Receiving the commission for Idomeneo

The only thing that brightened up for Mozart in 1779 had been a commission for a new opera from Munich. He was now 24. Idomeneo, who was now resident in Munich, had come as a commission from the Bavarian elector. Mozart had probably finished the recitations before he left home. Then he would have traveled to Munich to complete the arias only after meeting with the singers and practicing. Mozart was always keen to hear how a person would sing before he wrote them an aria.