Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Donald Macleod finds connections between Mozart’s operas and the composer’s own life

Born in 1756, the theatre was a life-long passion for Mozart. Starting at the tender age of just 11, in the space of 22 years he produced an astonishing 24 theatrical works. His destiny was to follow in his father’s footsteps, as a court musician. Instead, by 1781, after a disagreement over his frequent absences from court, Mozart parted ways with his employer, the Elector of Cologne. He left Salzburg and servitude behind, to set himself up in Vienna, a thriving centre for music. The following year he triumphed with his comic singspiel, Die Entführung aus dem Serail. The succession of works that followed include many of the mainstays of operatic repertory, among them The Magic Flute, which was completed in the year of his death, at the age of 35 in 1791.

This week Donald Macleod finds connecting points between the characters Mozart created for the stage and the composer's own experiences in life. He examines how Mozart struggled to be a dutiful son, and how he tackles honour and duty in Idomeneo, Lucio Silla and Mitridate. The ideas of enlightenment that influenced Mozart's own views find expression in the balance of power he depicts between servants and the ruling classes in The Marriage of Figaro. The composer’s thorny path to marriage with Constanze also finds him examining the complexities of love in Die Enführung aus dem Serail and Così fan tutte. Donald ends with Mozart's masterly representation of temptation and evil, as characterised by the ultimate bad boy Don Giovanni and the scheming and manipulative Queen of the Night.

Music Featured:

Overture to Le nozze di Figaro Le nozze di Figaro, Act 1: Cinque, dieci …. Se vuol ballare, Signor Contino La finta giardiniera, Act 1: Appena mi vedon Così fan tutte, Act 1: Scene 3 (excerpt) Don Giovanni , Act 1: Notte e giorno faticar Don Giovanni, Act 1: Ah! Chi mi dice mai...Madamina, il catalogo è questo Don Giovanni, Act 1: Champagne Aria Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Act 2: Martern aller Arten Le nozze di Figaro, Act 2: Esci ormai, garzon malnato …Signore! Cos’è quell’stupore? Le nozze di Figaro, Act 3: Hai già vinto la causa….. Vedró, mentr’io sospiro Don Giovanni, Act 1: Finale, Riposate, vezzose ragazze La clemenza di Tito, Act 1: Parto, parto Die Zauberflöte, Act 1: Bei mannern, weiche Liebe fühlen Idomeneo, Act 1: Estinto e Idomeneo ….tutte nel cor vi sento ..Pieta! Numi pieta! Così fan tutte, Act 1: Finale, Ah che tutta in un momento … Dammi un bacio Le nozze di Figaro, Act 2: Porgi Amor Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Act 2: Wenn der Freude Tränen fliessen … Ach Belmonte! ach mein Leben! Don Giovanni, Act 1: O sai che l’onore Lucio Silla, Overture Lucio Silla, Act 1: Dall sponda tenebrosa; E tollerare io posso; Il desio di vendetta Mitridate, Rè di Ponto, Act 2: Lungi da te, mio bene La Clemenza di Tito, Act 1: Come ti piaci imponi La Clemenza di Tito, Act 2: Deh per questo istante solo; Ove s’intese mai più contumace; Se all’impero, amici Dei Die Zauberflöte, Act 2:Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Act 1: Solche hergelauf’ne Laffen Le nozze di Figaro, Act 1: La Vendetta… via, resti servita Idomeneo, Act 3: Ha vinto amore …. d’Oreste, d’Aiace Die Zauberflöte, Act 1: Finale, Wie stark ist nicht dein zauberton ...Es lebe Sarastro! Sarastro soll leben Don Giovanni, Act 2: Finale II, Già mensa è preparata ... Ah dov’è il perfido?

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Johannah Smith for BBC Wales

For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000s8w7

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z