Wolfgang Amadè Mozart was a master of both the Italian operatic style and of German opera, or singspiel. A singspiel, performed in German and interspersed with spoken dialogue rather than sung recitatives, was intended for lower and middle class audiences and predominantly featured comic plots. This seminar will focus on The Abduction from the Seraglio (1782), with its scandalous Turkish harem, and The Magic Flute (1791), a fairy tale allegory of good and evil. These operas reflect some of the political and social issues of the time, including the Viennese obsession with things Turkish and the rise of the Masonic movement among Vienna’s artistic community. Mozart’s early efforts at singspiel also will be looked at, including his first, Bastien and Bastienne, written when he was just eleven years old.
Class Recordings:
Class 1 - Oct. 4. (Note you can fast-forward through the technical difficulties experienced approximately 1 hour into this session.)