Idomeneo (1985)

Idomeneo, King of Crete, one of the generals of the combined Greek armies, has been away from home during the long years of the Trojan War. Idamante, his son and now the regent of the island, anxiously waits for Idomeneo’s return, which has been heralded by the arrival in Crete of Trojan prisoners. One of these prisoners is Ilia, daughter of the murdered King Priam of Troy. Idamante has fallen in love with Ilia, but he is loved by Electra, who has taken refuge in Crete having avenged the murder of her father, the Greek King Agamemnon.

Ilia is alone. She feels a conflict of emotions warring inside her, and the irony that she should hate chose who killed her father, and yet love the Cretan ldamante. She is secretly moved when ldamante comes to her and confesses his love, but she will not admit that she returns his feelings. Undeterred, ldamante inaugurates peace between their two nations by freeing all the Trojan prisoners, and Cretans and Trojans together join in praise of the power of love. Electra intervenes, insisting chat ldamante should not be offering any protection for the enemy, when Arbace, ldamante’s adviser, arrives with the desperate news that ldomeneo’s fleet has been wrecked and that the King has been drowned.
All but Electra rush to the shore. She is torn by prejudice and jealousy of Ilia, and frightened that if her protector ldomeneo is indeed dead, ldamante will not be opposed if he chooses to dispose of his empire and his heart to the “Trojan slave.”

Neptune, angered by the wrongs done to his Trojan descendants, has raised the storm which has threatened to destroy Idomeneo’s fleet, but after the Cretans on land hear the despairing cries of the wrecked sailors, the storm suddenly abates, and ldomeneo struggles to the shore, miraculously saved from drowning. Ac the height of the storm he had sworn to Neptune that if the god would save his life, he would offer a sacrifice of the first living being he encountered on land.

ldomeneo sends his companions ahead of him and reflects on his sense of guilt at what he has done. His remorse changes to horror when it transpires that the first person he meets is his son ldamante. He rushes away leaving Idarnante distressed and uncomprehending.

The people of Crete, unaware of the price of their happiness, give thanks to Neptune.

ldomeneo explains to Arbace the vow he made to escape death in the storm. Desperate to avoid sacrificing his son to Neptune, he agrees to Arbace’s advice that ldamante must be sent away from Crete. ldomeneo decides that his son should go with Electra to her home in Argos, out of reach of Neptune’s vengeance. Ilia surprises ldomeneo by thanking him for his generosity to her people. Then he realizes that her gratitude is probably evidence that she is in love with ldamante, and that his vow to Neptune during the storm will bring yet more misery. Electra, however, is overjoyed at ldomeneo’s decision, believing that she will soon win ldamante for herself.

The people gather at the harbor where ldamante and Electra, about to set sail across a calm sea, say goodbye to Idamante and implore the gods to be compassionate.

As ldamante and Electra board their ship, Neptune stirs up a dreadful storm; the people believe that it must signify some divine vengeance for a crime committed on the island. As they appeal to ldomeneo to find the criminal, a terrifying monster rises from the sea. ldomeneo then admits (to Neptune) chat he is the guilty man and offers himself as a sacrifice; but he refuses to offer the innocent victim he believes Neptune to be demanding. The people run away in panic as the monster threatens to devastate the island.

Ilia, alone in the palace gardens, and believing ldamante to be gone forever, confides to the flowers and to the breeze that she is deeply in love with ldamante. To her confusion, he appears and tells her of the ravages of the monster and his determination to try to destroy it. Ilia can no longer conceal her love for him and for a few moments they are happy. But they are found together by Electra and by ldomeneo, who commands ldamante to leave Crete. They all express their pain and suffering before Idarnante leaves, alone, to prepare himself for exile.

Arbace brings more bad news. The rebellious people, led by the High Priest of Neptune, are demanding the appearance of the King. When he is left alone, Arbace prays for the deliverance of his country.

The High Priest shows ldomeneo the devastation wrought by the monster and tells him that thousands of his people have been killed. The King, compelled by the High Priest to cell the truth, reveals that if Neptune is to be satisfied, he must make a sacrifice of his own son. Even in despair, the people are moved with pity for ldomeneo and Idarnanre.

No longer defiant, ldomeneo joins the priests in prayer at the temple of Neptune, when a joyous cry from the distance announces the victorious arrival of ldamante who has killed the monster. Now he too learns the truth: that only his own death will calm Neptune’s anger. ldamante is willing to die to save Crete, but at the moment when ldomeneo is wielding the fatal axe, Ilia throws herself between them; unable to witness the death of her lover, she offers herself as the sacrifice.

At this moment the voice of Neptune pronounces their fate: ldomeneo shall cease to reign; ldamante shall be King; Ilia shall be his wife.

Only Electra is unable to join in the general happiness and celebration, and she is left heartbroken and suicidal. ldomeneo proclaims the new King to the people, who call to the gods of Love and Marriage to instill their spirit of peace.