The action takes place in the capital of Crete. At the beginning of the opera, the King of Crete, Idomeneo, is expected to arrive soon, returning after many years of fighting in the war with Troy.

Act I

Scene I introduces Ilia, a captive Trojan princess, Idamante, the son of Idomeneo, and Elettra, a princess from Argos who loves Idamante and would like Idomeneo, on his return, to give Idamante to her in marriage. But Idamante is in love with Ilia, though Ilia doesn't know it and laments that he loves Elettra, while she herself is in love with him, her captor and enemy.

Scene II: Idamante enters, and shows  that he in fact loves Ilia, who is now torn between her love for him and her loyalty to her country and her dead father and brothers. She won't encourage him. But Idamante says it's not his fault that they are were born on opposite sides in this conflict.

Scene III: As a pledge of his love for Ilia Idamante sets the Trojan prisoners free. Ilia and the Trojans are overjoyed and grateful.

Scene IV: However, Elettra is angry, saying how can you free these enemies and elevate one of them to within sight of the throne?

Scene V: Arbace comes to announce that the returning Cretan fleet, sighted some time ago and expected momentarily, has been destroyed by a raging storm. Idomeneo is lost, drowned at sea. Idamante is heartbroken.

Scene VI: Elettra is angry, seeing that Idamante as king will have the power to marry whom he wants, and he'll choose Ilia over her. This must not happen.

Scene VII: The storm blows up, and the townspeople sing of their terror at what the gods are inflicting upon them.

Scene VIII: A small group of frightened and exhausted Cretan soldiers stagger in, saved from the shipwreck: Idomeneo is one of them. He sings of their safe arrival on shore and dismisses the others, wanting to be a lone with his thoughts, which are black. He alone knows that the cause of their salvation is a vow he swore to Neptune that in exchange for preservation from drowning, he would sacrifice the first person to approach him on shore. Now he has to wait and find out who the unfortunate victim is.

Scene IX: Idamante enters, lamenting the death of his father. When he sees Idomeneo, he doesn't recognize him at first, nor does Idomeneo recognize Idamante, as the boy was very young when Idomeneo went off to fight in the Trojan War. Idamante offers consolation to this unknown survivor, seeing how troubled he is, and offers to help. When he speaks of his own grief and mentions Idomeneo, the king reacts even more sorrowfully, causing Idamante to reveal that he is grieving Idomeneo’s death, and that Idomeneo is his father. The king is horrified, and after revealing that he is in fact Idamante’s father, he spurns the embrace the boy offers and warns him not to see him again. He then leaves the shore.

Scene X: Idamante, confused between joy at his father's survival and despair at his rejection, laments what he fears is his own fault.

Scene XI: The townspeople rejoice in the safe return of their king, and turn out to cheer him. Idomeneo is introduced to Ilia and Elettra and made aware of Idamante’s magnanimity toward the Trojan prisoners. But he cannot bring himself to embrace his son, and turns away at the last instant, leaving Idamante heartbroken again.

Act II

Scene I starts with Idomeneo telling Arbace about his vow to Neptune and that the victim turned out to be Idamante. Arbace staggers in horror, saying, "Io vengo meno" (I grow faint). Arbace has probably been more of a real father to Idamante all the years Idomeneo has been away and surely loves the boy as a son, though this is not mentioned in the libretto. In any case, Arbace advises Idomeneo to send Idamante away and hope that that will save him. In his big number he reassures Idomeneo that he is willing to do anything he can to help.

Scene II: Ilia enters. She tells Idomeneo that she looks upon him as a father, having lost hers, and on Crete as her home. Idomeneo hears her with the growing realization that she is in love with Idamante and Idamante very likely with her.

Scene III: She leaves and Idomeneo gives vent to grief-stricken horror in "Fuor del mar," his big set-piece, in which he bemoans the fact that iff he is forced to sacrifice his son, not just one but three people will die -- "one by the sword, and two slain by grief."

Scene IV: Elettra comes on, ready to set sail for Argos. Idomeneo tells her he is going to fetch Idamante to accompany her on the voyage.

Scene V: Elettra is looking forward to having Idamante to herself on the voyage, believing that she can seduce him away from Ilia’s charms on the principle of "out of sight, out of mind."

Scene VI: The ship is ready; she is summoned to board. The chorus sings of a placid sea and encourages her to be off.

Scene VII: Idamante and Idomeneo arrive; the former to board the ship, the latter to see him off, still very reluctant to engage in any loving interaction with his son. Idamante is still heartsick, but more or less resigned to being rejected and sent away. The storm blows up again and prevents the ship from leaving; everyone is terrified at this new evidence of Neptune's disfavor. Idomeneo tells the heavens that he is the guilty party, that he is the one who should be sacrificed, not an innocent. But he is not heeded, and the crowd flees in terror of an approaching sea monster.

Act III

Scene I begins with Ilia’s love aria, in which she asks the breezes to tell Idamante of her love for him, and seems to be fantasizing about his answer.

Scene II: She becomes aware of Idamante’s presence and is confused and self-conscious. Idamante tells her he is going off to kill the sea monster, or die in the attempt. Ilia asks him to live, and confesses that she cares. He is overjoyed, and they sing a duet of rapturous happiness.

Scene III: Idomeneo, followed by Elettra, enters and sees the lovebirds, their embrace confirming his worst fears. Elettra’s too. He orders Idamante to leave, and the disconsolate prince departs. Not before the four of them sing of their various unhappinesses in the quartet "Andro ramingo e solo." Idamante wants to die a wanderer; Ilia wants to go with him and die with him if necessary. Idomeneo pleads with someone to end his pain by killing him, and Elettra wonders when she will have vengeance on the man who scorned her. All of them declare that it is impossible to suffer so much. Idamante goes to kill the sea monster.

Scene IV: Arbace arrives, announcing that the High Priest of Neptune wants to speak to the king. Elettra asks in an aside, "Qual nuovo disastro?" Idomeneo fears that he will have to confess that Idamante must be sacrificed. She, Ilia, and Idomeneo all follow Arbace to find out what the High Priest wants.

Scene V: Arbace is alone, musing on Crete’s problems.

Scene VI: Everyone gathers in the square to hear the High Priest. He describes the horrors being inflicted on the people of the city by the sea monster. He warns Idomeneo that Neptune is demanding a sacrifice, and seems prepared to destroy Crete if he doesn't get it. Idomeneo finally admits that it was his foolish vow that offered a human life in exchange for rescue from the storm and the shipwreck, and that the victim must be Idamante. The chorus takes up a commentary to the effect of, "How awful!" The High Priest begs that the heavens will stay Idomeneo’s hand and not require him to kill his own son.

Scene VIII: Triumphal music sounds in the distance, and Arbace enters with the news that Idamante has killed the sea monster. Idomeneo tells him he's still going to go through with the sacrifice.

Scene IX: Idamante enters, having finally learned the truth about his father's vow and his own fate. He forgives Idomeneo for his treatment of him and offers himself as the sacrifice. Idomeneo hesitates, almost loses his resolve, then raises the sword over the willing Idamante’s throat.

Scene X: But just as he is about to deliver the stroke, Ilia rushes in and stops him, and offers herself in Idamante’s place, saying that as she is a member of the Phrygian tribe and thus an enemy of Greece, he would do better to slay her.

But before he can either refuse or accept her offer, a great voice is heard out of the grotto of the shrine of Neptune, saying that the god has been appeased by Ilia’s willingness to sacrifice herself for the one she loves. Idomeneo is to hand his crown over to Idamante, who along with Ilia will rule Crete. Everyone is overjoyed at this oracular pronouncement, except for Elettra, who is outraged and displays her fury at losing Idamante in a wild aria, "D’Oreste, d’Ajace," in which she begs horned serpents to tear out her heart. She exits in a rage.

With Elettra gone, Idomeneo makes his last pronouncements as king. He declares peace, commends Idamante to the people as their king, and declares his joy at having such a worthy successor. Everyone joins in a hymn to Hymen, the god of marriage.

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