# Question about librettos



## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

I'm a relative newcomer to opera, so bear with me if this is a dumb question. I noticed that the spoken portions in two versions of Die Zauberflote vary quite a bit (versions are the Covent Garden / Diana Damrau version and the Kathleen Battle / Kurt Moll / Luciana Serra version). Sometimes the changes are minor, other times they differ significantly - not only in length, but entire portions are different. How does one know which is the canonical version in such cases? Why are these changes made? Were the variations of the libretto written at the time, or are they generally done later and/or by others?

Thanks!


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## classidaho (May 5, 2009)

I think librettos were written prior to the first production.....but sometimes later there were many free for all revisions with no copyright laws for many compositions. 

Many great musicians/composers freely made numerous variations on works by their counterparts.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I think you'll notice freedom with the libretto particularly in the operas which have spoken passages of the Singspiel variety (Magic Flute, Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail) or opéra comique (Carmen). I've heard a bewildering variety of spoken dialogue in Carmen, eg from full blown explanations of Don Jose's past to a couple of words. And sometimes they use the recitative version too.


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

Didn't Otto Klemperer dismiss the spoken dialogue altogether in his recording of Die Zauberflöte?


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