The honey-voiced Scottish tenor Paul Agnew, one of the ensemble's star singers, takes the title role, with Norwegian coloratura mezzo Tuva Semmingsen as the king's son, Idamante. Sopranos Claire Debono (an alumna of Christie's Jardin des Voix) and Violet Noorduyn sing Ilia and Elettra; tenor Carlo Allemano portrays Arbace and the High Priest of Neptune; bass Simon Kirkbride is the Oracle.

The "concert staging" (movement and acting, but no scenery) is by director Elsa Rooke, and, of course, Christie will be conducting the Chorus and Orchestra of Les Arts Florissants.

The tour began last Saturday (August 19) at the Festival de Peralada in Spain and continues tonight and Friday (August 25) in New York City at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater as part of the Mostly Mozart Festival. After a brief end-of-summer break, Idomeneo will visit the Septembre Musical de l'Orne festival in France (September 9), the Lingotto in Turin (September 11), the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona (September 13), the Th_ê¢tre des Champs-ê_lys_es in Paris (September 15) and the Op_ra National de Lyon (September 17).

More information about this Idomeneo and the rest of Les Arts Florissants' 2006-07 season is available at www.arts-florissants.com.