Although Idomeneo (1781) is Mozart’s first indisputable operatic masterpiece and was a work for which he retained considerable affection, it still receives surprisingly few performances, either on stage or in concert. That also is true of his last opera, La clemenza di Tito, and in both cases that is partly owing to their nature as opera seria, a genre which had largely fallen out of fashion even when they were written, remaining confined largely to aristocratic or royal private occasions. That genre was emphasised here in Chelsea Opera Group’s performance which reverted to the original version with the role of Idomeneo’s son Idamante sung in the soprano register – having been created by Mozart for a castrato. Here it was taken by mezzo-soprano Frances Gregory in a dignified account, showing resilience in the face of his near sacrifice in compliance with his father’s rash oath to sacrifice the first person he meets on coming ashore in Crete.
The character type of Idomeneo represents the shift downwards in vocal register for the title role which took place towards the end of the 18th century, as the lead would usually have been one where a castrato was the preferred sort of singer in the earlier Baroque period, rather than a tenor as here. Andrew Henley struck the right balance between agility and regal authority for this music of the Classical era that requires lift and elegance, rather than so much of the strenuous heroism of tenor roles in 19th century repertoire.
As the Trojan princess Ilia, who reciprocates Idamante’s love, Lorena Paz Nieto brought a certain bright sweetness in her finely sustained vocal lines, combined with a somewhat tight control of her vibrato which lent a slight coquettishness to the role. That contrasted with the darker, chocolatey depth of Eleanor Dennis’s singing as Elettra, driven to rage by her unreturned love for Idamante (a career development for Dennis since she had sung the role of Ilia at Garsington in 2016). After a tender account of ‘Idol mio’ her performance culminated in a vivid rendition of ‘D’Oreste, d’Ajace’ – sadly sometimes cut in stagings, but for my money an aria that is the equal of the Queen of the Night’s. Sean Tester was a mellifluous, soft-voiced Arbace, certainly not upstaging Idomeneo, if perhaps more gravitas could have underpinned his advice to the king in his one aria here (the second was cut).
With the modern instruments of the COG Orchestra, and their sizeable number – as also in the Chorus – it was welcome to hear this opera given with a symphonic weight that did justice to the extraordinarily high level of inspiration and dramatic tension sustained by the 24-year-old Mozart in his score. Paul Wingfield gave it drive and purpose without rushing, leavened by the antiphonal arrangement of the violins. Warm-sounding clarinets and bassoons enriched the music that looks ahead to Mozart’s other generously orchestrated operas and concertos of the 1780s; the horns bravely tackled the high writing given to them, alongside sonorous, gritty trombones when the oracle of Neptune announces that Idamante’s fate may be averted if Idomeneo cedes his rule to his son (at least that unexpected transfer of power was sanctioned by due authority, unlike the latest merry-go-round at No. 10). The choruses bore a festive grandeur in COG’s enthusiastic hands. Another memorable project from this indefatigable company.
Curtis Rogers
Idomeneo, re di Creta
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto: Giambattista Varesco after Antoine Danchet
Performers:
Idomeneo – Andrew Henley; Elettra – Eleanor Dennis; Ilia – Lorena Paz Nieto; Idamante – Frances Gregory; Arbace – Sean Tester; High Priest of Neptune – Dafydd Allen; Voice of the Oracle of Neptune – Emyr Wyn Jones
Conductor – Paul Wingfield; Chelsea Opera Group Chorus and Orchestra
Cadogan Hall, London, UK, 21 June 2026
Top image: Consulting the Oracle by John William Waterhouse (c. 1884) courtesy of WikiArt