(Photo: Genevieve Girling) In 1786, Mozart broke off from composing “La Nozze di Figaro” to pen a short ‘comedy with music,’ called “Der Schauspieldirektor,” for Emperor Joseph II at the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. Consisting of a mere five musical numbers connected by a copious amount of spoken text that pokes fun at the behavior of singers and the theatrical {…}
(Credits: Opéra National de Paris official website / © Fazil Berisha / Simon Pauly) La Monnaie has announced an updated 2020-21 season that is expected to begin in February. Here is the look. Opera A semi-staged version of Mozart’s Opera “Der Schauspieldirektor” will feature Mieke de Groote, Achille Ridolfi, Dietrich Henschel, Marie-Aurore D’Awans, Nadine Baboy, Hervé Loka Sombo, Lenneke Ruiten, {…}
(Photo: Michele Crosera) Contrary to popular rumor, it is very unlikely that Salieri and Mozart were on acrimonious terms, let alone enemies. As court composer to Emperor Joseph II, Salieri dominated Viennese musical society which he used to secure positions for Italian artists, which no doubt irritated the ambitious Mozart, but there is no evidence for any animosity between the {…}