Mozart's operas are breathtaking, even in this day and age. Read this article for an introduction to his more famous operas.
Mozart is renowned as one of the best operatic composers in history. But what makes his work so great? Lovers of opera will tell you that although they can't put their finger on it, there is something in the music that makes Mozart immortal. In his most famous opera, this "something" can be defined as a sense of his characters, the musical whole and theatrical timing.
The trait of Mozart's operas that set them apart from all others is their simplicity. They almost lead you to believe that you could write an opera yourself. However, under this simple structure is a craftily designed plan of the opera as a whole. Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro is one of Mozart's first and finest examples of this idea. Written with Da Ponte, the most famous librettist of the time, Mozart created a light-hearted, charming comedy that brought rave reviews from Vienna, where it opened, and later from Europe. The secret to this opera is its contrasts. The plot is extremely complicated, and its possible that even Mozart and Da Ponte never ironed out all the holes. A Count tries to seduce his lady's chambermaid, only to be brought short by an alliance between her and the entire cast, including a gardener, a crafty page and various ladies of the court. While the whole opera is a comedy, several arias bring audiences to tears on a regular basis, including the famous "Dove sono," sung by the Countess. Mozart's handling of the roles is wonderful, and one can tell that he has an expert touch with plot from the changes that he makes himself in the libretto. His orchestration mirrors his lightning changes in mood, to create an opera that hits every emotion and resolves almost seamlessly.
Mozart experimented with the idea of having one, main character in his operas. It is often the case that a cast of six or even eight runs the action in his most famous works. Cosi fan tutte is a good example of this. It is again of seduction and reconciliation, but in this opera, the role of the orchestra and ensemble is very important. There are a great deal of chorus pieces, and often the orchestra illustrates a mood before the scene has begun. Another famous Mozart opera, The Magic Flute, is a romp with this same idea in mind. There is a leading group of characters and an impressive orchestra accompaniment for this work.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Biography
Famous even in his own day for his symphonies and operas, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is remembered as a great musician.
There has probably never been a child born into the world of music with such genius as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Acclaimed as a composer of symphonies and operas, he is remembered as a man of magnificent talent. Those are the well-known facts. But did you know that in his short lifetime, Mozart composed fifty symphonies, the first one at age ten? Did you know that he was knighted by the Pope or that he performed for the King and Queen of England? Did you know that Mozart was famous in all of Europe but was buried in a pauper's grave?
As a three-year-old boy, Mozart played the clavier and composed his first piece for the instrument at the age of five. Nicknamed the "Golden Hope of Austria," Mozart was famous by the time he was six, giving public concerts to the masses.
Mozart's innate ability as a musician became increasingly apparent as he grew older. He was gifted with "perfect pitch." This meant that without the aid of a musical instrument or pitch pipe, he could sing any note on command. Other natural musical abilities were equally as compelling. For instance, it was not uncommon for the boy to pick up an instrument and play it without a single lesson. The violin and the clarinet were among his favorites.
It is interesting to note that Bizet objected to cutting the libretto for Carmen. He appeared to want to produce the work in its full form. While he allowed the creation of two other characters to increase plot, he stayed with the story's min line. Hints of Spanish sevillanas and havaneras can be heard in his music and rhythm. He followed traditions of setting operas in Spain, even though they were only about twenty years old at the time.
Bizet left a legacy of unfinished operas and musical scores behind at his death. It is said that the composer, while being brilliant, never established his own style. Whether this is the case or not, Carmen is perhaps the most popular opera around today, and several of his other operas are regular pieces for the Met, La Scala and Covent garden.
While Carmen is the composer's favored work, the interested listener might want to look at other operas of Bizet, specifically Calendal, El Cid, Clarisse, Harlowe, Ivan Le Terrible, Noe, Sante Genevieve, Templiers, and Monseiur Vasco De Gama.
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