23 May-3 June 2004. For the Maggio Musciale Fiorentino, conducted by Ivor Bolton, directed by Graham Vick. Teatro della Pergola.

Mozarts Idomeneo, Re di Creta will be playing at the S. Carlo in Naples 21-29 May. It is the Pierluigi Pizzi version that inaugurated the Teatro delle Muse in Ancona in November 2002. This is an elegant production in black and white with an ever-present stormy sea and with beautiful special effects, such as a boat that sinks on the appearance of the sea god Neptune. The male protagonist is Kurt Streit, a Mozart singer known in Vienna and Salzburg. Among the female protagonists, for whom Mozart wrote some of the most beautiful arias ever, is Sonia Ganassi, in the part of Idamante. Ganassi not only sings operas by Donizetti, Bellini and Rossini but also manages to demonstrate her class with Mozarts works. Ilia will be interpreted by Angeles Gulin and the part of Elettra will be sung by Iano Tamar, a soprano with a strong temperament who has been absent from Italy for a while.

Another Idomeneo, Re di Creta is also being staged in Florence, 23 May-6 June for the 67th edition of the Maggio Musicale festival. It is a new production entrusted to the creative but sometimes too experimental director Graham Vick. Bruce Ford, who is capable of handling difficult vocalisation, is the protagonist. Ivor Bolton and the singers Monica Bacelli (Idamante) and Veronica Cangemi (Ilia) are also returning to Florence, after their parts in La clemenza di Tito in last years Maggio Musicale. Alexandra von der Weth (Elettra) is making her Florence debut. Paolo Di Nicola