Opera Seriað²ð‚ñœ to вð‚ñšmozartean Opera

The transition from “Opera Seria” to “Mozartean Opera” in the light of the Enlightenment

“Opera is a form of musical and dramatic work in which singers convey the drama” [and] “is part of the Western classical music tradition.” (“Opera”) Since there have to be a music and a theatre together at the same time for performing an opera, consequently there has to be a topic for acting which is accompanied by an orchestra that played a suitable topical music. These topics usually deal with the current situations of the country that they were created in. Since opera culture started to develop itself in Europe especially in Italy, it was influenced by the important historical events that was happening at that time, a lot. The thing which is needed to develop opera culture is developing opera composers’ and sketch writers’ intellectual level. There, the Age of Enlightenment answered this purpose.

Writers and composers became educated and enlightened people because they were influenced by the enlightenment principles. They gave importance for their self development and they followed the events and could criticize the situations in society logically. The Age of Enlightenment did not change only the society but their social life, too. There were changes in the construction of music and there was a reform for opera.

From 1710 to 1770s , Italy was very important and dominant in Europe, the operas which were performed were very alike since their subjects were similar. All of them were serious and dramatic, so they were generally called “Opera Seria” or “Dramma per Musica” or “Melodramma Serio” which were all important “Italian musical terms that refer to the noble and "serious" style of Italian opera.” (“Opera seria”) “Popular composers of opera seria [were] Alessandro Scarlatti, Johann Adolf Hasse, Leonardo Vinci, Nicola Porpora, George Frideric Handel, and in the second half of the 18th century Tommaso Traetta, Gluck, and Mozart.” (“Opera Seria”) Unfortunately Opera Seria, the most important form of Italian opera was about to lose importance with the reform for opera.

Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck, an important composer, was not satisfied with the Italian operas, both with Opera Seria and Opera Buffa. He found them unnatural, artificial, uninteresting, fossilised and stereotyped. “Gluck wanted to return opera to its origins, focusing on human drama and passions, and making words and music of equal importance, [he] brought about the practical reform of opera's dramaturgical practices that many intellectuals had been campaigning for over the years.” (“Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck”) His best and important work was an Italian and a French opera synthesis which is called IphigÐ"©nie en Tauride that showed the changes he wanted in opera form. With this new and different enlightened composer, a new age of opera was about to start.

Age of Enlightenment or in other words, Age of Reason is a period between 17th and 18th centuries. It was more dominant in 18th century and it became a movement in Europe. Enlightenment is about “the principles embodied by the major European thinkers of the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly Descartes, Locke, Hume, Boyle, Leibniz and Voltaire”. These enlightenment thinkers taught people very new thoughts which would not please the high class people in the future. They forced them to think of and question their situation deeply. In the documentary “The French Revolution”, it is stated that these thinkers asked some questions to public whether the hierarchy was natural, can it be changed, why some of them were aristocrats and some were not, can there be an equality in society. They wanted from people not to believe in dogmas, traditions, speculations or divine inspirations of the church, but to think logically, reasonably, intellectually, systematically and to make observations themselves with their knowledge.

Enlightenment was developing in France, Britain and Germany and started to influence the whole Europe. But in France, the events that were happening were not limited only with the age of enlightenment. The most important event in western history, very big changes in society were about to happen and the age of enlightenment triggered this situation. France, lead by their king Louis 16th Auguste de France and with his wife, the queen Marie Antoinette, was in a mess because of the strong hierarchy between classes. The commoners were dying because of hunger, while on the other hand, the nobility were not even aware of the terrible situation, they continue spending like nothing was happening. Commoners were forced to pay high taxes while aristocrats were not paying any. People could not take it anymore. Rebellians begin with the representative lawyer of the commoners, Maximilian Robespierre’s great leadership of ahead. In December 1792, Maximilian, at the king's trial, he told the citizens that Louis must die in order to make their country live. (“Maximilian Robespierre”) With these words of Maximilian Robespierre, French Revolution was significantly started. “In the future French Revolution would bring bread to the poor and democracy to France”. (“The French Revolution”)

On the other part of Europe a new and a very important age started for opera in 18th century just because of a 13 year old boy, Mozart. It was the time between 1750 and 1825 which is called the Classical Period of music history. Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was born in the 27th of January in 1756 in Salzburg. He never went to school, his father Leopold Mozart, a court musician, was his only teacher and at the same time who discovered his music ability. After discovering such a genius, his father wanted to popularize his son’s ability so the whole family went on long trips. They went from Salzburg to very important countries like Paris, Londra, Vienna...and introduce themselves to very important people. Slowly Mozart was becoming famous. During these trips, Mozart had many opportunities of developing himself because his father gave great interest for him so he guided him to every important musical and opera.

Mozart had an extraordinary ability such as he never forgot what he heard. In the documentary “In Search of Mozart”, Christopher Rousset, a conductor, states that “In Naples, [Mozart] went