Zayed (opera)

In 1778, Emperor Joseph II ordered the composition of a comic opera. Mozart began work on the opera in 1779 , but soon abandoned it to pay more attention to the composition of the opera Idomen, and did not return to this work. Soon, the score was lost, and again found in fragments of the widow of Mozart Constance in 1799 .

The premiere of the opera, which included the finale, completed by I.A. Andre , took place in Frankfurt on January 27, 1866 .

• Zayed - Soprano
• Gomac - tenor
• Allazim - bass
• Sultan Soliman - tenor
• Osmin - bass
• Zaram, guard captain - conversational role
• Four Slaves - Tenors

The action takes place in Turkey in the XVI century.

Zayed, the Christian captive of Sultan Soliman falls in love with Gomats, the slave of Soliman, which causes the anger and jealousy of the Sultan. With the help of Allazim, they try to escape, but to no avail. Lovers are sentenced to death. However, Allazim, who saved his life a few years ago, was pardoned, and prays for mercy towards the lovers ... On this the opera breaks off.

"Zayed" contains elements of comic opera and opera-seria, which is rare for that time; in addition, it is Mozart’s only work where there is a melodrama - a dramatic monologue accompanied by music.

Perhaps the only known number from this opera is Zayed’s aria “Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben”.

Act 1

• 1. Brüder, lasst uns lustig sein - Slave Choir
• 2. Melodrama
• 3. Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben - Zayed Aria
• 4. Rase, Schicksal - Gomats Aria
• 5. Meine Seele hüpft vor Freuden - Duet of Zayed and Gomac
• 6. Herr und Freund, wie dank ich dir! - Aria Gomats
• 7. Nur mutig, mein Herze - Allazim
• 8. O selige Wonne! - Tercet of Zayed, Gomac and Allazim

Acte 2

• 9. Melodrama and Der stolze Löw 'lässt sich zwar zähmen - Soliman’s Aria
• 10. Wer hungrig bei der Tafel sitzt - Osmin’s Aria
• 11. Ich bin so bös als gut - Zoliman’s Aria
• 12. Trostlos schluchzet Philomele - Zayed's Aria
• 13. Tiger! Wetze nur die Klauen - Zayed 's Aria
• 14. Ihr Mächtigen seht ungerührt - Aria of Allazim
• 15. Freundin! stille deine Tränen - Quartet of Gomac, Zoliman, Allazim and Zayed

• 2006 Nikolaus Arnoncourt , Concentus Musicus Orchestra, Vienna : Florian Bösch, Anton Scharinger, Diana Damrau , Michael Schade , Rudolf Schushing.
• 2004 Paul Goodwin , Academy of Early Music Orchestra, London : Olaf Bär, Lynn Dawson, Hans Peter Blochwitz, Herbert Lippert.

Turks on the European scene appeared in the XVII century. ^[1] when, after a visit to the court of the French king Louis XIV of the delegation of the Turkish Sultan, the comedy-ballet Moliere and Lully was born with her famous scene of initiation into "mothers". In the 18th century, the so-called “ operas of salvation ” came into vogue (singles with dramatic intrigue and an unexpectedly happy ending). The action, as a rule, took place in the Sultan’s harems, where the Christian captive, rescued by her beloved, fell. At the same time, in the spirit of the French enlighteners, the European “spoiled” civilization (in the person of the Lover) and the “wild” but natural nobility (in the face of the Turkish Sultan, Pasha, etc.) were contrasted. So, in 1735 in the opera of Jean-Philippe Rameau “Gallant of India”, the generous Turk forgives the crimes of his enemy and returns his beloved to him. In 1777, the opera by Michael Haydn “Zayed” based on the novel by Voltaire was presented in Salzburg, and in 1782 Mozart himself wrote and staged the opera “ Abduction from the Seraglio ”. A court composer of the Russian Empress Catherine II Vasily Pashkevich composed a similar plot. His opera "Tunisian Pasha" was composed in 1783 , but its music has not reached our days.

• Musical score

• Christoph Yew. The Turk on the Opera Stage: A History of a Musical Cliché. - GRIN Verlag, 2010 .-- 124 p.