18th Century Contexts

Question 1

Opera dates

Answer 1

• 1786: Figaro
• 1787: Don Giovanni
• 1790: Così

Question 2

Mozart on Marriage

Answer 2

• ‘she has no wit but enough common sense to fulfil her duties as a wife and mother.’ … ‘tell me whether I could wish myself a better wife?’
• He subscribed, however, to enlightenment view of marriage – based on love and individual choice – shown in his operas. (compared to old regime convenience marriages)
• E.g. Susanna and Figaro and Count and Countess (at least on her part)

Question 3

Marriage and Don Giovanni

Answer 3

• DG has a low opinion of marriage – happy to say he will marry Elvira and not follow through.
• Not the standard comedy that ends in marriage – Donna Anna still doesn’t agree to marry DO yet (for a year) and Elvira becomes a nun.

Question 4

Joseph II operatic reforms

Answer 4

• He personally supervised the court theatres of Vienna
• 1776: he dismissed the Burgtheater (primary Italian opera company) and replaced with Nationaltheater which would do German spoken drama, seen as more accessible
• Received poorly so by 1778 Singspiel was back
• 1783: reinstated Italian opera to Nationaltheater but only allowed for buffa
• Most successful opera buffa company for a while

Question 5

Joseph II Enlightenment reforms

Answer 5

• Generally: less power to nobility, Church; more religious and individual freedom.
• Tolerance for non-Catholic religions
• Toleration of freemasonry – Haydn and Mozart became part of the freemasons
• Greater freedom of thought
• Greater freedom of press; less censorship.
• Established the equality of all citizens before the law: privileges of aristocracy or clergy disappeared under this law
• Taxes on poor lessened
• N.b. class is a 19th century construction. 18th century Vienna talked about in terms of ‘ranks’
• But from later 1780s he overturned some of these (poor military decisions etc – became more authoritative)

Question 6

Englightenment and the operas

Answer 6

• Beaumarchais play full of Enlightenment sentiment e.g. Figaro monologue where he condemns the Count for not deserving his wealth/rank whereas Figaro has worked harder and with more skill
• Beaumarchais and Da Ponte both born in lower social ranks and underwent a social and name change; reflected in Figaro with the revelation that he is Rafaello and his father and mother are bourgeois figures (Bartolo is a doctor)
• Leporello first number when he complains about having to work and would rather be a gentleman.
• Figaro generally – idea that higher class is not better than lower and the implication that aristocrats should not hold absolute power over their servants

Question 7

Forgiveness in the operas

Answer 7

• Forgiveness reflects Mozart’s strong catholic faith
• Figaro end with Count and Countess
• Così as men forgive weakness of their fiancées
• Don Giovanni – crucially doesn’t repent even though Commendatore gives him the opportunity to

Question 8

Libertinism

Answer 8

• Originally philosophical – nobler version with arguing for freedom of thought; in hand with enlightenment.
• 18th century more playful version of libertinism – using power to find sexual gratification (aristocratic)

Question 9

Don Giovanni and Libertinism/Enlightenment

Answer 9

• Not libertine in philosophical sense but rather in sensualist sense. Man of excess/great appetite (drinking, eating, sex)
• His challenge to society is by-product of sensuality – sensuality guides and dominates his views, causing him to ignore opinions of society.
• Goes against enlightenment ideals of marriage but also of sex:
• Sex as neutral in enlightenment, considered natural, but problem arises when sexuality becomes excessive or undirected.
• Licentiousness shows that extremes of liberty can cause social disruption.
• 18th century philosophers reluctant to entirely renounce control of divinity (as DG does) because it keeps people under control, sexually