On 30 January the Mariinsky II will host the premiere of a new production of one of Mozart’s rare masterpieces, Idomeneo, rè di Creta. The production is directed by Roman Kocherzhevsky, well known for his work in dramatic theatre. The majestic ancient myth will come to life in a visually rich performance enhanced by striking multimedia elements.
This new staging is timed to coincide with two major anniversaries celebrated in January 2026: the 270th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the 245th anniversary of the opera’s world premiere. Valery Gergiev will conduct. Further premiere performances will take place on 2 and 28 February (at 13:00 and 19:00).
The ancient myth of the Cretan king who came close to sacrificing his only son to the god Poseidon inspired many composers, yet it was Mozart’s Idomeneo, rè di Creta that achieved lasting fame. The opera received its world premiere on 29 January 1781 at the Residenztheater Munich. In Russia the work appeared already in the following century, with its first performance in St Petersburg dating from 1820. By the twentieth century opera seria as a genre was widely regarded as outdated, despite the genius of Idomeneo. In recent decades, however, interest in this score has grown steadily, and the opera has returned to leading stages worldwide.
Idomeneo, rè di Creta is among Mozart’s most innovative works. Rethinking and enriching the traditional forms of opera seria, the composer created a new type of heroic opera. The scale and psychological depth of the characters, the vivid theatricality and dramatic momentum of Idomeneo are no less impressive than the remarkable freedom and richness of its musical dramaturgy.
The new production is conceived for a broad audience. Experienced opera-goers will appreciate the harmonious synthesis of contemporary stage technologies with an homage to the classic Idomeneo staging by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. Those new to opera will discover the work’s strong educational dimension. The production seeks to demonstrate that beyond its outstanding musical qualities, Idomeneo also offers a genuinely compelling and gripping dramatic narrative – one made accessible through this new interpretation.
Audiences can expect not only visual cues and “guideposts” introducing the ancient world, but also an impressive multimedia design. Squares, harbours, cliffs and temples – these and other spaces will be vividly recreated on stage using large-scale screens, fully immersing the audience in the world of this great myth.
Cast includes:
Idomeneo – Gamid Abdulov, Alexander Mikhailov, Dmitry Voropaev, Igor Morozov, Sergei Skorokhodov
Idamante – Roman Shirokikh, Klim Tikhonov, Boris Stepanov, Evelina Agabalayeva, Ekaterina Sergeeva, Irina Shishkova, Daria Rositskaya
Ilia – Antonina Vesenina, Kristina Gontsa, Yekaterina Savinkova, Aigul Khismatullina, Yulia Suleymanova, Anna Denisova, Lyudmila Razumkova
Elettra – Zhanna Dombrovskaya, Inara Kozlovskaya, Anzhelika Minasova, Ekaterina Sannikova, Diana Kazanlieva, Oxana Shilova, Anastasia Kalagina
Arbace – Stanislav Leontiev, Yegor Chubakov, Yevgeny Akhmedov, Alexander Trofimov, Oleg Losev, Alexander Timchenko
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