Word: mozarts
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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Noble flop or neglected masterpiece? The question has followed Mozart's opera Idomeneo almost since its birth in 1781. Last week in Chicago the Lyric Opera voted for masterpiece, shoring up its case with the kind of virtuoso singing and playing that has made the company synonymous with excellence...
...coincidence, Idomeneo steps on land-and meets his son Idamante. Such subject matter is a problem for 20th century audiences, but not the only one. Idomeneo is written in the style of opera seria, the stilted, ritualistic 18th century Italian counterpart to opera buffa. Even by the time Mozart came of age opera seria was under attack by the reformers...
Nonetheless, the 24-year-old composer produced the best opera seria ever written. Indeed Idomeneo contains some of Mozart's greatest music, much of it achieved with effects that were novel then -and are striking today. In the awesome Act II storm scene, Mozart played with orchestral color like a would-be Romanticist. Never before had Munich heard the morose strains of muted brass. He also gave the chorus a vital role that would have been daring even by the standards of French opera. The arias of opera seria had traditionally been set pieces; Mozart often led the music...
...time, same place. "A Musical Offering by J. S. Bach," at King's Chapel, Sunday at 5 p.m., features performances on original instruments at baroque pitch with early tunings. Again in Jordan Hall, the NEC Faculty Chamber Music series begins on Tuesday at 8 p.m. The varied program includes Mozart's Trio for Clarinet and Piano, K. 498 and Ravel's Sonata for Violin and Cello. For info about any of these NEC concerts call...
Lynn Chang and Richard Kogan will draw you back to Harvard on Friday at 8:30 p.m., in South House, for the major musical attraction on campus this week. They are giving a free single performance of Mozart, Brahms, Prokofiev and Ysaye. These two Harvard talents are always exciting and moving. The Busch-Reisinger Thursday Noon Recital Series is always available; this week's a "Consort of early music." Dunster House Music Society rounds out the weekend with Bach on Friday and a Mendelssohn trio on Sunday afternoon...