Background of the Week: Mozart (1756-1791) and Opera

It might be said that the Lieder informs most of Schubert, and that every Tchaikovsky symphony is ripe with ballet. With Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, almost all is a sublime opera. The piano of his concertos is the protagonist, be it in either an opera buffa or seria; the slow movements of his string quartets are love arias and duets; and the last movements of his piano sonatas are the denouements of high comedies. Drama is the essence of Mozart and his characters express a universality of emotion akin to the gods of classic mythology. His music moves with an unparalleled grace and unveils its truths with a suppleness and subtlety only exceeded by Nature herself.

One of the greatest prodigies in music history, Mozart had the good fortune to be born in 1756 at a time when tonality and harmony in western music had evolved to a level of purity and sophistication that makes the 18th century the envy of more than one great composer born later. In 1776 he met Lorenzo da Ponte, a poet who could supply him with worthy librettos, and three great operas resulted: Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Cosi fan tutte. Mozart, as a successful opera composer and piano virtuoso, must have made a good bit of money at this time, yet he could hold on to none of it and changed residencies eleven times in nine years. He also became a Mason.

By the end of his life, Mozart was desperate for loans and commissions. The Magic Flute, to a Masonically inspired libretto, is for many the quintessence of Mozart, and was a great hit in the suburbs of Vienna. The money it should have brought in was too late. Mozart died of overwork and kidney failure on the 5th of December, 1791, while still ironically at work on the "Requiem Mass" for an unknown patron. He received the cheapest funeral possible and was buried in an unmarked grave. The body has never been found.

A complete list of Mozart’s operas: Apollo et Hyacinthus, intermezzo (K38, 1767); Bastien und Bastienne (K50, 1768); La finta semplice (K51, 1769); Mitridate, Rè di Ponto (K87, 1770); Ascanio in Alba (K111, 1771); Il sogno di Scipione (K126, 1771); Lucio Silla (K135, 1772); La finta giardiniera (K196, 1774); Il Rè Pastore (K208, 1775); Zaide (K344, 1779-80); Thamos, König in Ägypten (K345, 1773, rev. 1776 and 1779-80, incid. music); Idomeneo, Rè di Creta (K366, 1780-1); Die Entführung aus dem Serail (K384, 1781-2); L'Oca del Cairo (K422, 1783); Lo sposo deluso (K430, 1783); Der Schauspieldirektor (The Impresario) (K486, 1785-6); Le nozze di Figaro (K492, 1785-6); Don Giovanni (K527, 1787); Così fan tutte (K588, 1789); Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) (K620, 1790-1); La clemenza di Tito (K621, 1791).

Shameless Plugs:

• UC Alumni Chorus: “Vivat Regina!” Sunday, April 6, 3 PM, Hertz Hall (UC Berkeley campus). $15 general/$10 students, seniors, disabled; tickets available from Jody Ames or at the door. Jody says this is “A concert of music for coronations and queens, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth II. Purcell, Morley, Handel, Mozart, Britten, and much, much more. Some really gorgeous stuff. It's been a pleasure to prepare this music. I hope you can come.”
• San Francisco Choral Society: “Baroque Masters” Concert. The SF Choral Society performs Handel’s “other great choral work,” Dixit Dominus, and J.S. Bach’s Christ lag in Todes Banden, with professional soloists and the Jubilate Orchestra, on Saturday, April 12 at 8 pm, and Sunday, April 13 at 4 pm at Calvary Presbyterian Church (corner of Fillmore & Jackson Streets, San Francisco). Tickets are $25 for Front Orchestra (reserved), $22 for Rear Orchestra (reserved), and $19 for all other seats (general admission). $2 discount per ticket for students & seniors over 62. Tickets available via 415-392-4400 or http://www.sfchoral.org.
• Summer Workshop with John Poole. Choral conductor John Poole (of the BBC Orchestra and Indiana University) will offer a local workshop in the third week of June, with four rehearsals and a mini-concert at the end. Tuition is likely to be about $75 for the week. Please let Arlene know if you’re interested in this opportunity to work with an internationally known conductor!
• Duruflé Requiem. The Arlington Community Church choir would still love to have a few extra singers who are already familiar with this work for their performance in April. Wednesday evening rehearsals are short (8:30 – 9:30 pm), and take place at ACC, 52 Arlington Avenue, in the Fireside Room. For details, contact director Leslie Moorjani at 510-843-7745.