Die Entführung aus dem Serail

Die Entführung aus dem Serail was not often performed for many years, but it is now recognised as a major work in Mozart’s operatic catalogue. It was criticised in the past for the unevenness of its style, which is now hailed as a sign of pleasing diversity, and Constance’s noble tone and virtuosity are in perfect harmony with Blonde’s sparkling verve and Osmin’s mischievous streak. Die Entführung aus dem Serail holds a unique place in the composer’s oeuvre because it forms a bridge between two periods – Mozart was 26 when he wrote it – and we can detect spontaneity and youth but also his mastery of writing, which is already fully developed. 
The libretto is the culmination of a long history of literary plagiarism based on models in England (Dryden) and France (Marmontel). The subject matter, which is treated in the style of a “Turkery”, actually illustrates the very serious theme of the monopoly of powerful emotions which was often explored by the writers of the great French encyclopaedia who were known as the Encyclopédistes. This opera is characterized by faux exoticism, but also by subtlety and irresistible tenderness, and this cocktail would prove influential for Rossini at a later date.

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Coproduction Théâtre des Champs-Élysées | Insula Orchestra
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