A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Idomeneo Ré di Creta
IDOMENEO RÉ DI CRETA, ossia Ilia e Adamante, an opera seria in 3 acts; music by Mozart. Composed at Salzburg in 1780, and produced at Munich, Jan. 29, 1781 (the 2nd day of Mozart's 26th year). The libretto was Italian, adapted by the Abbé Varesco (also author of that of 'L'Oca del Cairo') from a French piece of the same name by Danchet, which had been composed by Campra in 1712. Mozart's autograph is in the possession of André at Offenbach. Full score published by Simrock with Italian text. The opera contains a complete ballet in 5 numbers (autog. André) which has not yet been printed, but is announced for publication in the new edition of Breitkopfs.
Idomeneo has never been a favourite opera. The Allg. Musik. Zeitung during 50 years only chronicles 16 performances, and it appears never to have been put on the stage either in Paris or London. It has been twice newly arranged—by Treitschke (Vienna, 1806), and by Lichtenthal (Milan, 1843). Mozart himself felt that some improvements were wanted, as he speaks (Letter, Sept. 12, 1781 ) of rewriting the part of Idomeneo and making many alterations 'in the French style.'[ G. ]