3 immortal pieces from the opera IDOMENEO by Mozart – with the best interpretations from YouTube (Hits, Best of)

Mozart estimated Idomeneo as his greatest work in the genre of opera. Inspired by the works of Gluck, which he had seen in his Parisian days, he wrote perhaps the best Baroque opera in history.

Ilia’s heartbreak

Beginning with sighing motives is this lament aria of Ilia. Though written in a minor key, the first part of the aria is delicately sweet, enhanced with delicate coloratura. The aria is in two parts, the second a somewhat more dramatic repetition of the first. A cadenza with a beautiful trill concludes this piece.

We hear Lucia Popp in this scene, who is one of the best (the best?) Ilia in on record. The first part is beautifully poignant.

Padre, germani, addio – Popp

The famous “Fuor del mar”

This aria of Idomeneo is a novelty by Mozart. It is true that this aria, full of coloraturas, is composed in a classical baroque da capo form (ABA’). But such a heroic, passionate aria had not been heard from tenors before. The tenor must master long chains of coloratura. Mozart composed the aria into the throat of Anton Raaff, the first Idomeneo, who was famous for his coloratura skills.

Mozart wrote a second version for the Viennese performance, which included fewer coloraturas (and was chosen, for example, by Pavarotti and Domingo).

Juan Diego Florez surprised in 2018 with his Mozart recital. His voice has darkened and deepened over the years. His coloratura is terrific (as expected) and the voice has the necessary punch. A stirring recording!

Fuor del mar ho un mar nel seno – Florez

The Quartet “Andrò ramingo e solo”

This quartet is one of Mozart’s summit works. The conflicting emotions of the four characters were brought together in this quartet in a virtuoso manner. Mozart himself considered this passage to be the greatest passage in this opera.

When Mozart introduced Konstanze to his father in Salzburg and they made music together, they sang this quartet and Mozart is said to have burst into tears with emotion at this point and left the room.

Andrò ramingo e solo – Johnson / von Otter / McNair / Martinpelto