Idomeneo K. 366, Ballet K. 367

Mozart’s seven great operas, his brilliant contribution to musical theater and world culture, are unequalled in their depth of human characterization and musical expression. Here we have the original score of one of the seven great operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791): Idomeneo. The full title of this Italian opera by Mozart is Idomeneo, re di Creta ossia Ilia e Idamante and the story revolves around Idomeneus, King of Crete and leader of the Cretan armies during the Trojan War. A commission of Prince-Elector Karl Theodor of Bavaria (1724–99), the work premiered in Munich on January 29th, 1781 and was directed by Mozart himself, who was 25 at the time. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Varesco (1735–1805), who collaborated with Mozart on numerous works, from a French work by Antoine Danchet (1671–1748). Thankfully, the original manuscript has survived in excellent condition.