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Mozart and His Operas
Mozart is famous as one of the finest operatic musicians in olden times. There’s something in Mozart’s music that makes him eternal. This “something” can be clearly understood as the intellect of his characters, the melodic whole and melodramatic timing. The peculiarity of Mozart’s operas that sanctify them from all others is their plainness. They nearly guide you to think that you could note down an opera yourself. Though, under this simple arrangement is a sneakily planned arrangement of the opera intact. The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart is one of his initial and premium illustrations of this plan. Mozart, along with Da Ponte, the most well-known librettist of the time, produced cheerful, delightful humor that brought enthusiastic reviews from Vienna, where it was released afterward from Europe. The underground to this opera is its disparity. The scheme is exceptionally complex, and even Da Ponte and Mozart under no circumstances likely resolved all the gaps. A Count tries to lure his lady’s chambermaid, merely to be taken down by a deal between her and the complete cast, including a gardener, a cunning contact, and many ladies of the courtyard. Though the entire opera is a comedy, quite a few solo vocals bring listeners to tears frequently, including the well-known Dove sono, which is sung by the Countess. The way Mozart has handled the characters is amazing, and we’ll find that he has a skilled stroke with the scheme from the changes that he makes himself in the lines. His orchestration reflects his swift mood swings, to create an opera that strikes every feeling and determines almost flawlessly (Mozart’s famous operas).
Cosi fan Tutte
Così fan Tutte is a humorous opera with a strange name. Così means like this or in this fashion, fan stands for do and Tutte means the Italian female adaptation for everyone. So the title can be translated as Like this do all (women) or In this fashion do all (women) or Women are all the same. It’s an embarrassingly entertaining opera, yet, had some of the greatest of the mastermind Mozart’s musical compositions. This opera was specially made to Mozart, in 1790, by Emperor Josef II subtitled The School for Lovers. The story was written by Mozart along with Da Ponte upon special assignment by Emperor Joseph II since Mozart’s earlier comedy Le Nozze di Figaro was a very big success. The basic plot of the opera is about an old philosopher and pessimist, Don Alfonso, who is dogged to show to his two young friends, Ferrando and Guglielmo, that their fiancées, Dorabella and Fiordiligi, are not faithful like any other woman. Alfonso, with the aid of the ladies maid, Despina, sets his scheme. He tells the ladies that their lovers, being officers, have been called on duty and introduces them to two Albanians who are Guglielmo and Ferrando in disguise. After some pressure, the ladies give in to the Albanian’s movements, and this forces Ferrando and Guglielmo to admit their defeat. Don Alfonso later reveals the plot to the tricked ladies and finally, they are prepared to accept their original lovers (Mozart Opera Cosi fan Tutte 2007). The entire plot’s origin is not actually known but many such comedies with the lady love’s faithfulness had come earlier and had been successful also. The best part about such a comedy was the possibility of such an incident happening. Otherwise, it would have become mere mockery. A convincing plot made the opera successful. Yet De Ponte’s satirical language was not so well received by the contemporary audience. Since the play involved 24 hours, a conspiracy between lunch and dinner time, the sexuality, scenes involving physical contact, the eccentric masquerade, and its switching of partners all helped create a feeling of dishonor and meanness. The audience was in shock to see that the upper-class women could be disloyal to their lovers. The Germans especially could not accept the theme at all. Beethoven, who loved Mozart’s music, was also no strange to such reaction. Due to all these issues, Così fan Tutte soon disappeared from the stages but it was revived in the early 1910s and highly acclaimed for Mozart’s sublime music (Fisher 2007 p. 251-252).
Le Nozze di Figaro
Beaumarchais’ play Le Mariage de Figaro, which was first acted upon in France, was prohibited in Vienna considered rebellious and contributing to revolution. Mozart’s opera Le Nozze di Figaro was based on Le Mariage de Figaro which he composed along with the Libretto Lorenzo da Ponte. This was their first collaborative effort. While Beaumarchais’ work concentrated on the political aspect, Mozart and da Ponte concentrated on the human aspects. da Ponte managed to influence Emperor Joseph II to remove the ban and let the opera be released in Vienna. The plot revolves around Figaro, steward of the Count who begins to neglect the Countess, Rosina, and trying to get other women one of whom is Figaro’s fiancée, Susanna. The entire plot unfolds in the Count’s house while the characters are very sophisticated. The most appealing fact about this opera is that it is completely based on human relations only. No divine influence or the sort is present and hence it is more simple and realistic which people can easily relate to (Mozart, Pack, Lelash, Ponte 1993).
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is less enjoyable when compared to Le Nozze di Figaro. It has some loose ends in the second act and is not as perfect as the first opera. Anyhow, the extravagant music and emotions give the opera irresistible energy. The music is fairly superior when compared to that of Le Nozze di Figaro. The story unfolds in a 24-hour time span in which Don Giovanni’s efforts to seduce is fought back with interference from retaliating victims of his offenses. They ask for revenge and a penalty for the immoral scrape. Don Giovanni slyly enters the building of Donna Anna where in a fight between her father, the Commandant, and Don Giovanni, the father is killed. Donna Anna swears retribution for her father’s murder. He then tries to seduce a young girl Zerlina which is upset by the unexpected interference of Donna Elvira who was seduced and promptly dumped by Don previously. Donna Elvira is unwavering to induce Don to restore their past love. His repeated attempts turn futile and finally he is given a chance to apologize which he turns down adamantly. Upon this, Don Giovanni is grasped by the Statute, and surrounded by fire he falls into Hell (Abert, Spencer, Eisen 2007 p.1107-1108).
Historical & Social Background
Vienna, while Mozart stayed there, was a big and happening city though not a beautiful one. After the Turkish attacks little was left undamaged and little was done to build up new buildings, shops, roads, and pavements. This left a very shabby image on travelers from whose comments we get to know whatever little we know about Vienna of the early 19th century. The city was crowded and very expensive and the suburbs were developing with factories and traders. The well-to-do would live in the city and would visit their own rest houses often for vacation. Mozart had to live in the city area due to his compulsion to work. He had to change his address quite a few times owing to a lack of money to support himself in the city. He would often move out of the city when he did not have enough money to spend. Mozart was working as a tutor to the high-class family’s pupils. Yet Vienna was the most important city of the Empire. The neighboring cities faced various natural and human threats and this attracted more people to Vienna. With a changing culture people were confused about whether to stick to the old style or to grasp the upcoming fashion. Many people started to think that clothes or attire describes a person’s status and personality. So they started going by a person’s appearance. Mozart has shown this in his opera Cosi fan Tutte where the ladies believe the disguised lovers are actually “Albanians”. Similarly, the well-to-do ladies were thought of as being faithful to their loves which they turned out not to be. So Mozart wanted to tell the public not to go by the appearance.
If we analyze the main male characters in the above 3 operas, Cosi fan tutte’s Don Alfonso, the Figaro of Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni, we find that the three men are very human. Don Alfonso, though a pessimist, tries to show his young friends that his point is correct by tricking the ladies into his act. But finally, he succeeds in re-joining them with their lovers. Figaro is more realistic with his inability to counter the Count directly. Again true love wins in this play also. Don Giovanni is a negative character who is a womanizer and gets punished eventually by God himself. In all the plays love and sex are given much importance considering the time the operas were initially released. Satire is the important characteristic of both Cosi fan Tutte and Le Nozze di Figaro. Physical contacts and sex were taboo or taken with much disgrace while Mozart and Da Ponte attempted to show the shameful face of the emerging man-woman relationships at the time. It was very realistic and very much happening though nobody wanted to discuss it. In Le Nozze di Figaro, while women control the activities and indicate the ultimate right, the men understand their farce and try to recover their solemnity. The characters are more human. Though Figaro is a comedy, it has very emotional and serious moments too. Da Ponte has shown the female characters to be very bold and beautiful. The Count, though selfish, gets some sympathy too (Mozart, Pack, Lelash, Ponte 1993). The immoral male characters, Leporello the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro and the Don Giovanni in Don Giovanni, whose repeated attempts to seduce women end them up in serious trouble (Abert, Spencer, Eisen 2007 p.1107-1108).
Musical Background
The combination of music with theatrical significance in Mozart’s ‘opera buffa’ is based on the theory of ‘form’. The basic factor underlying form in the traditional style is tonality since the anxiety and the energy of the music develop in large part from vocal differences. Mozart’s style is perfectly appropriate for theatrical demonstrations. This is due to the tonal or vocal contrasts rather than the melody or rhythm prevailing in 19th-century romanticism (Steptoe 1988 p.185-186). Mozart has composed his operas in a musical-based style rather than a dialogue-based style. The transitions from one plot to another are accompanied by long and sophisticated bands to advance the plot. All main characters are well emphasized through great music (Mozart, Pack, Lelash, Ponte 1993). Mozart has given ‘serious’ music to his positive male characters and has treated the music for the negative male characters as parodies. Comic situations are treated aptly by the great musician without failing to support the scenes. Mozart has tried a variety of music giving more importance to the tonal and harmonic contrasts. This is just the opposite of the then prevailing trend for melody. But serious music gave the impact required to support the characters and the pauses when the act was to change. Mozart’s music was applauded by one and all despite the grudges many had against the moral part of it.
Conclusion
Mozart is considered a genius musician who could compose music not just for the sake of melody but for the theatre too. His operas reflect a satirical approach to the changing relations and confusion regarding the appearance and personality of people that prevailed in his time. His music supported his operas to become a success even though they were considered disgraceful by the intellectual community due to the element of sex and immorality shown in the operas.
References
- Abert,H. Spencer,S. Eisen,C. Translated by: Spencer,S. 2007. W. A. Mozart. London: Yale University Press
- Fisher,B.D. 2007. Mozart’s Da Ponte Operas: The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi Fan Tutte.Boca Raton:Opera Journeys Publishing.
- Mozart’s famous operas. (online)
- Mozart Opera Cosi fan tutte.2007. (online). Web.
- Mozart, W.A. Pack.R., Lelash. M., Ponte. L.D. Translated by Pack,R. Lelash,M. 1993. Three Mozart Libretti: The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi Fan Tutte. New York: Courier Dover Publications.
- Steptoe. A. 1988. The Mozart-Da Ponte Operas: The Cultural and Musical Background to Le Nozze Di Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così Fan Tutte New York: Oxford University Press
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