Music
Idomeneo is considered Mozart's first "mature" opera — the first in which he displays his incredible talent as a vocal and dramatic composer. "Mature" also fittingly describes the central themes of the work, which include parental love, self-sacrifice, and the human struggle against the machinations of gods and fate. In light of the fact that Mozart was only 24 when he composed Idomeneo, his insight into the timeless questions we face is all the more striking. World-renowned mezzo-soprano Alice Coote joins host Merrin Lazyan to explore the themes of love and fate through the lens of Coote's character, Idamante. She also speaks candidly about the perils of dressing (and undressing) for a trouser role. Quartet from Act III (Matthew Polenzani, Alice Coote, Nadine Sierra, Elza van den Heever): This episode features excerpts from the following albums: Mozart: Idomeneo (Deutsche Grammophon, 1996)— Plácido Domingo, tenor; Cecilia Bartoli, mezzo-soprano; Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano; Carol Vaness, soprano; The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus conducted by James Levine Handel: The Choice of Hercules (Hyperion, 2001)— Alice Coote, mezzo-soprano; The King's Consort conducted by Robert King