Political Aspects Of Mozart's Opera Essay

Political Aspects of Mozart’s Operas
Music has been a medium for composers and musicians to express a multitude of feelings, concepts, ideals and other philosophical matters. This expression of the artists has literally been the push behind music and its creation thousands of years ago, and is what still influences music today along with all the time in between (DeNora). Starting with the transition of music from the Renaissance Era, music became more and more of a political device (The Birth). One of the largest genres of political music, especially within the Baroque and Classical Eras, would be Operas. Political undertones have been bounded to opera since its establishment over four-hundred years ago. L'Orfeo [Orpheus], the first successful
This mindset of women was reflected in many operas, often substituting rage as an “intensity of passion” according to Kristi Brown-Montesano (13). This trend was common among many composers and librettists of the time, greatly limiting the growth and development of female characters in the opera they have written (Brown-Montesano 14). Carbon copies of the same basic female character appeared in opera after opera, showing little signs of change from the character previous and to the character succeeding (Brown-Montesano 15). Mozart and his famed librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte would not stand for such an offense in their operas, insisting on the use of real characters within the confines of their operatic masterpieces. Their women would be able to seek harsh revenge for injustices, and were even brash enough to outwit their male counterparts (Brown-Montesano xxiv). Donna Anna is a prime example of a female character that broke through the mindless restrictions that appeared in opera after opera (Brown-Montesano 16). She was fueled with rage at her father’s death at the beginning Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni [Don Giovanni], and promised revenge on the man who had killed her father. This rage of Donna Anna’s is amplified by the fact that her father died while defending her honor, and is what motivates many of her actions throughout the
Today, Mozart’s active role in the Free Mason organization should come as no surprise. Over 20 of his works are dedicated or influenced by his Masonic beliefs (Oderberg). There is one work that stands out amongst the rest, though, showcasing the ideals of the Free Masons to the public. This work would be Die Zauberflöte [The Magic Flute] (Berner 17). The Magic Flute is saturated with rituals and symbolism of the Mason society. These secrets, which were supposed to be kept by its members, were revealed in a matter of hours (Berner 20). Perhaps the person to blame for this leaking of secrets would be the opera’s librettist, Emanuel Schikaneder (Berner 21). Schikaneder, like Mozart, was also a Free Mason. They attended a meetings together, and were well acquainted before their joined efforts on the masterpiece (Oderberg). An opera that outlined the basics of the Free Masons is exactly what was needed to help spread their cause (Berner 20). Revolutions where happening across the globe, and people were taking arms against the Monarchs of Europe. At the heart of these revolutions where the Free Masons, men who foresaw a future of merging classes (Berner 21). This prominent society of hardworking and forward thinking men gained supporters after supporters, and show casing their beliefs in an opera that thousands would see only increased the supported they already had (Berner 22). The Magic Flute was not the only