I’m in rehearsals at the English National Opera, assistant-directing on a new production of Mozart’s Idomeneo. Katie Mitchell is directing. It’s turning out to be an incredibly sexy, dark and psychologically complex treatment of the story, brought bang up-to-date!

The story goes:

King Idomeneo returns from the Trojan War having been there for 10 years and probably having killed a lot of people. On the way back home to Crete his ship is caught in a storm; he makes an ill-fated vow to Poseidon, god of the sea, that if he lands safely on dry land he will sacrifice the first person he sees. Unfortunately that turns out to be his son. But wait – it’s also a love story! (of course – it’s opera after all…) Idomeneo’s son is caught in a bizarre love triangle with a Trojan princess bearing a huge grudge, and a maniacal bunny-boiler named Elektra…

I’m not gonna give away too much more, but if you’re curious about coming to see an opera told more like a thriller feature film and sung in English, then get a ticket to this one!

Click on the poster to link to the Idomeneo page on the ENO’s website: