0:00- Overture
4:51- ACT I- Recit- Quando avran fine omai (Ilia)
8:42- Padre, germani, addio! (Ilia)
16:44- Non ho colpa (Idamante)
24:30- Chorus- Godiam la Pace
29:43- RECIT- Estinto, è Idomeneo?- Tutte nel cor vi sento (Elettra)
35:08- Chorus- Pietà! Numi, pietà!
36:33- RECIT- Ecco ci salvi alvin. (Idomeneo)
39:38- Vedrommi intorno (Idomeneo)
43:49- RECIT- Cieli! Che veggo? (Idomeneo, Idamante)
50:24- Il padre adorato (Idamante)
53:24- INTERMEZZO- March I
57:36- Chorus- Nettuno s'onori!
1:03:18- ACT II- RECIT- Non più. Tutto ascoltai/Non temer, amato bene (Ilia, Idamante. This, along with the following rondo, are part of the 1786 Vienna production. I thought it would be favorable to include them.)
1:15:58- Se il tuo duol (Arbace)
1:22:19- Se il padre perdei (Ilia)
1:28:38- RECIT- Qual mi conturba i sensi (Idomeneo)
1:31:02- Fuor del mar (Idomeneo)
1:37:36- RECIT- Chi mai del mio provò (Elettra)
1:39:20- Idol mio (Elettra)
1:44:43- March II
1:46:55- Chorus, Elettra- Placido è il mar
1:52:00- Trio- Pria di partir, o Dio! (Idomeneo, Idamante, Elettra)
1:56:53- Chorus- Qual nuevo terrore!
1:58:01- RECIT- Eccoti in me, barbaro Nume! (Idomeneo)
2:01:01- Chorus- Corriamo, fuggiamo
2:02:47- ACT III- RECIT- Solitudini amiche (Ilia)
2:03:48- Zeffiretti, lusinghieri (Ilia)
2:13:50- Duet- S'io non moro (Ilia, Idamante)
2:17:27- RECIT- Cieli, che vedo? (Idomeneo, Elettra, Ilia, Idamante)
2:20:00- Quartet- Andrò ramingo e solo (Idomeneo, Elettra, Ilia, Idamante)
2:29:49- Se colà ne' fatti è scritto (Arbace)
2:38:02- Volgi intorno (Gran Sacerdote, Idomeneo)
2:42:43- Chorus, Gran Sacerdote- O voto tremendo!
2:48:06- March III
2:50:11- Accogli, o rè del mar (Idomeneo, Sacerdoti)
2:55:16- RECIT- Padre, mio caro padre! (Idamante, Idomeneo)
3:02:20- Ha vinto amore (La voce)
3:04:51- O ciel pietoso!/O smania! O furie! (Idomeneo, Ilia, Idamante, Arbace/Elettra sola)
3:06:13-D'Oreste, d'Ajace (Elettra)
3:09:43- RECIT- Popoli! (Idomeneo)
3:16:19- Torna la pace al core (Idomeneo)
3:24:10- Final chorus- Scenda amor!
This can truly be said to be Mozart's "breakthrough" work. While we heard hints of Mozart's new voice as a composer with the E-flat Concerto, the Paris Symphony, and the Posthorn Serenade, they frail in comparison to the lush orchestral majesty and chilling pathos clearly heard in Idomeneo. Mozart must have been extremely excited to be writing an opera for the great Mannheim orchestra. The woodwinds are not just accompaniment, they are crucial for expression. The strings are meant for a large group of players, evidenced by the great harmonies heard in smaller arias such as Idol Mio or Se Cola. It really is Mozart trying to conquer Europe. The work is meant to be spectacular, a more Gluckian tragedie lyrique, and a precursor to the 19th-century French grand opera. Ballet is an important element to the opera, as well as the rousing, great chorus numbers. Hot take: I think the choruses are the greatest Mozart has EVER written, religious music considered. There is unbelievable detail in this opera; every single number is filled to the brim with all the emotion one could imagine could be garnered from the libretto.
But that is just it. Three LONG acts, a ballet, huge chorus numbers... everything about this opera is BIG. The arias are lovely, but they are very long, too long for a modern audience. Alas, much of this could be attributed to the libretto, which rambles on and on, goes on to say too much that could be shortened in only a few words. It was during this time that Mozart began to learn about the beauty and wit of brevity, and he could not do that with such a huge libretto. The outdated Salzburger libretto called for no rondos of any kind, really only da capo arias. But the music... truly riveting in every aspect. This was the farthest the young Mozart could possibly go without the knowledge he would gain in Vienna.
As flawed as this opera is, with its terribly long, static libretto, as inexperienced the young Mozart was in terms of vogue operatic trends, this will remain a complete gem in the operatic repertoire. If the libretto were shorter, then this would definitely be contested as Mozart's greatest opera. There is true pathos and genuine emotion that is expressed vividly and movingly in the score. There are a few opera fans that say that Idomeneo is Mozart's best operatic effort, and their reasons cannot be denied.
Idomeneo- Francisco Araiza
Idamante- Suzanne Mentzer
Ilia- Barbara Hendricks
Elettra- Roberta Alexander
Arbace- Uwe Heilmann
Gran Sacerdote- Werner Hollweg
La Voce- Harry Peeters
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis (1991)