# Operas by Mozart?



## Clouds Weep Snowflakes (Feb 24, 2019)

How many operas did Mozart compose? What would you consider the best and/or recommend? What do you think of "The Magic Flute" and how good is it?


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## marceliotstein (Feb 23, 2019)

Since Mozart started composing as a precocious child, and there is no absolute distinction between his many early experiments and his actual works, I don't think there is a clear answer to the question "How many operas did Mozart write?".

But I believe there are four operas considered stone-cold near-perfect masterpieces - "La Nozze di Figaro", "Don Giovanni", "Cosi Fan Tutte" and "Die Zauberflote" - and three more great ones in the repertory - "Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail", "Idomeneo" and "La Clemenza di Tito". I've seen the big four repeatedly and of course they're amazing - including "Zauberflote". I'm looking forward to catching "Tito" this season at the Met and I'm pretty sure I'll love it. I'd see any opera Mozart wrote, even the ones he wrote as a kid.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Here's a listing of Mozart's operas. How about _The Goose of Cairo_? :lol:


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

imo there are 5 great Mozart operas:
Giovanni
Flute
Cosi
Figaro
Seraglio


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I don't rate Zauberfloete as highly as the three Da Ponte operas. I would suggest listening to Zauberfloete and Don Giovanni and see which, if either, gets you hooked. 

N.


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## marceliotstein (Feb 23, 2019)

I think both Giovanni and Zauberflote are monumental in their own ways. Zauberflote presents a positive (though satirical) fable about the meaning of heroism. It gave us the great character of Papageno. The opera's origin within the realm of popular entertainment (without the help of imperial patronage) is also historically remarkable. As much as I love Don Giovanni, I would not rank Zauberflote below it.


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Mozart wrote a lot of operas - but is only known for seven of 'em. Quick: what d'you know of _Ascanio in Alba_, _Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots_, or _Lucio Silla_?

The best, I think, is _Don Giovanni_; watch the Joseph Losey film, which is both a good movie and good opera.

_Idomeneo_ and _Tito_ are also excellent. (I like opera seria and *GLUCK *more than most, though; YMMV.) _Tito_ is one of the three operas that makes me cry. (Someone once told me that the purpose of opera is to make you feel emotions; I have since tried assiduously to weep and mourn my way through _L'italiana in Algeri_, _Die Fledermaus_, and _The Mikado_. I have been thrown out of opera houses; my habit of falling to my knees, keening, and beating my breast - so to speak - is off-putting.)

_The Magic Flute_ is one of those strange German mishmashes of philosophy (Freemasonry + misogyny) and opera. It looks forward to Hoffmann, Weber, and Wagner; Goethe and Winter both wrote sequels. Not a pretty sight. Terrific overture; some great numbers; but I much prefer the Da Ponte comedies.


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