et Mélisande and L’incoronazione di Poppea in Seville. Other extending a ballet sequence for its first Paris production, as fortunate and did little credit to his own performance. Two recent successes include La Juive in Zurich, Il Turco in Italia in Hamburg, Maria Stuarda was Verdi for Macbeth. magnificent sopranos took the rôles of Ilia and Elettra; they in Marseille, Turandot in Barcelona, La Traviata at La Coruña, Die Zauberflöte in Naples and Macerata, Don Giovanni Mozart’s relationship with Varesco was not an easy one were the sisters-in-law Dorothea and Elisabeth Wendling, in Bilbao and Naples, Il Turco in Italia at the Opera di Roma, La voix humaine in Bari and Barcelona and her début as at this time. Not only was it inconvenient to have sections who brought real pathos and drama to their interpretations, Rusalka in Turin, Britten’s The Turn of the Screw in Cremona and Brescia and Lucrezia Borgia in Turin. of text arriving in Munich by coach from Salzburg on an much to the composer’s satisfaction. The première was

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CD 3 Scene 2: A large square in front of the palace delayed by the need for extra rehearsals, the last of which usually the Munich Idomeneo, (with a mezzo, not castrato took place on Mozart’s 25th birthday, 27th January 1781. Idamante!) that is heard in the world’s opera houses today. Act III 9 The High Priest confronts Idomeneo with the news that Two days later Idomeneo was presented for the first time After Mozart’s death Idomeneo was seldom performed the monster has brought death and terrible destruction to to an admiring public and a delighted Elector – all the effort outside Germany and Austria but some further recognition Scene 1: The garden of the palace the country. He implores the king to reveal who the victim had paid off and what is now regarded as Mozart’s first was achieved in 1902 when a concert version took place in is to be and thus pacify Neptune’s fury; distraught, 1 Ilia is lonely and sorrowful without Idamante. opera of genius had finally taken to the stage. Paris. Other German productions led to an extraordinary Idomeneo finally admits that it is to be Idamante. All the effort … for three performances … 1931 adaptation of both libretto and music by Richard 2 Later in 1781, after finally moving to Vienna, Mozart Strauss which is occasionally performed but which must She bids the gentle zephyrs, the plants and the flowers 0 The High Priest and the people are horrified that the to bear a message of love to him. considered the possibility of adapting the music quite remain a curiosity rather than a valid version of Mozart’s king should thus have to slay his own innocent son. radically and bringing further French influences to bear on opera. Also in 1931, Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari produced his 3 Suddenly she sees Idamante approaching, but is Scene 3: The Temple of Neptune his score of Idomeneo, as well as using a completely fresh own arrangement of Idomeneo for a production in Munich uncertain what to say. He asks for her forgiveness before text. This would have necessitated altering the voice range to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the première. The first he battles against the monster, uncertain whether he will ! Idomeneo and the priests enter the temple during a brief of some of the characters, including changes for Idomeneo British performance took place in Glasgow in 1934 but it survive the ordeal. He professes his love for her, as she orchestral march. to a bass and Idamante to a tenor, according to the preferred was not until 1951 that it was presented professionally in does to him, urging him to return to her when he is French tradition. Perhaps, as he was distracted by other England for the first time – at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, victorious. @ They prepare for the sacrifice of the victim, as opportunities, these ideas came to nothing but he was able conducted by Fritz Busch. This was basically the Vienna Idomeneo implores Neptune to restore peace and harmony to include numbers from the opera in concerts in and around version, which has remained popular at Glyndebourne and 4 Their days of sorrow are past and their shared love is to their country. Vienna, hoping that they would excite sufficient interest has been presented in several different productions there paramount. to lead to full performances in the Austrian capital. On 13th during the last sixty years. In the United States Idomeneo # A fanfare and a sudden shout are heard in the distance March 1786, by which date he had added Die Entführung was first performed for the Berkshire Festival at 5 But Ilia and Idamante are discovered together by as Arbace reveals that the monster has been killed by Idomeneo and Elettra. The prince begs his father to reveal aus dem Serail and Der Schauspieldirektor to his operatic Tanglewood in 1947 but had to wait until 1982 to be staged Idamante. The people and the country are safe from output (and only two months before the first staging of Le at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, when Luciano why he has spurned and rejected him, only to receive a danger. dismissive response; and Elettra perceives Idamante’s nozze di Figaro) Mozart finally conducted a single concert Pavarotti took the title rôle. perfidy in truly loving Ilia. $ Idamante is led in by guards and priests, not as a victor presentation of Idomeneo at the Auersperg Palace in Every page of the score deserves mention and but as a sacrificial victim; he now understands his father’s Vienna. Then, for over twenty years, it disappeared from appreciation, but critics have commented particularly on 6 In an extended quartet the four characters express their dismissive coldness and is proud to die for the people. sight and sound. the orchestration devised by Mozart for Idomeneo; of feelings. Idamante grieves at his father’s coldness; Ilia Idomeneo despairs but is powerless to intervene, whilst This one Austrian performance demanded major importance is his innovative use of clarinets (for the first pledges to remain faithful and joins him in urging Idamante is reconciled to his fate and anticipates his eternal alterations to the Munich score, the most radical being the time in any of his opera scores) and of horns. His use of a Idomeneo to be more generous of heart; the king himself repose in death for the good of his country. conversion of Idamante from castrato to tenor. Mozart re- leitmotif representing ‘Idamante’ and ‘sacrifice’ has also seeks death and condemns Neptune for his cruelty and worked several of the numbers, deleted some sections and been noted, first appearing as it does in the overture and Elettra, still consumed with jealousy, seeks vengeance. % Idamante awaits the fatal stroke; but as father and son composed fresh music to accommodate the new singers. recurring throughout the opera at appropriate moments. Of bid each other tender farewells, Ilia enters and offers Most importantly, these changes comprised a new tenor the many exceptional arias and ensembles, especially 7 Arbace laments over the misery of the city of Sidon herself as the sacrificial victim. Idamante refuses to allow aria at the opening of the second act, the omission of worthy of comment is the third act quartet Andrò ramingo and, without the gods’ intervention, foresees Crete’s it, but Ilia runs to the altar. Arbace’s aria a little later, a fresh duet for Idamante and Ilia e solo, one of the most moving concerted numbers in any destruction. in Act 3 and yet another loss for Arbace by the cutting of of Mozart’s operas. ^ As she kneels, and prepares to die in his place, the his florid third act aria. In addition, Idomeneo’s second act The production consists principally of the original 8 If, indeed, Crete has been at fault, then it should suffer Voice of the Oracle is distantly heard. Ilia’s willing offer Fuor del mar was simplified and a fair quantity of recitative Munich version, but without the extended ballet. It also at the hands of the gods – but at least may the king and the of self-sacrifice has caused love to triumph over evil; was removed. (Most subsequent performances have also includes some sections of music cut by Mozart before the young prince be spared. Idomeneo shall no longer reign as king and Idamante shall reduced or entirely omitted the ballet sequences, as first performance and excludes others that were heard on succeed him, with Ilia as his consort. seemingly preferred by modern audiences.) The resulting that occasion. Following convention, Idamante is sung by Vienna version with tenor has been popularised by several a mezzo-soprano, Sonia Ganassi. Also starring in this productions during the last seventy years, though it is international cast are American tenor Kurt Streit, who has

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made something of a speciality of singing Idomeneo – As the notable musicologist Alfred Einstein averred, @ Idomeneo has a vision of the innocent victim he has 4 Saved from the storm by Neptune’s costly intervention, certainly Raaff cannot have sounded as good as this. Ilia’s Idomeneo is ‘one of those works that even a genius of condemned to death, a sacrifice that will ever haunt him. Idomeneo now sees the turbulence of his troubled mind as gentle, lyrical rôle is taken by Ángeles Blancas Gulín highest rank, like Mozart, could write only once in his life.’ a dearer penalty to pay. (daughter of the late dramatic soprano Ángeles Gulín) and # He sees a man approaching – the man who must die; Elettra, surely one of Mozart’s most dramatic soprano Paul Campion it is none other than Idamante, searching for his father 5 Elettra muses joyfully on her departure for Argos with creations (second only to the Queen of the Night in after the shipwreck. They do not immediately recognise Idamante, the man she loves. Zauberflöte?), is portrayed by Georgian soprano Iano With acknowledgments to The New Grove Dictionary of each other but it is soon clear that Idomeneo must make the Tamar. Opera and The New Kobbé’s Opera Book terrible sacrifice of his own son. When the king dismisses 6 She anticipates a serene life with him in which they Idamante from his presence he cannot understand his will be far from her rival, Ilia. father’s reaction and fears a tragic outcome. 7 At the opening of an orchestral march, Elettra prepares Synopsis $ Idamante is distraught at his adored father’s apparent to board the ship for Argos. rejection and fears that he will die of uncomprehending 8 The action takes place on the island of Crete, following the Trojan Wars. grief. She bids farewell to the port of Sidon as she makes ready for her departure. CD 1 6 The Trojan prisoners are brought in and Idamante % Processional March releases them gladly, hoping that harmony will prevail Scene 2: The Port of Sidon 1 The overture between their two nations. ^ In a stirring chorus praising the god Neptune, Cretan 9 women join the warriors in thanks for their safe return Elettra joins the chorus in extolling the gentle breezes Act I 7 The prisoners praise Idamante for his noble act and after the storm. that will carry them to their destination. greet peace and love in celebration of their freedom. Scene 1: In the royal palace – Ilia’s apartments. CD 2 0 Idomeneo urges Idamante to leave immediately and to 8 Elettra loves Idamante but is roused to fury by the bring back with him the virtues of heroic deeds and 2 The Princess Ilia, daughter of King Priam, has been release of the prisoners; he attempts to calm her but Arbace Act II benevolent kingship, when eventually he returns to Crete. taken prisoner by Idomeneo, King of Crete, during the enters with the news of a shipwreck in which Idomeneo is wars. Sorrowful at her ignominious fate, she nevertheless ! Before leaving, Idamante and Elettra bid a gentle, sad feared to have perished. Scene 1: Apartments in the royal palace loves Idomeneo’s son, Prince Idamante, but fears that he farewell to their king, who wishes them joy; but in in turn loves Elettra, a Greek princess (daughter of 9 Elettra’s anger is unabated as she sees that, if the king 1 Idomeneo tells his confidant Arbace of his terrible undertones father and son reveal their troubled hearts. Agamemnon and Clytemnestra), and so cannot reciprocate is dead, Idamante will finally turn his affections towards predicament – the vow to Neptune which has resulted in Idamante thinks lovingly of Ilia while Idomeneo regrets the her feelings. Ilia. his obligation to kill his own son. Arbace advises that fate that has forced this cruel parting. Idamante should leave Greece forthwith and take Elettra 3 Ilia bids a distant farewell to her countrymen, regretting Scene 2: A stormy sea shore, strewn with the wreckage of back to Argos, thus escaping his terrible fate. Ilia expresses @ A terrible storm suddenly breaks out as a monster the love she bears for an enemy of her homeland. a ship her gratitude that Idomeneo has returned safely to Crete emerges from the sea. As they beg for mercy, the people after the storm and she rejoices in her newly-gained liberty. do not understand whose sin has given cause for Neptune’s 4 Idamante approaches; he tells her that his father is safe 0 Rescued sailors beg the gods for mercy from the storm. anger. and that his ship has been seen near the coast. As an act of 2 She tells him of her contentment in the fair land of gratitude, Idamante will set free the Trojan prisoners. He ! Idomeneo, also rescued, comes ashore; the sailors leave Crete and, far from her homeland, Ilia now happily regards # Idomeneo reveals that the responsibility is his alone gently expresses his love for Ilia, sentiments which she him quietly alone. At the height of the storm he made a Idomeneo as a new-found father. and seeks to pay for his sin; but he fails to acknowledge rejects. vow to the god Neptune that he would sacrifice the first that it is Idamante whom he has condemned to die by his living creature he meets on land if his own life were spared 3 Idomeneo is troubled by her tender words for surely actions. 5 He maintains that he has committed no wrong and – a vow he now regrets but knows he must keep. she, too, is now bound up in the ongoing tragedy of the blames his suffering on the gods, urging Ilia to accept his sacrifice and Idamante’s planned departure. $ As the people make their escape from the monster, the word. storm becomes ever more terrifying.

8.660250-52 6 7 8.660250-52 660250-52bk Idomeneo:570034bk Hasse 2/4/10 8:25 PM Page 6

8.660250-52 6 7 8.660250-52 660250-52bk Idomeneo:570034bk Hasse 2/4/10 8:25 PM Page 12

MOZART 3 CDs Idomeneo, re di Creta Streit • Gulín • Tamar • Ganassi Schneider • Magnabosco • Vatchkov Chorus and Orchestra of the San Carlo Theatre, Naples Marco Guidarini

C M Y Above: Ángeles Blancas Gulín as Ilia • Front cover: Kurt Streit as Idomeneo Both photos by Luciano Romano K 8.660250-52 12 O Also available: P E R A C L 8.660030-31 8.660040-41 A S S I C S 8.660080-82 8.660102-04

C M Y K NAXOS NAXOS The notable musicologist Alfred Einstein commented that Idomeneo is ‘one of those works that even a genius of highest rank, like Mozart, could write only once in his life’. Every page of the score deserves appreciation. Of the many exceptional arias and ensembles, especially notable is the third act quartet ‘Andrò ramingo e solo’, one of the most moving concerted 8.660250-52

numbers in any Mozart opera. This recording is based on the original 1781 Munich version, Chorus and Orchestra of the San Carlo Theatre, Naples • Guidarini without the extended ballet but including some music cut by Mozart before the première. DDD

MOZART: Playing Time Recorded by Wolfgang Amadeus 159:51 Streit • Gulín Tamar • Ganassi Schneider MOZART (1756–1791) Idomeneo, re di Creta, K.366 Idomeneo, re di Creta Idomeneo ...... Kurt Streit Ilia ...... Ángeles Blancas Gulín Elettra ...... Iano Tamar Idamante ...... Sonia Ganassi Printed & Assembled in USA Disc Made in Canada Booklet notes and synopsis in English under licence from Dynamic Arbace ...... Jörg Schneider www.naxos.com ൿ Il Gran Sacerdote di Nettuno ...... Dario Magnabosco & Ꭿ 2010 Naxos Rights International Ltd. 2010 Naxos Rights International Chorus and Orchestra of the San Carlo Theatre, Naples Marco Guidarini

CD 1 1 Overture / 2–^Act I 55:12 C CD 2 1–$Act II 39:44 8.660250-52 8.660250-52 CD 3 1–)Act III 64:55 M A full track list can be found on page 3 of the booklet The Italian libretto may be accessed at www.naxos.com/libretti/660250.htm Y Recorded live at the Teatro di San Carlo, Naples, Italy, May 2004 Producer: Alberto Dellepiane • Engineer & Editor: Rino Trasi K Booklet notes: Paul Campion • Cover image © Luciano Romano