Mozart - Mitridate, re di Ponto - La Scala, Milan & Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris

25 May 2025, 13:00

Mitridate, re di Ponto [K. 87 (74a)] was written in 1770 by a 14-year-old Mozart, and it was premiered at Milan’s Teatro Regio Ducale. On Sunday 18 May 2025, I played first trumpet in this work with Les Talens Lyriques under the direction of Christophe Rousset at Milan’s famous Teatro alla Scala. I first performed at this venue only a few months ago, with the English Baroque Soloists, also directed by Christophe Rousset. On this occasion, I travelled from the Göttingen International Handel Festival to Hanover and stayed in a hotel there. On Saturday 16 May 2025, I started the day in Hanover, rehearsed in Paris with Les Talens Lyriques, and travel to Milan with the group that evening—meaning that I had had breakfast in Germany, lunch in France, and dinner in Italy that day!

This performance of Mitridate, re di Ponto featured Levy Sekgapane (Mitridate), Jessica Pratt (Aspasia), Olga Bezsmertna (Sifare), Rose Naggar-Tremblay (Farnace), Maria Kokareva (Ismene), Alasdair Kent (Marzio), and Nina van Essen (Arbate). The opera featured simply astonishing singing from beginning to end, with incredible accompaniment by the continuo—principally Korneel Bernolet (keyboard) and Emmanuel Jacques (violoncello).

One of the outstanding obbligato movements, ‘Lungi da te mio bene’, featured the principal horn player of Les Talens Lyriques, Jeroen Billiet (performing, in Milan, on his birthday):

‘Jeroen Billet's horn obbligato in “Lungi da te mio bene” treated us to a spectacular performance, his duet with Bezsmertna mesmerising.’ - Laura Servidei, Bachtrack

One week later, Sunday 25 May 2025, we reprised the performance at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris (with Vanessa Goikoetxea as Sifare). It was wonderful to perform in this iconic venue again, after an enjoyable performance of Louise Bertin’s Fausto here almost two years ago.

I had never before performed this Mozart opera; it is one that I hope I will return to again one day, though it is hard to imagine how these performances could be bettered!

Russell Gilmour

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