Idomeneo, a 1781 opera seria by Mozart, is based on the story of Idomeneus's return to Crete.
Spence's professional debut was in 1995 as Idamante in Welsh National Opera’s production of Idomeneo, conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras; he repeated the role later the same year in Munich after only one day of rehearsal.
Idomeneo | Italian and German title pages of the original libretto of Mozart's opera, Idomeneo |
The Idomeneo production, directed by Hans Neuenfels, shows King Idomeneo staggering on stage carrying a bag of the severed heads of Neptune, Jesus, Buddha and Muhammad and placing each on chairs; a departure from the libretto, in which the action is set in the aftermath of the Trojan War.
On 14 June 2008, the theatre re-opened with the premiere performance of a new production of Mozart's Idomeneo, staged by Dieter Dorn, conducted by Kent Nagano.
A singer of unusual longevity, Gedda has been active well into his late 70s; in May 2001 he recorded the role of the Emperor Altoum in Puccini's Turandot and the role of the High Priest in Mozart's Idomeneo in June 2003.
He was opposed by the nobility but supported by the burgesses and yeomanry, and the king had Kraus write the suite for this occasion, consisting of a march based on the March of the Priests from Mozart's Idomeneo, and a symphony.