Classical Music / Opera
This opera, a German singspiel,
is about an attempt by the hero Belmonte, assisted by his servant Pedrillo, to rescue beloved Constanze from the harem of Pasha Selim.
Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio)
The Abduction from the Seraglio is an opera Singspiel in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German libretto is by Gottlieb Stephanie, based on Christoph Friedrich Bretzner's Belmont und Constanze, oder Die Entführung aus dem Serail. The work premiered on 16 July 1782 at the Vienna Burgtheater, with the Mozart himself conducting. It is a coincidence that the opera's heroine has a name almost identical to that of Mozart's future wife, Constanze, but one can only imagine that the sensuality in his music is in some sense dedicated to her (they married less than a month after the Seraglio's premiers. Who knows, perhaps Wolfgang Mozart saw in himself something of Belmonte. His arias are imbued with grace.
Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Setting: Turkey,
16th century, but often played in 18th-century dress.
Characters:
Constanze A Spanish lady (Soprano)
Video Credit:
Mozart Abduction from the Seraglio (Overture). Youtube, upoaded by koaonur. Accessed July 16, 2017. (Mozart - The Abduction From The Seraglio Overture "Die Entführung aus dem Serail"
Wiener Symphoniker Japan Tour 2006. Conductor : Fabio Luisi)
Mozart Abduction from the Seraglio (Entführung). Youtube, uploaded by Charles Fischer. Accessed July 16, 2017. (Finale: Vaudeville and Chorus sung on location at Topkapi)
Resource:
Quaintance Eaton's Opera Production, A Handbook. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 1962.
Note: This piece was originally published at Suite101.com sometime 2007, posted here July 16, 2015.
(c) July 2007. Updated July 16, 2015. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
This opera, a German singspiel,
is about an attempt by the hero Belmonte, assisted by his servant Pedrillo, to rescue beloved Constanze from the harem of Pasha Selim. Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio)
The Abduction from the Seraglio is an opera Singspiel in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German libretto is by Gottlieb Stephanie, based on Christoph Friedrich Bretzner's Belmont und Constanze, oder Die Entführung aus dem Serail. The work premiered on 16 July 1782 at the Vienna Burgtheater, with the Mozart himself conducting. It is a coincidence that the opera's heroine has a name almost identical to that of Mozart's future wife, Constanze, but one can only imagine that the sensuality in his music is in some sense dedicated to her (they married less than a month after the Seraglio's premiers. Who knows, perhaps Wolfgang Mozart saw in himself something of Belmonte. His arias are imbued with grace.
Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Libretto: In German by J.G. Stephanie the Younger, adapted from an original
libretto by Friedrich Breitzner's Belmonte and Constanze (1782, Vienna).
Opera: A comedy, in three acts. Approximately 130 minutes.
First
performed: Burgtheater, Vienna, July 16, 1772.
Characters:
Constanze A Spanish lady (Soprano)
Blonda Constanze's
maid (Soprano)
Belmonte
Constanze's lover (Tenor)
Pasha Selim (Speaking
Part)
Osmin
Selim's Overseer (Bass)
Pedrillo
Former servant of Belmonte (Tenor)
This work is a popular form, a German Singspiel, in which the action is primarily confined to spoken dialogue and the music limited to reflective arias and duets with occasional chorus. It is said that Mozart's music is simple and static, but still of great lyrical beauty. The fun and musical charm are still worth
it.
(Overture)
(Finale)
Brief Synopsis:
The overture has a "Turkish" march bearing with a fragment of Belmonte's opening aria.
Act 1. Outside the Pasha's palace by the sea. Act 2. Garden of the palace. Act 3. Outside the palace. Midnight.
Belmonte, a Spanish prince, gains admittance to the palace of Selim Pasha, where his beloved Constanze, her maid Blonde, and Belmonte's servant Pedrillo are held captive. Belmonte sings of happiness at the prospect of seeing Constanze who has been abducted off by pirates and being held captive in the palace. In a tremendous comic aria Osmin threatens to outwit Belmonte. Pedrillo finds Belmonte. Meanwhile, Constanze, longing for Belmonte, has continued to spurn the Pasha's advances on her, unaware of Belmonte's presence in the palace. She tells the Pasha she cannot love him because she is in love with someone else already. Pedrillo introduces Belmonte as an architect, Pasha welcomes him but Osmin the overseer is suspicious.
Osmin, vainly woos Constanze's English maid Blonde, who finds solace in Pedrillo's affection. Constanze pours out to Blonde her sadness in an accompanied recitative and aria. The Pasha enters and cautions Constanze that she must love him or torture awaits her. After the Pasha leaves, Pedrillo tells Blonde the great news of Belmonte's presence and their rescue plan at night. Blonde rushes with excited aria and informs her mistress. An attempt by the quartet of young lovers to escape begins successfully as Pedrillo persuades the vigilant Osmin to drink wine, actually to make him drunk which he does, then send him off to bed.
(Overture)
(Finale)
Brief Synopsis:
The overture has a "Turkish" march bearing with a fragment of Belmonte's opening aria.
Act 1. Outside the Pasha's palace by the sea. Act 2. Garden of the palace. Act 3. Outside the palace. Midnight.
Belmonte, a Spanish prince, gains admittance to the palace of Selim Pasha, where his beloved Constanze, her maid Blonde, and Belmonte's servant Pedrillo are held captive. Belmonte sings of happiness at the prospect of seeing Constanze who has been abducted off by pirates and being held captive in the palace. In a tremendous comic aria Osmin threatens to outwit Belmonte. Pedrillo finds Belmonte. Meanwhile, Constanze, longing for Belmonte, has continued to spurn the Pasha's advances on her, unaware of Belmonte's presence in the palace. She tells the Pasha she cannot love him because she is in love with someone else already. Pedrillo introduces Belmonte as an architect, Pasha welcomes him but Osmin the overseer is suspicious.
Osmin, vainly woos Constanze's English maid Blonde, who finds solace in Pedrillo's affection. Constanze pours out to Blonde her sadness in an accompanied recitative and aria. The Pasha enters and cautions Constanze that she must love him or torture awaits her. After the Pasha leaves, Pedrillo tells Blonde the great news of Belmonte's presence and their rescue plan at night. Blonde rushes with excited aria and informs her mistress. An attempt by the quartet of young lovers to escape begins successfully as Pedrillo persuades the vigilant Osmin to drink wine, actually to make him drunk which he does, then send him off to bed.
It is midnight at the palace. Belmonte
soliloquizes an aria about the power of love. Assisted by the ship's captain,
Pedrillo arranges the escape ladders. While all the escape process goes on,
Osmin the overseer rouses in time.
To keep the story short, the Pasha displays
unexpected clemency and allows all four to go. The finale takes a simple melody
of gratitude sung in turn by Belmonte, Constanze, Pedrillo and Blonde, and
repeated by the chorus.
Video Credit:
Mozart Abduction from the Seraglio (Overture). Youtube, upoaded by koaonur. Accessed July 16, 2017. (Mozart - The Abduction From The Seraglio Overture "Die Entführung aus dem Serail"
Wiener Symphoniker Japan Tour 2006. Conductor : Fabio Luisi)
Mozart Abduction from the Seraglio (Entführung). Youtube, uploaded by Charles Fischer. Accessed July 16, 2017. (Finale: Vaudeville and Chorus sung on location at Topkapi)
Resource:
Quaintance Eaton's Opera Production, A Handbook. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 1962.
Note: This piece was originally published at Suite101.com sometime 2007, posted here July 16, 2015.
(c) July 2007. Updated July 16, 2015. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
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