A misassumption about opera
(Please note that I'm not a scholar in opera, these are just my person views that can be wholly wrong. I'm an amateur, so take with a grain of salt).
There's an assumption that some operas are not relatable because the stories are of gods and kings. They are of tales that take place in faraway kingdom and in ancient times. What would the modern audience understand of divine favors and rights? That is why "realistic" operas like La Boheme or Jenufa are often lauded as being the best- they are relatable. I will be the first to freely admit that stories of poor artists dying of tuberculosis and woman committing infanticide probably hit closer to home than Greek Kings and Roman emperors. Let me argue that this is a misassumption, however. Operas of gods and kings are very relatable.
For a few weeks, I was in a strange Wagner mood and was obsessed with Die Waulkrie. Out of worry for my mental health (I hate Wagner with a zealous passion), I went back to listening to my safety blanket of an opera: Mozart's Idomeneo. Like my other favorite Mozart opera, La Clemenza di Tito, it's generally not a favorite of the Mozart collection. In fact, in the play Amadeus, Mozart denigrates his own opera:
I don’t understand you! You’re all up on perches, but it doesn’t hide your arse-holes! You don’t give a shit about gods and heroes! If you are honest-each one of you-which of you isn’t more at home with his hairdresser than Hercules? Our your stupid Danaius, Herr Salieri, come to that! Or mine-mine! Idomeneo, King of Crete! All those anguished antiques! They’re all bores! Bores, bores, bores
In short, Idomeneo is about the prince Idamante who falls in love with the captured Trojan princess, Ilia. During a storm at sea, his father, Idomeneo, is the King of Crete who promised Neptune to sacrifice the first living thing he sees if he is allowed safety. Unfortunately, Idomeneo sees his beloved son. Drama~
Yes, it's a story of gods and kings. But these are mythical characters that the contemporary audience should know. Yes, Idamante is a prince, but it honestly doesn't matter what his station is. At his core, he is a man in love with a woman who rejects his affection (I mean rightfully, the Greeks did slaughter the Trojans). He is then rejected by his father who is trying to save his life by sending him away. Even in modern times, we use archetypes because it is shared culture. Shared archetypes allow us to know just enough of the plot to focus on something more important: the character's wants and desires, their fears and ambitions, their humanity expressed through music.
There's so much wonderful music of Idomeneo. The Act 1 finale has one of the best choral music of all times. There's bangers of arias all through out the acts. The music is just damn good. So it's surprising to me that my favorite part of the opera is a recitative. If you don't know what that is, it's not a song but a musical dialogue. It's dialogue that is kinda half-sung with an accompanying instrument.
So it occurs in the third act. Ilia has rejected Idamante many times even if she secretly loves him. Idamante approaches as he is ready to fight a sea monster. It is suppose to be a final goodbye. Distraught, Ilia begs him not to go because she must confess something.
My troubled heart cannot conceal from you my weakness; in my breast too much love and fear are mingled.
And it is this part that I love. It's pure hope. Pure yearning in musical form. The string stirs and Idamante almost refuses to give in to his hope: (The Italian is so beautiful here, so I included the untranslated part)
Odo? o sol quel, che brama Finge l'udito, o pure il grand'ardore M'agita i sensi, e il cor lusinga oppresso Un dolce sogno?
Do I hear aright? Or does my hearing only imagine what it longs for? Or does my ardent passion excite my senses so that a sweet dream flatters my oppressed heart?
And Ilia responds:
I love you! I adore you! And if you wish to die, grief will already have killed me before you can do so.
And the recitative ends and begins one of the most romantic duets. I will actually say that it is Mozart's best duets.
Everyone has experienced unrequited love or at least an unrequited crush. I relate to Idamante not because I am a prince, but because it is that essence of shared humanity. I have longed. I have yearned. I have hoped. So give these operas of gods and kings a chance.