IDOMENEO

A very risky deal with the Gods! To journey home to Crete after the Trojan War, King Idomeneo vows to Poseidon, God of the Sea, that he will sacrifice the first living being he meets when he lands. Fate deals him a bitter blow – the first to meet Idomeneo is his son Idamantes! What should he do? Sacrifice his own flesh and blood? Or can perhaps a son’s duty be brought into play? In typical ancient tradition, the conflict constantly turns to catastrophe. His son is sacrificed, but Idomeneo must leave the island, as the Cretans no longer accept him as their sovereign. Not so the case with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The characters’ pain inflicted by this fate turns myth into humanity. Idomeneo relinquishes power, the son survives and is crowned king. A new generation inherits the discord with the Gods. Peace, love and humanity flourish with enlightenment. The Munich world premiere in 1781 was an artistic liberation for Mozart. Theatre-goers found their own access to the opera genre in the interaction with the tradition of orchestra and scenery in the Cuvilliés Theatre. A visionary work – to this very day.