Der Schauspieldirektor (The Impresario)
This work premiered in 1786 as part of a double bill alongside Salieri’s Prima la musica e poi le parole (“The music before the words”). Emperor Joseph II commissioned both works as a comic opera competition, pitting an Italian opera buffa against a German Singspiel. The plot of the opera itself focuses on a competition. Buff, an experienced singer who runs his own opera company, is auditioning three singers for roles in a new production of Mozart’s Bastien und Bastienne. His casting call attracts a variety of applicants. After the three contestants audition, they sing a trio taunting one another. Buff announces the results, and the four sing a conciliatory finale praising teamwork over selfishness. Our production of this work also incorporates Pedrillo’s aria from Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail, sung by Monsieur Vogelsang in his audition.
Bastien und Bastienne
Although the 12-year old Mozart had already written a sacred Singspiel (Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots) and a secular oratorio in Latin (Apollo et Hyacinthus), Bastien und Bastienne is his first actual opera. The overture sounds exactly like the beginning of Beethoven’s Symphony no.3 (“Eroica”), but it is unlikely Beethoven ever heard Bastien. The plot revolves around a romance between two shepherds, Bastien and Bastienne. When Bastien attracts the attention of a rich noblewoman, Bastienne grows jealous. She enlists the help of the local factotum and ostensible shaman Herr Colas. Colas’ antics initially imperil the lovers’ relationship, but eventually the two are reconciled.
