Mozart

explore Oh Susanna The Wise Women of Mozart In Mozarts opera houses, as in his life, says Anat Sharon of the Department of Literature, Language and the liberal arts at the Open University, women or else than men ar the ane and except(a)s who come come on on top and who win our hearts. Mozart slamd and treasured women in his individualised life and this was reflected in his operas. Through brilliant musical interpretations, his sympathetic, vividly-drawn portraits stag audiences love even the nigh evil of women. Mozarts fascinating, complex female operatic characters argon more than simply great musical creations.They be cases reflect the value Mozart himself placed on the women in his ain life. The women who were influential in Mozarts personal life were his mother Anna maria his talented sister Nannerl his cousin Maria Anna the char whom he loved in his y divulgeh, Aloysia Weber and her sister, his beloved wife Constanze. in the dramatic design of the plot. He didnt just receive accomplished texts he also placed his personal stamp on the characters. cardinal outstanding example of a musical image of a woman that is actu all(prenominal)y opposed to the text is the Queen of the Night in The delusion Flute.In the story, her character is absolutely a negative one. But Mozart gave her the most beautiful, some(prenominal)-loved arias that make the audience adore her. Thanks to Mozarts music, an image that could easily have been colored is in fact something more than more complex. In a upstart lecture, Anat Sharon discussed the way that Mozart depicted women on stage rising above all(prenominal) test that men subject them to. Clearly, Mozart related to the women differently from the way he related to men. According to Anat Sharon, Mozarts attitude to women can be considered both in terms of their standing in society s a entirely and in terms of his personal life. Mozart himself was open-minded and awargon of the lack of justness and equalit y in the feudal society in which he open up himself. In the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg, where he followd and worked as a musician, he was considered no more than a kind of servant. It is clear that this social order shock him not only with regard to what he considered his own servitude, but also with regard to women. Therefore, sometimes women in his operas work together to protect their interests against the phrase enemy men. 1 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at piano ith muses by Hausleitner (Lebrecht Music and Arts) There is no doubt that the depictions of women in Mozarts operas are deeper, broader and more interesting than the depictions of men. The question is how more than of this slant is due to the librettist and how much to Mozart himself. According to Anat Sharon, In the operas Mozart wrote with librettist Lorenzo da Ponte, The unification of Figaro, Cosi fan Tutte and Don Giovanni, Mozart was a full partner Anat Sharon explains, One of the most idealized feminine characters of all in Mozarts operas is in fact not a noblewoman but a servant. That isSusanna in The Marriage of Figaro. Although traditionally in the commedia dellarte, servants are more full of life and wit than their employers, Susanna is much more than this. She is an intelligent woman who knows how to read, write and play music. In one scene, Susanna and the Countess sit and together write a letter in which they servicing catch the Count in his betrayal. The countess dictates and Susanna writes an example of 2 women working in harmony against men. The music also reflects the relationship between the two. They sing a soprano dyad in which the countess sings and Susanna eplies. The melodies and words are so intermingled that it is well-nigh impossible to determine which woman is singing which melody. In effect, the two beseem one. Though this is not explicitly severalised in the libretto, the Research this is all in their imaginations, but in All Women Do That (Cosi Fan Tu tte), it turns out to be true when the men are not near them, women are untrue. According to Anat Sharon, Even in Cosi Fan Tutte, Mozarts sympathies are on the side of the women. Here, the men set a test of loyalty and the women, who originally hadnt position of betrayal, are swept away.This also happens to the men, so that in fact, not only do all women do that but men too. This is apparently sympathetic nature. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozarts opera Le Nozze Di Figaro (Tristram Kenton/Lebrecht Music and Arts) music is depicting a state of equality between the two in Mozarts eyes, even though they snuff it to two different social levels. This is seen even more clearly in Mozarts decision to write an aria for Susanna to sing to seduce the Count, which is actually a serenade. A woman singing a love serenade is unheard of. Susanna is behaving similar a man, trying o forge her own path in life. There had been nothing like this in the world of opera, until Mozart, since women were thought a t the time to lack the intellect and capacity for rational thought that would modify them to manage their lives for themselves. Mozart knew this well, because he had a personal example at home. Constanze was real shrewd and had initiative and good business sense, as can be seen by how well she established herself and their children after Mozart died penniless. She guarded his heritage, helped publish his plant life and was instrumental in the writing of his first biography. In contrast to the women in Mozarts operas who are very aware, men in the operas tend to be rather confused. It seems that Mozart didnt value men very highly, especially compared to women, who in his eyes were constantly more complex and interesting. The male characters in the operas are more one-sided. In The Magic Flute, the only character whom the audience supports wholeheartedly is Papageno, the birdcatcher, who touches our hearts with his simplicity and innocence. In all the operas, men are convinced t hat women are explosive betrayers. Generally, In spite of the good ending, there s no doubt that the pass along is subversive and there is an expression of something like feminism. Although the opera seems to indicate that women are dependent on men for love, in fact Mozart does not resolve with what is written in the libretto. He makes his own contribution to the different characters by musical characterization in his operas. Another excellent example is the duet that opens The Marriage of Figaro. Figaro is measuring the size of the room where he and Susanna will live after their marriage while Susanna is trying on her wedding lens hood in front of the mirror.He is pleased with the room she is less so. They sing a duet composed of two separate tunes his, staccato in buffo stylus hers, lyric and sensitive. The audience is made to wonder how on earth these two will ever live together compatibly if they sing in two completely different musical languages. It is also clear from t he music, that she is the one who will set the tone in their marriage. And that is indeed what happens in the opera Figaro dances to her tune. In such a way, in both the operas and in much of Mozarts personal life, do men dance to womens tunes. 1 1