List of operas by Mozart

Playbill for the opening performance of Die Zauberflöte, 30 September 1791

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's operas comprise 22 musical dramas in a variety of genres. They range from the small-scale, derivative works of his youth to the full-fledged operas of his maturity. Three of the works were abandoned before completion and were not performed until many years after the composer's death. His mature works are all considered classics and have never been out of the repertory of the world's opera houses.[1]

From a very young age Mozart had, according to opera analyst David Cairns, "an extraordinary capacity [...] for seizing on and assimilating whatever in a newly encountered style (was) most useful to him".[2] In a letter to his father, dated 7 February 1778, Mozart wrote, "As you know, I can more or less adopt or imitate any kind and style of composition".[3] He used this gift to break new ground, becoming simultaneously "assimilator, perfector and innovator".[2] Thus, his early works follow the traditional forms of the Italian opera seria and opera buffa as well as the German Singspiel. In his maturity, according to music writer Nicholas Kenyon, he "enhanced all of these forms with the richness of his innovation",[1] and, in Don Giovanni, he achieved a synthesis of the two Italian styles, including a seria character in Donna Anna, buffa characters in Leporello and Zerlina, and a mixed seria-buffa character in Donna Elvira.[1]

Ideas and characterisations introduced in the early works were subsequently developed and refined. For example, Mozart's later operas feature a series of memorable, strongly drawn female characters, in particular the so-called "Viennese soubrettes" who, in opera writer Charles Osborne's phrase, "contrive to combine charm with managerial instinct".[4] Music writer and analyst Gottfried Kraus has remarked that all these women were present, as prototypes, in the earlier operas; Bastienne (1768), and Sandrina (La finta giardiniera, 1774) are precedents for the later Constanze and Pamina, while Sandrina's foil Serpetta is the forerunner of Blonde, Susanna, Zerlina and Despina.[5]

Mozart's texts came from a variety of sources, and the early operas were often adaptations of existing works.[6] The first librettist chosen by Mozart himself appears to have been Giambattista Varesco, for Idomeneo in 1781.[7] Five years later, he began his most enduring collaboration, with Lorenzo Da Ponte, his "true phoenix".[8] The once widely held theory that Da Ponte was the librettist for the discarded Lo sposo deluso of 1783 has now been generally rejected.[9] Mozart felt that, as the composer, he should have considerable input into the content of the libretto, so that it would best serve the music. Musicologist Charles Rosen writes, "it is possible that Da Ponte understood the dramatic necessities of Mozart's style without prompting; but before his association with da Ponte, Mozart had already bullied several librettists into giving him the dramatically shaped ensembles he loved."[10][11]

Compiling the list

Mozart circa 1780, by Johann Nepomuk della Croce

Basis for inclusion

The list includes all the theatrical works generally accepted as composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In this context "theatrical" means performed on a stage, by vocalists singing in character, in accordance with stage directions. Some sources have adopted more specific criteria, leading them to exclude the early "Sacred Singspiel" Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots,[12] which they classify as an oratorio.[13] However, as Osborne makes clear, the libretto contains stage directions which suggest that the work was acted, not merely sung, and it is formally described as a "geistliches Singspiel" (sacred play with music), not as an oratorio.[14] The Singspiel Der Stein der Weisen was written in collaboration with four other composers, so it is only partially credited to Mozart.

Sequence

In general, the list follows the sequence in which the operas were written. There is uncertainty about whether La finta semplice was written before or after Bastien und Bastienne, and in some listings the former is given priority.[15] Thamos was written in two segments, the earlier in 1774, but is listed in accordance with its completion in 1779–80. Die Zauberflöte and La clemenza di Tito were written concurrently. Die Zauberflote was started earlier and put aside for the Tito commission,[16] which was completed and performed first and is usually listed as the earlier work despite having a higher Köchel catalogue number.

List of works

Note: Eng refers to English translation of title

Köchel No.[17] Year composed Title Language Type of opera[18] Librettist[19] Voice parts[20] First performance details[21]
K.35 1767 Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots, Part I[22]
Eng: The Obligation of the first and foremost Commandment
Score		 German Sacred Singspiel Ignaz von Weiser[23] 3 soprano, 2 tenor Archbishop's Palace, Salzburg, 12 March 1767
K.38 1767 Apollo et Hyacinthus
Eng: Apollo and Hyacinth
Score		 Latin Musical setting of a Latin text[24] Rufinus Widl, after Ovid's Metamorphoses 2 treble, 2 boy alto, 1 tenor, 2 bass, chorus[25] Great Hall, University of Salzburg, 13 May 1767
K.50[26] 1768 Bastien und Bastienne
Eng: Bastien and Bastienne
Score		 German Singspiel in one act F. W. Weiskern and J. H. Muller[27] 1 soprano, 1 tenor, 1 bass First confirmed performance: Architektenhaus, Berlin, 2 October 1890. Unconfirmed performance: Vienna, October 1768, in the garden of Dr Franz Mesmer.[28]
K.51[29] 1768 La finta semplice
Eng: The Feigned Simpleton
Score		 Italian Opera buffa in three acts Marco Coltellini, after Carlo Goldoni 2 soprano, 1 contralto (or mezzo-soprano), 2 tenor, 2 bass[30] Archbishop's Palace, Salzburg, 1 May 1769
K.87[31] 1770 Mitridate, re di Ponto
Eng: Mithridates, King of Pontus
Score		 Italian Opera seria in three acts Vittorio Amedeo Cigna-Santi, after an Italian translation of Jean Racine's Mithridate by Giuseppe Parini 4 soprano, 1 alto, 2 tenor[32] Teatro Regio Ducal, Milan, 26 December 1770
K.111 1771 Ascanio in Alba
Eng: Ascanius in Alba
Score		 Italian Festspiel[33] in two acts Giuseppe Parini 4 soprano, 1 tenor, chorus[34] Teatro Regio Ducal, Milan, 17 October 1771
K.126 1772 Il sogno di Scipione
Eng: Scipio's Dream
Score		 Italian Azione teatrale, or Serenata drammatica, in one act Metastasio, after Cicero 3 soprano, 3 tenor, chorus Archbishop's residence, Salzburg, probably 1 May 1772[35]
K.135 1772 Lucio Silla
Eng: Lucius Sulla
Score		 Italian Dramma per musica in three acts Giovanni de Gamerra, revised by Metastasio 4 soprano, 2 tenor, chorus[36] Teatro Regio Ducal, Milan, 26 December 1772
K.196 1774 La finta giardiniera

Eng: The Pretend Garden-Maid
Score

 Italian Dramma giocoso in three acts[37] Probably Giuseppe Petrosellini[38] 4 soprano, 2 tenor, 1 bass, chorus[39] Redoutensaal, Munich, 13 January 1775
K.208 1775 Il re pastore
Eng: The Shepherd King
Score		 Italian Serenata in two acts Metastasio, amended by Giambattista Varesco[40] 3 soprano, 2 tenor[41] Archbishop's Palace, Salzburg, 23 April 1775
K.345[42] 1773 and 1779 Thamos, König in Ägypten
Eng: Thamos, King of Egypt
Score		 German Choruses and entr'actes for a heroic drama Tobias Philipp von Gebler Chorus and soloists: soprano, alto, tenor, bass Kärntnertor Theatre, Vienna 4 April 1774 (two choruses); first complete performance Salzburg, 1779–80
K.344[43] 1779 Zaide
Eng: Zaide
Score		 German Singspiel (incomplete) Johann Andreas Schachtner, after Voltaire 1 soprano, 2 tenor, 2 bass, ensemble (mini-chorus) of 4 tenors, 1 speaking role Frankfurt (location unrecorded), 27 January 1866. Not performed during Mozart's lifetime.
K.366 1780–81 Idomeneo, re di Creta
Eng: Idomeneus, King of Crete
Score		 Italian Dramma per musica in three acts Giambattista Varesco, after Antoine Danchet 3 soprano, 1 mezzo-soprano, 4 tenor, 1 baritone, 2 bass, chorus[44] Court Theatre (now Cuvilliés Theatre), Munich, 29 January 1781
K.384 1782 Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Eng: The Abduction from the Seraglio
Score		 German Singspiel in three acts Gottlieb Stephanie, based on text by Christoph Friedrich Bretzner 2 soprano, 2 tenor, 1 bass, 2 speaking roles[45] Burgtheater, Vienna, 16 July 1782
K.422 1784 L'oca del Cairo
Eng: The Goose of Cairo
Score		 Italian Dramma per musica (incomplete) in three acts Giambattista Varesco (Provisional) 4 soprano, 2 tenor, 2 bass, chorus Théâtre des Fantaisies-Parisiennes, Paris, 6 June 1867. Not performed in Mozart's lifetime.
K.430[46] 1784 Lo sposo deluso
Eng: The Deluded Bridegroom
Score		 Italian Opera buffa (incomplete) in two acts Unknown. The libretto was once attributed to Lorenzo Da Ponte[47] but possibly may have been by Giuseppe Petrosellini.[9][48] (Provisional) 3 soprano, 2 tenor, 2 bass Théâtre des Fantaisies-Parisiennes, Paris, 6 June 1867.[49] Not performed in Mozart's lifetime.
K.486 1786 Der Schauspieldirektor
Eng: The Impresario
Score		 German Comedy with music in one act Gottlieb Stephanie 2 soprano, 1 tenor, 1 bass, 6 speaking roles Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, 7 February 1786
K.492 1786 Le nozze di Figaro
Eng: The Marriage of Figaro
Score		 Italian Opera buffa in four acts Lorenzo da Ponte, after Pierre Beaumarchais 3 soprano, 2 mezzo-soprano, 2 tenor, 1 baritone, 3 bass, chorus[50] Burgtheater, Vienna, 1 May 1786
K.527 1787 Don Giovanni[51]
Eng: Don Giovanni or Don Juan
Score		 Italian Dramma giocoso in two acts Lorenzo Da Ponte after Tirso de Molina 3 soprano, 1 tenor, 1 baritone, 3 bass, chorus Estates Theatre, Prague (also known as Nostitz-Theater and Tyl theatre), 29 October 1787[52]
K.588 1790 Così fan tutte
Eng: Women are like that or All women do that [53]
Score		 Italian Dramma giocoso in two acts Lorenzo Da Ponte 3 soprano, 1 tenor, 1 baritone, 1 bass, chorus Burgtheater, Vienna, 26 January 1790
K.592a 1790 Der Stein der Weisen
Eng: The Philosopher's Stone
Note: Pasticcio, co-composed with Johann Baptist Henneberg, Franz Xaver Gerl, Benedikt Schack and Emmanuel Schikaneder		 German Singspiel in two acts Emanuel Schikaneder 3 soprano, 2 tenor, 2 baritone, 1 bass, 1 speaking role Theater auf der Wieden, Vienna, 11 September 1790
K.621 1791 La clemenza di Tito
Eng: The Clemency of Titus
Score		 Italian Opera seria in two acts Metastasio, revised by Caterino Mazzolà 2 soprano, 2 mezzo-soprano, 1 tenor, 1 bass, chorus[54] Estates Theatre, Prague, 6 September 1791
K.620 1791 Die Zauberflöte
Eng: The Magic Flute
Score		 German Singspiel in two acts Emanuel Schikaneder 6 soprano, 2 mezzo-soprano, 1 alto, 4 tenor, 1 baritone, 4 bass, chorus Theater auf der Wieden, Vienna, 30 September 1791

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Kenyon, pp. 283–85
  2. 1 2 Cairns, p. 11
  3. ↑ Cairns, p. 17
  4. ↑ Osborne, pp. 191–92
  5. ↑ Kenyon, p. 302
  6. ↑ For example, Metastasio's text for Il re pastore had been written in 1751 and had been set to music before. Kenyon, p. 303
  7. ↑ Kenyon, p. 308
  8. ↑ From a letter to his father, circa 1774, quoted in Holden, p. xv
  9. 1 2 According to some recent scholarship, the unknown Italian poet responsible for the text is more likely to have been Giuseppe Petrosellini, who initially prepared it for Domenico Cimarosa’s opera Le donne rivali, 1780. Dell'Antonio, pp. 404–405 and 415
  10. ↑ Rosen 1997, p. 155
  11. ↑ For two instances in which Mozart coaxed his librettists into reshaping their work, see Die Entführung aus dem Serail (which quotes Mozart's correspondence on this point) and Giambattista Varesco.
  12. ↑ "Gebotes" or "Gebottes" are archaic spelling variants of the modern "Gebots" which is regularly used in the title.
  13. ↑ Kenyon begins his guide to the operas with Apollo et Hyacinthus (p. 287); Cairns more or less dismisses Die Schuldigkeit (p. 24), seemingly following the view of Edward J. Dent, quoted by Osborne, p. 27. Grove, also, does not list Die Schuldigkeit as an opera.
  14. ↑ Osborne, p. 26
  15. ↑ Both were written in 1768. The first performance of La finta semplice was delayed until May 1779, whereas Bastien und Bastienne may have been performed in October 1768. It is entirely possible, however, that La finta semplice was written first. See Osborne, pp. 37–38 and 45
  16. ↑ Osborne, p. 300
  17. ↑ Köchel numbers refer to the Köchel Catalogue of Mozart's work, prepared by Ludwig von Köchel and first published in 1862. The catalogue has been revised several times, most recently in 1964.
  18. ↑ Unless indicated otherwise, these descriptions are taken from the title pages of Neue Mozart-Ausgabe. In instances where the English meaning is unclear, an English equivalent is given
  19. ↑ Unless noted otherwise, librettist details are as given by Osborne: The Complete Operas of Mozart
  20. ↑ Voice part summaries are as given by Osborne. Additional notes indicate roles originally sung by castrati
  21. ↑ Unless noted otherwise, details of first performances are as given by Osborne.
  22. ↑ Part II is by Michael Haydn, Part III by Anton Cajetan Adlgasser. Osborne, p. 16
  23. ↑ Weiser is the most likely of several possible authors of the text. See Osborne, pp. 24–25
  24. ↑ Kenyon's description, p. 288, is "Music for a Latin drama"
  25. ↑ Premiered with an all-male cast, the soprano and alto parts being sung by boy choristers. Osborne, p. 32
  26. ↑ 1964 revised to K. 46b. "Köchel's Catalog of Mozart's Works". ClassicalNet. 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  27. ↑ The text was derived from a French parody, Les amours de Bastien et Bastienne, a work by Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Le Devin du Village, 1752. Kenyon, p. 291
  28. ↑ Dr Franz Anton Mesmer was the founder of the form of hypnotherapy known as "mesmerism". Batta, p. 343
  29. ↑ 1964 revised to K. 46a. "Köchel's Catalog of Mozart's Works". ClassicalNet. 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  30. ↑ The contralto or mezzo role was created by Maria Anna Braunhofer, who had sung a soprano role in the first performance of Die Schuldigkeit. Osborne, pp. 13 & 35
  31. ↑ 1964 revised to K. 74a. "Köchel's Catalog of Mozart's Works". ClassicalNet. 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  32. ↑ The soprano roles of Sifare and Arbate, and the alto role of Farnace, were written for castrati. Osborne, p. 59
  33. ↑ In Italian this translates to festa teatrale (Kenyon, p. 294). Osborne, p. 63, calls it a "pastoral opera".
  34. ↑ The soprano roles of Ascanio and Fauno were written for castrati. Osborne, p. 69
  35. ↑ Details of first performance are obscure. Osborne gives dates "29 April or 1 May", Kenyon, p. 296 says: "There is no record it was actually performed in 1772"
  36. ↑ The soprano role of Cecilio was written for a castrato. Osborne, p. 86
  37. ↑ Mozart prepared a Singspiel version, Die verstellte Gärtnerin, produced in Augsburg on 1 May 1780. The German version, now known as Die Gärtnerin aus Liebe, has remained popular. Kenyon, pp. 300–01, Osborne, p. 97
  38. ↑ The libretto was formerly credited to Raniero de'Calzabigi, revised by Marco Coltellini, but is now credited to Petrosellini. Kenyon, p. 300
  39. ↑ The soprano role of Ramiro was written for a castrato.
  40. ↑ Kenyon, p. 303
  41. ↑ The soprano role of Aminta was written for castrato. Osborne, p. 105
  42. ↑ 1964 revised to K. 336a. "Köchel's Catalog of Mozart's Works". ClassicalNet. 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  43. ↑ 1964 revised to K. 336b. "Köchel's Catalog of Mozart's Works". ClassicalNet. 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  44. ↑ The role of Idamante, originally written for castrato, was rewritten by Mozart as a tenor role in 1786. (Osborne, p. 155) Also, the role of Arbace is sometimes sung by a tenor
  45. ↑ One speaking role, that of a sailor, is absent from most modern productions
  46. ↑ 1964 revised to K. 424a. "Köchel's Catalog of Mozart's Works". ClassicalNet. 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  47. ↑ Osborne, pp. 208–09
  48. ↑ Sadie, p. 415
  49. ↑ According to Osborne, p. 207
  50. ↑ The soprano mezzo singers include the two servant-girls, either two sopranos or one soprano and one mezzo, who sing the duet "Amanti, costanti" in the Act III Finale. Osborne, p. 251
  51. ↑ The full name of the opera is Il dissoluto punito, ossia Il Don Giovanni, but as Kenyon (p. 326) states: "It is fruitless to argue against the habits of opera houses around the world".
  52. ↑ For the Vienna premiere, six months later, certain changes were introduced, mainly to accommodate the ranges of a different group of singers. Modern performances generally conflate the Prague and Vienna productions. Osborne, p. 268
  53. ↑ This is an approximate translation from the Italian. Cairns (p. 177) gives: "That is what all women do". The subtitle, La scola degli amanti, is more easily translatable as "The School for lovers". Cairns, p. 176, Osborne, p. 281
  54. ↑ One mezzo-soprano role, depicting the male character Annio, was originally a castrato and is now done by mezzos. The role of Sesto (Sextus) was originally written by Mozart for a tenor before he found out it had been assigned to a mezzo castrato.

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