IDOMENEO - Styriarte

him and Idomeneo and Electra are driven to despair. The emotions
of all four protagonists collide in a quartet. In the end,
Idamante exits lonely and alone. Arbace comes with more devastating
news: Led by the high priest, the people have gathered
in front of the palace and call the king to account. Arbace is left
behind alone, sings about the hard fate of his homeland, and
begs the gods for mercy, at least for the prince. He still hopes
that a friendly god will have pity on the Cretans. In front of the
palace, the high priest makes himself the people’s leader: He
accuses the king and ultimately demands that the sacrifice be
carried out. Only now does Idomeneo confess to the Cretans
who the person is whose sacrifice is demanded: His own son.
The people are horrified and break out into a lament while the
high priest begs the heavens for mercy.
In the temple, the priests are preparing for the sacrifice. Idomeneo
is intoning the sacrificial prayer, when all of a sudden a
triumphal choir sounds in the distance. Arbace brings the news
that Idamante has killed the monster. And the prince appears
soon afterwards, but not as a triumphant victor. Instead, he
voluntarily offers himself as the sacrifice. In a long, tender
dialogue, he convinces his father to go through with the sacrifice.
However, the moment the king raises the labrys, Ilia storms
in and stops him: She herself is the true culprit, an enemy of the
Greeks, and she should be sacrificed. Suddenly, a loud noise rocks
the temple. A subterranean voice delivers the ruling: Love has
prevailed and has brought about the mercy of the gods. Idomeneo
is to abdicate, and Idamante is to take his place as king and
marry Ilia. Peace returns to Crete. Everybody is relieved except
for Electra. Overwhelmed by humiliating emotions, she falls to
her death. Idomeneo abdicates, proclaims peace to his people,
and enthrones the new couple. The Cretans celebrate their new
king and his wife by singing and a huge ballet.
11