The Operas of Mozart

5 weeks

Mozart must qualify as the most popular opera composer of all time. He wrote 4 of the 10 most popular operas of the present time. He started writing full scale opera while still a child, completing his last two within a few months of his early death in December 1791, at the age of 35. A selection of his operas which demonstrates the development of his powers is given below:

Mitridate, re di Ponto (age 14); Idomeneo (age 25); Die Entfurung aus dem Serail (age 26); Le nozze di Figaro; Don Giovanni; Cosi fan tutte; Die Zauberflote (written Aug/Sept 1791).
As well as using (audio and video) excerpts from these and other works, this course will put his operas into their social and historical context, examining some of the factors which influenced them. We will also look at Mozart’s collaborators, the early performances and the performers who first sang the lead roles.

How to apply for this course