The Milan “Idomeneo” (2005) Liveblogging Thread

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Welcome to the White Shirt live comment thread for Mozart’s “Idomeneo” from Milan (2005), with Daniel Harding conducting and staged by Luc Bondy.

Cast List:
Idomeneo – Steve Davislim
Idamante – Monica Bacelli
Ilia – Camilla Tilling
Elettra – Emma Bell
Arbate – Francesco Meli
High Priest of Neptun – Robin Leggate
The Voice of Neptun – Ernesto Panariello

Libretto: the YT vid comes with Italian and English subtitles.

 

377 thoughts on “The Milan “Idomeneo” (2005) Liveblogging Thread”

        1. hihi, last week we were climbing pole.. my body hurt for a whole full week..
          no no, today i wanted milk tea *before* liveblog, so pulled bike out… every time i biked the wind is VISCIOUS

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  8. I have double standards when it comes to golden sandals. Will not accept them in Aida, but will accept them here. 🙂

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      2. Ilia, aka war trophy of Idomeneo, who wanted to kill herself over it, but Idamante saved her, and she thinks he’s cute, but the enemy, but cute, but Greek…
        Idamante is already smitten with her anyway.

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            1. absolutely.
              The is THE coming out aria with still a bit of interlized homophobia – “it’s not my fault that I like you, but I will apologize and really, you can kill me, if you must.”
              (but of course she saves him/them from the knife.

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      1. I wonder whether Mozart is a particularly good fit for her? Haven’t found time to listen to her Cecilio yet, very curious! But also I think the Händel roles I have seen her in were focusing more on her comic talents (staging-wise), so her more sensitive side did not come out that well which probably influences the vocal interpretation.

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    1. See! I freed all your people! I meant it! (and I am about to embarrass you with comparing you the Helen of Troy, and I am such a goof that I mean that, too)

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    1. great hair, too.
      And great (if intimidating) attitude — also a recit & aria that I LOVE, and how Harding drives in the accents… *sigh*

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    3. basically, this is like Tosca – just scowl yourself through three acts, trhow tantrums and then kill yourself because you don’t get the guy you wanted.

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            2. no time like now, there is a tenor singing his first aria (though I really like Davislim. He may not be shady enough for an Idomeneo, but he has such a gentle air, also vocally, that I just go “Awwwww”

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        1. no no, i was able to read subtitles ok from yt. it was just that everytime a new character came i didn’t know who it was, or actually the entire story.. but now i do 🙂

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      3. promised Neptun to sacrifice to him the first human being he’d see on the beach if only he got out of the seastorm alive.

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        1. And it’s not as if Arquez or Petersen wouldn’t be good reason, too 😉 but, Croft, yes – that is absolutely his zone.

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      1. maybe she can’t state clearly she loves Idamante because chastity? or that love vs honour thing? and she can only hint she would love to have Idomeneo as her father(in-law!)

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        1. she is still the daughter of the enemy, and she is still battling with betraying her family if she falls for a Gay, eh, Greek person.

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      2. and he is all “D’aww, I think you are crushing on Idamante!”
        (and not at all “Heh, my son is such a stud for landing this princess”.)

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    4. exactly.
      “Are you happy here?”
      “Yes, very happy, also, you’re turning into father figure for me, imagine that. PS: Your daughter, eh, son, is sooo dreamy.”

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    1. because she is sort of confiding with him, and I find this gesture child-like, not at all sexualized – and I like that.

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  31. So, int this production, Bondy has some darker moments – e.g. beginning of Act 2 the father carrying the motionless child.
    But there are also moments that could be darker, and are not, and I love this one during Ilia’s aria, especially given #MeToo: Ilia is a woman, she is younger, she was his prisoner until recently, she is vulnerable, and enthusiastic, she compares him to her father, and the scene (in this staging) NEVER paints Idomeneo as considering whether might abuse his power. The entire interaction by Idomeno/Davislim, all the looks are completely appropriate and YES THANK YOU it is not that difficult.

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    2. i wasn’t concerned as much about her action as his potential reaction.. and as you said here, because they staged him in a non-abusive non-toxic way.. because it could have gone quite wrong depending on how they decide to have a male character reacts to such a touch.

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        1. staring at the caps, obviously.
          but, in tenor’s defense, he is pretty non-toxic for a tenor. Every Tamino is less feminist than this.

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    1. Bell sells this really well, that bit of idealism and vulnerability – often the Elettras remain kind of detached in this scene, but it hits home so much more if she lets her guard down here and isn’t all plotting victoriously.

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    1. would take a walk on the beach with Elettra and build her a sandcastle: 10/10

      – oh, look at the lesbian couple of employees she has, sitting on the suitcase.

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      1. while i dream of being the dancer leading the contralto… (not in this opera.. because i just learned about it in detail only today, need more time to build it into dream)

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  39. also, bare feet and flat shoes and the entire opera takes place in Cape Cod on the beach: we just need a couple of Golden Retriever and this would be a lesbian holiday commercial.

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    1. Idomeneo, because he doesn’t want to sacrifice Idamante, orders him to go on a cruise with Elettra to bring her home to Mykene. Elettra is DELIGHTED.
      Idamante keeps scanning the crowd for Ilia, and does not want to leave.

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      1. many thanks for the explanation 🙂
        sorry i ‘m not doing my homework.. but the singing and music is so engaging there’s not enough time to read libretto.
        i’d go with Elettra , though i’d also like Idamante in the boat too. i’m now a bit conflicted about Ilia , but may be by the end of the opera i would change my mind and asks her to join the boat too.

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  43. If Harding did never anything else than conduct Idomeneo and the occasional DonG, that would still be a very, very worthwhile use of his time

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    1. and the way Idamante looks at Ilia like he just can’t believe his luck. Plus the handing over and reading the letter.
      (Still smiling stupidly)

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      1. the letter handing, the Idamante close-up with that questioning, hopeful look, and the way she puts her hand over her mouth -….this must be one of the most adorable love scenes of all times.

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  56. Bondy sculpts out the dynamic so well here – all the little shifts. Completely not like Verdian soprano/tenor “let’s hold hands, remain standing here and shout at each other for 5 minutes never trying to react to anything in more detail”

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  61. all these small moments – first, that JDD-level handkiss, then Idomeneo handing over the sword, Idamante walking off like tiny defiant General Nelson, Ilia wanting to run after him, and Elettra holding her back, both out of jealousy and out of a pragmatic sense of propriety that Ilia does not have in this moment…

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    1. just realized he was this year’s Rhadames in Salzburg opposite Netrebko?!
      I guess someone has moved away from Mozart over the years.

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    3. the high priesto of Neptun who wants to know who the sacrifice is, so they can get it over with and have the sea monster (sent by Neptun) retreat.

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            1. because otherwise we wouldn’t have an opera?
              But yes, you’re right. He was afraid, and weak, and now he is sorry.

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            6. That’s the point, and it is not so easy to identify with him for this reason. And wasn’t stuff like this this also part of the reasons opera seria was replaced, when people wanted stories that was nearer to their own world?

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  65. It’s so heartbreaking who he tells who the victim is… :,( and it is so simple and quiet. Less is definitely more here.

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        2. he says he is okay with being sacrificed if it saves the island, and at least it wasn’t that people (including his father) didn’t love him).

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  68. the recit is pretty fantastic in orchestration, though.
    also fantastic. Bacelli sitting down among rocks. Something about the angles/tension…

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  70. and the “okay, I die, no prob, but please look out for Ilia!”. Not entirely healthy perhaps, but at least not toxic.

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        1. yep, God say, “Alright, I give up, you marry your cute lesbian, ILia, and take voer the kingdom, Idomeneo has to retire.” but first, Elettra, gets the BEST aria of the evening!!

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          1. the scene is great per se, but Bell is really, really good, too, because she can still absolutely do clean piani, too and not just the big drama.

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    1. bigger, too.
      you don’t say no to Elettra, or she will hog the stage for 7 minutes straight and go mad.
      (is the the moment where I finally admit that this dress is distracting?!)

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    1. Idomeneo can be a realy bleak wartime thing, and all that, but this production is of the “faith in humanity thanks to adorable mezzos and their gang” sort.

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      1. done re-reading comments round 1. good night to you all (day for me here). thanks for pushing me to finally see this! i know it’s suuuuuper adorable. my trouble has always been that the soprano starts and her voice is always too piercing for me that i have to turn off due to headache (argh.) so coming along with the lovely crowd helps tremendously!

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          1. jeah, i admit i didn’t hear her recit well at all during the beginning of act III because it was too high for me… same hurdle i have with Lucio Silla and la finta del giardiniera.. (even with Mitridate, i was very lucky that PP’s voice was suuuupppper warm for the ears, and recalled when i first heard MP it was also really giving me headache..) .. I think sopranos in Mozart in general is quite difficult for me except for a few..

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  89. This is going to be a really cute comment. You have been warned.

    did she really just say that.

    *cloud 9*

    letter scene

    the dance

    follow the lead

    one step closer –

    – dance continued

    *help*

    over the moon.

    everything about this is perfect.

    soprano to the rescue

    hands.

    still hands.

    we briefly interrupt our swooning for Emma Bell being fabulous.

    that look, I swear.

    siiiigh and silly smiles.

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