A story of love, sacrifice and vengeful Greek Gods. Three things that make Ideomeno irresistibly entertaining.
A dark stage makes its presence known as hues of red fill the auditorium. The curtain draws and reveals a figure staring blankly into the crowd. Its prince Idamante, Israeli native Na'ama Goldman, but you wouldn't know that from the rich Italian vocals projecting from the speakers. Her voice fills the room with powerful notes of sorrow and concern, foreshadowing the coming tale of love, power and fate that is Idomeneo.
Originally written by Mozart, Idomeneo is a humane drama set in the aftermath of the Trojan Wars which tells a powerful story about the tragic causalities of love and death. Although the Greeks have devastated the Trojan armies, the small island of Crete is in despair upon hearing the news that their beloved King Idomeneo has drowned at sea while sailing home. What they don't know is that the Gods have decided to spare the king, upon one condition: he must sacrifice the life of the first man he sees upon his return. The plot thickens when the king realizes it is prince Idamante who he first sees, sentencing him to take the life of his only son.
Idomeneo, Israeli Opera © Yossi Zwecker
Idamante, who has meanwhile fallen in love with the captive Trojan princess Ilia, struggles with accepting his fate from the situation of his father and becomes painfully torn between his forbidden love, his duty as the prince of Crete and the will of the gods. His split devotions torment him as well as his father, who both find themselves in a position of guilt guided by passions of the flesh as well as the unforeseen consequences of giving in to desire. It's here that director Kasper Holten shows his artisanship through his ability to express human emotion in an appealing and relatable way.
This is most noticeable in ACT II when King Idomeneo has an intense solo in which he stands alone on a dark and burning red stage while confronting the physical representations of his internal demons that are the stress and depression from the troubles he now faces. In typical fashion of a great Greek Epic, Idomeneo slams the crown from his head in an apparent signal of his surrender to the gods. His demons slowly encircle him as he contemplates why fate has been so cruel thus far, with more cruelty surely waiting in the future. But as the lights in the auditorium transition from fiery red to a more complete and soothing blue so do Idomeneo's temperament settle and become calm but invigorated. His demons disappear at once, again leaving the king alone on stage to regain his confidence and mental strength while he replaces the crown upon his head.
Idomeneo, Israeli Opera © Yossi Zwecker
Act III begins with the preparations of the sacrificial ceremony that demands Idamante's life. The island of Crete is in chaos due to Neptune's rage against the king, who has yet to admit the true reason for the necessary sacrifice. But after Idamante slays the monster sent by Neptune and his father reveals the need for his sacrifice, Idamante gains a new sense of respect for his father and decides to accept his fate given by the Gods. It's here when the Gods show mercy to the king and decide to spare the life of Idamante, as long as Idomeneo agrees to pass the crown to his set and let him rule alongside his love Illia, who will now become queen. In the end love triumphs over all the pain and misery experienced by both Idomeneo and Idamante, bridging the audience with the production as a whole and proving that the opera still serves as a relatable cultural connection even today.
The relatability of Idomeneo is what makes it a timeless classic with respect to Mozart, but it is Holten that has delivered its rendition in its fullest and most powerful form. A collective effort from himself, conductor Michel Gamba, choreographer Signe Fabricius and stage designer Mia Stengsgaard combine to create a multifaceted performance that incorporates the complementing aesthetics of sound, light and texture. An exceptionally harmonious orchestra leads the way for the powerful voices that fill the cavernous auditorium while a metamorphosis of projected colors complements the shifting atmosphere of emotions. This isn't your typical opera. An excellent performance intertwined with intricate and well-designed stage work and special effects creates a spectacularly entertaining experience like none other. Idomeneo has only three showings left at the Israeli Opera.
Remaining Shows:
28/1/2020
29/1/2020
31/1/2020
Tickets: israel-opera.co.il/eng