Jean-Pierre Ponnelle and Nikolaus Harnoncourt have succeeded in turning
the stylized figures of the 'opera seria' into living, flesh-and-blood
characters. Written when Mozart was 14 and premiered at the Teatro Regio
Ducale in Milan in December 1770, "Mitridate" faithfully adheres to the
principles of the courtly opera seria. Such works were not expected to be
realistic, but admirable and impressive, filled with coloraturas, cadenzas
and vocal brilliance - much of it provided by castrati. Three of the roles
in "Mitridate" were originally written for castrati and cast here with
women (Farnace and Sifare) and a boy (Arbate). The production was filmed
at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, which was built by Andrea Palladio, one
of the greatest architects of the Renaissance.