Tamar Iveri (Elettra), foto Franck Ferville

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozarts opera Idomeneo

was repremiered at Palais Garnier, Paris,  January 20th 2010, in a revival of the production from 2006 staged by Luc Bondy. The cast was splendid with a line of good singers headed by Charles Workman in the titelrole, with Vesselina Kasarova as Idamante, Isabel Bayrakdarian as Ilia, Tamar Iveri as Electra and Lothar Odinius making his debut at the Opera National de Paris as Arbace. The audience loved it.

In this production, which is well composed, Luc Bondy is letting the outstanding singers make the history

. No extra effects, only using the choir in a good way to dramatise, when so needed. Well choreographed by Arco Renz
.

Charles Workman (Idomeneo), Vesselina Kasarova (Idamante), Isabel Bayrakdarian (Illia) and Tamar Iveri (Elettra), foto Franck Ferville

A quiet stage decoration, showing a beach, which was easily transformed in to different places by small details. But what was very importent, the deliciouse painted (?) back stage carpets by Erich Wonder, which was discretely lightened by Dominique Bruguiere. These gave all the production a special atmosphaere. And looked real.

 The German tenor Lothar Odinius made his debut at the Opera National de Paris as Arbace. His long complicated aria in the third act his aria “Se colà ne´fati è scritto” was a real masterpiece, and clearly told the audience why this singer has been selected to make his Paris debut in this role. Bravo.

Charles Workman was a center in the whole production as Idomeneo
. His tenor is first class, he looks like Idomeneo, is tall so we are shure this is the leader. I am happy that the management is folowing Mozarts wishes to let a tenor sing that role. Vesselina Kasarovas beautiful mezzosoprano, her dressing and scenic appearance was nearly perfect as Idamante, the son if Idomeneo. Unfortunately Idomeneo, which on his way home by boat have a fierce storm, and he has wowed to the good Neptun to sacrifice the first person he meets on going ashore, if he is coming safe home. The first person he meets ashore happen to be his own belowed son Idamante. This is a part of the background for the whole history
.

As Electra we enjoyed Tamar Iveri, and Isabel Bayrakdarian opened it all as Ilia with her beautiful aria “Padre, germani, addio!” Two young couple were singing good, Claudia Galli and Anna Wall, as two young wimen from Crete, Vladimir Kapshuk and Manuel Nuñez Camelino as two young mens from Troia
. Manuel Nuñez Camelino made his debut at the Paris Opera house, a debut he can be proud of, he looked good on stage and were singing beautiful. As The High Priest Xavier Mas and as the voice Nahuel di Pierro. 

Idomeneo are having a lot og great choir parts, and the Choir chef Alessandro di Stefano has done a good job preparing them. The same I can say about the orchestra under the leading of Philippe Hui. 

A minor technical problem, with a big black curtain who was hanging in the set at the one side every time it should go down, I am shure will be fixed for the next evening.

Idomeneo (1781) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, libretto by Giambattista Varesco after the novel by Antoine Danchet.  Is the opera before The Enlevement de Serail (1782) his success with the three Da Ponte operas Figaros Wedding (1786), Don Giovanni (1787) and Cosi van Tutte (1790), and later The Magic Flute (1791) and Titus Wedding (1791) A very productive 10 years, which was started with Idomeneo
. Interesting is it that the Choir Finale in Idomeneo reminds very much of the Choir Finale in Magic Flute exactly ten years later.