"L’Enlèvement au Sérail" ("The Abduction from the Seraglio") by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Friday 22 March (gala), Tuesday 26 March, Thursday 28 March, at 8 pm and Sunday 24 March, at 3 pm Opéra de Monte-Carlo - Salle Garnier
Singspiel in three acts
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Libretto by Gottlieb Stéphanie le Jeune, based on the libretto by
Christoph F. Bretzner for the operetta Belmont und Constanze oder die
Entführung aus dem Serail (1781) by Johann André.
Creation: Vienna, Burgtheater, 16 July 1792
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Background:
While Gluck reigned supreme on French stages with his lyric tragedy and polished declamation, the young Mozart opted for a radically different path as he sought to conquer Vienna. At the request of Emperor Joseph II, he composed a turquerie based on a text by the director of the Burgtheater, sure to prove popular with audiences with the recent victory against the Ottoman Empire inspiring mockery of the personalities of the Sublime Porte's sovereigns. Although the "Abduction" belongs to the Singspiel genre, Mozart gives free rein to his imagination, giving the main characters arias that are as technically demanding as they are spectacular. The work is an irresistible meeting between the light-heartedness of the theatrical scenes, and the glittering yet profound beauty of his music. There is some debate among experts as to how the Emperor replied to a Mozart impatient for his verdict. Tradition has it that he said "Too many notes, dear Mozart!". On closer inspection, it might perhaps have been "What an extraordinary quantity of notes, dear Mozart!", in which case our contemporary ears are entirely in agreement with those of the old sovereign.