Key Operatic Works by Mozart

Why This Matters

Mozart's operatic output from 1781 to 1791 isn't just a collection of beautiful music—it represents a fundamental transformation in how composers approached musical drama. You're being tested on your understanding of opera buffa versus opera seria, Enlightenment themes in music, the development of dramatic characterization, and the evolution of German-language opera. These works demonstrate how Mozart synthesized Italian and German traditions while pushing the boundaries of what opera could express about human psychology and social commentary.

When you encounter these operas on an exam, don't just recall premiere dates and plot summaries. Know why each work matters: What genre does it represent? What Enlightenment ideals does it explore? How does Mozart's approach to character and ensemble writing differ from his predecessors? The key to mastering this material is understanding that Mozart didn't just write operas—he redefined the relationship between music and dramatic truth.

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Opera Buffa: Social Commentary Through Comedy

Mozart's Italian comic operas revolutionized the opera buffa tradition by treating comedic subjects with unprecedented musical sophistication. Rather than simple farce, these works use humor to expose social tensions and psychological complexity.

The Marriage of Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro)

• Premiered 1786 in Vienna—based on Beaumarchais's controversial play that critiqued aristocratic privilege
• Class struggle drives the plot, with servants outsmarting their noble employers—a theme that resonated with Enlightenment audiences questioning social hierarchy
• Intricate ensemble finales showcase Mozart's innovation in weaving multiple character perspectives simultaneously, setting a new standard for operatic complexity

Così fan tutte

• Premiered 1790 in Vienna—the final collaboration between Mozart and librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte
• Tests the nature of fidelity through a cynical bet between two couples, challenging 18th-century assumptions about gender and romantic constancy
• Lyrical ensemble writing balances comedic situations with genuine emotional ambiguity, making the opera's moral stance deliberately unclear

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Dramma Giocoso: Blending Comedy and Tragedy

Mozart's Don Giovanni occupies a unique position, labeled by the composer as a dramma giocoso—a genre that refuses to stay within conventional boundaries of comic or tragic opera.

Don Giovanni

• Premiered 1787 in Prague—subtitled "dramma giocoso," deliberately mixing comedic and serious elements within a single work
• The libertine archetype challenges Enlightenment moral philosophy; Don Giovanni's unrepentant pursuit of pleasure ends in supernatural damnation
• Musical range spans from buffo comedy to terrifying drama—the stone guest scene's use of trombones and diminished harmonies creates genuine horror unprecedented in comic opera

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German Singspiel: National Identity and Enlightenment Allegory

Mozart championed German-language opera through the Singspiel tradition, which alternated sung numbers with spoken dialogue. These works helped establish a distinctly German operatic voice.

The Abduction from the Seraglio (Die Entführung aus dem Serail)

• Premiered 1782 in Vienna—Mozart's breakthrough German opera, commissioned by Emperor Joseph II to promote national opera
• Turkish exoticism reflects European fascination with the Ottoman Empire; Mozart incorporates alla turca musical elements including percussion and specific melodic patterns
• Virtuosic vocal demands, especially in Konstanze's "Martern aller Arten," demonstrate that German opera could rival Italian technical sophistication

The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte)

• Premiered 1791 in Vienna—Mozart's final opera, written for Emanuel Schikaneder's popular theater
• Masonic symbolism and Enlightenment philosophy permeate the work; the journey from darkness to light represents the triumph of reason over superstition
• Musical eclecticism ranges from folk-like simplicity (Papageno) to Baroque-influenced counterpoint (the Armed Men) to virtuosic coloratura (Queen of the Night)

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Opera Seria: Classical Tradition Transformed

Mozart's engagement with the older opera seria tradition demonstrates his ability to work within formal constraints while pushing toward greater emotional expressivity.

Idomeneo

• Premiered 1781 in Munich—Mozart's first mature opera, marking his transition from child prodigy to serious dramatic composer
• Conflict between duty and desire drives the plot; King Idomeneo must sacrifice his son to fulfill a vow to Neptune
• Orchestral sophistication exceeds typical opera seria conventions; Mozart expands the orchestra's dramatic role and creates more psychologically complex accompanied recitatives

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Quick Reference Table

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Self-Check Questions

1. Which two Mozart operas both feature supernatural intervention as a plot device, and how does the treatment differ between the seria and giocoso traditions?

2. Compare the social critique in The Marriage of Figaro with the psychological experiment in Così fan tutte—what does each reveal about Enlightenment attitudes toward class and gender?

3. If an FRQ asked you to discuss the development of German national opera, which two works would you choose and what specific musical features would you cite as evidence?

4. How does Don Giovanni's classification as "dramma giocoso" reflect Mozart's approach to genre, and why is this significant for the history of opera?

5. Trace Mozart's operatic development from Idomeneo (1781) to The Magic Flute (1791)—what shifts in dramatic approach, musical style, and philosophical content can you identify across this decade?