Mitridate, Re di Ponto

It is set during the time of the Roman Empire, and King Mitridate’s kingdom, the land of Pontus, is located on the southern Black Sea coast. His beautiful young fiancée, Aspasia, also descends from a royal family; but his two mutually hostile sons wish the worst for the king and his princess. There are many kinds of inevitable conflicts, which flare up repeatedly and defeat any solution, especially in the times of war against the Romans. Mozart’s opera, composed exactly 250 years ago and probably the richest of his early opera works in musical terms, vividly portrays the fate of Mitradate and the other protagonists in a spectacular show of music and acting. The score is in the best of hands with Marc Minkowski and his Musiciens du Louvre.