2025-26 Season > Mozart’s Idomeneo
Boston Baroque proudly presents its first-ever production of Mozart’s Idomeneo, a deeply moving opera exploring the tragic conflict between duty and love. King Idomeneo, having vowed to sacrifice the first living being he encounters after surviving a storm, faces a heartrending choice when that being turns out to be his own son, Idamante.
This fully-staged production features a stellar cast, including David Portillo as Idomeneo, Hera Hyesang Park as Ilia, Valerie Eickhoff as Idamante, and Wendy Bryn Harmer as Elettra. Under the direction of conductor David Bates, the performance brings to life Mozart’s rich orchestration, dramatic intensity, and lyrical beauty.
The opera will be performed at Boston’s Emerson Paramount Center, a beautifully restored 1930s movie palace located in the vibrant Theater District. The elegant Robert J. Orchard Stage, with its intimate 572-seat capacity and art deco design, offers an immersive atmosphere that perfectly complements the emotional depth and grandeur of Mozart’s masterpiece. Join us for this historic first presentation of Idomeneo by Boston Baroque, where myth, music, and heartfelt drama combine in an unforgettable operatic experience.
Estimated Run Time
3 HRS | One 20-Minute Intermission
Location
Robert J. Orchard Stage at the Paramount Center | 559 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111
CAST
Conductor
David Bates
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Idomeneo (tenor)
David Portillo
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Ilia (soprano)
Hera Hyesang Park
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COMPOSER
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
One of the most extraordinary musical geniuses in history, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart displayed prodigious talent from an early age, composing, performing, and astonishing audiences across Europe before reaching adulthood. His music—remarkable for its beauty, emotional depth, and formal perfection—helped define the Classical era and continues to captivate listeners worldwide.
Composed when Mozart was just 25, Idomeneo is often considered his first true operatic masterpiece. Written for the court in Munich in 1781, it reflects the young composer’s deepening command of dramatic storytelling, orchestral color, and vocal expression. Blending the grandeur of opera seria with a new emotional sensitivity, Idomeneo foreshadows the powerful character development and musical richness that would come to define Mozart’s later operatic works, including The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and The Magic Flute.
Through its exploration of fate, sacrifice, and mercy, Idomeneo reveals Mozart’s early brilliance in giving timeless human struggles a vivid musical voice.
