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Three Mozart Operas To Watch Now
In continuing Mozart’s birthday month theme- here are three of my favorite operas composed by the prolific and famous musician. These three operas are available as opera talks by title or included in a talk that includes various operas under one theme.
In this opera, Mozart takes the famous Spanish tale of Don Juan and composes an opera to remember. From the downbeat of the overture, you can feel that many emotions are smoldering underneath the plot. Once the characters open Act 1, the action continues and never stops. The music keeps you stunned as the title character, Don Giovanni continues to lust over many women with no redemption in sight. After committing a crime in Act 1, one would think that the title character would retreat. Instead, Don Giovanni continues his quest for seducing as many wome as he can even if it means stealing a new bride. This opera is not to be missed.
2. Le Nozze di Figaro (1786) or
This comic opera is entertaining and quite satisfying to the ear. The music is glorious and easily depicts what’s happening on stage. Based on part 2 of a French trilogy by playwright: Beaumarshais, this opera intertwines wit and deception all to a funny and redemptive ending. What started out as a storybook love story between the Count and the Countess becomes an agonizing circumstance with the Count's infidelity. Although the original plan to embarass the Count fails, the Countess uses her intelligence to carry out a modified plan originally created by Figaro.
Die Zauberflöte or the Magic Flute (1791) Premiering a few months before the composer’s death, this allegorical plot is an ode to Mozart and the librettist, Emanuel Schikaneder’s interest in Freemasonry. The fairytale-like story involves Tamino’s quest to save the young lady he falls in love with through a portrait. Pamina is presumably stuck in a castle that Tamino can only conquer through various tests with his side-kick, Papageno. Pamina’s mother, the Queen of the Night deceptively convinces Tamino that she must be avenged by saving Pamina. While the abridged English version is performed- the German version is also available to watch. The Magic Flute is available in Opera Talks:
Love Duets at the Opera and in the
Villains in Opera Series.
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