CCCXIII. MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791)
I choose the Livermore Valley Opera over Solti only because time and video quality has been unkind to older -- yet very good -- productions.
Technically not an opera, but a singspiel, written in German. [In this production, the spoken recitatives are in English -- a nice touch!]
The 18th-century view of Orientalism seems to have given some staid Europeans a chance to explore the forbidden idea of sexual liberty. In any case, it was mostly lascivious speculation about what a Turkish harem might be like ...
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This is also the opera that supposedly had the Emperor commenting that it had "too many notes." The story is dubious.
**
This is also the opera that supposedly had the Emperor commenting that it had "too many notes." The story is dubious.
**
The overture immediately strikes up the "Turkish-band" idea with cymbals, triangle and bass drum:
and then Mozart's previews the first aria (Belmonte):
Act 1
Belmonte is searching for his love, Constanze.
Osmin, the Pasha's servant, sings of faithful love, ignoring Belmonte.
Belmonte and Osmin argue.
Pedrillo -- Belmonte's servant, in love with Blonde, Constanze's servant -- pleads with Osmin, to no avail. "You'll have to get up early to get the better of me ..."
Belmonte reuinites with Pedrillo and they swear they'll rescue their sweethearts.
Chorus of Janissaries: "Raise songs to our great Pasha ..."
Constanze fends off the Pasha's advances ...
Pedrillo has tricked the Pasha into hiring Belmonte as an architect (do opera plots get any sillier?) ... Osmin tries to block their entrance, but they persevere in this C Minor trio ...
Act 2
It's Blonde's turn to rebuff the advances of her assigned lover, Osmin.
Osmin finally agrees to leave Blonde alone ... "but take my advice and stay away
from that rogue Perdillo ..."
Constanze gets another aria to display her deep sorrow:
Constanze faces torture for refusing the Pasha -- and here the coloratura writing sends her into the stratosphere ...
Pedrillo tells Blonde that Belmonte is coming to their rescue.
Pedrillo sings to boost his courage.
Pedrillo gets Osmin drunk, despite the religious prohibition ... "Shall I dare? Supposing Allah sees me?"
Belmonte declares his love for Constanze ("When tears of joy are flowing ...")
The couples reunite in a splendid Quartet ("at last the sun of hope is shining") ... the men make the mistake of questioning their ladies' fidelity ...
Act 3
Belmonte and Pedrillo plan their rescue with ladders
Pedrillo tries to get the harem girls' attention with a cute song about rescuing captive maidens:
Osmin catches them in the act. ("Ah, how I shall triumph when they lead you to the gallows ...")
Belmonte and Costanze are to be tortured to death. They sing a duet about suffering their fate together.
The Pasha changes his mind. Everyone can live happily. Even Osmin joins in: "Anyone who could forget so great a favour should be regarded with contempt."
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