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Idomeneo

Idomeneo is an Italian language opera seria by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Varesco from a French text by Antoine Danchet, which had been set to music by André Campra as Idoménée in 1712. Mozart and Varesco were commissioned in 1780 by Karl Theodor, Elector of Bavaria for a court carnival. He probably chose the subject, but  it might have been Mozart

Idomeneo, the King of Crete, is returning to Greece after years away at the Trojan War. On his way home, his ship sinks and he survives only due to the grace of the god, Neptune. In return, Idomeneo agrees to sacrifice the first mortal he finds. It so happens that the first mortal that rushes to see him is his own son, Idamente. Previously, to the dismay of Elettra, Idamente has fallen in love with Ilia, a Trojan princess. As Idomeneo is about to allow his own son to be sacrificed, Neptune intervenes and allows Idamente to survive as long as he is allowed to take over the thrown in place of his father.