Mozart and Don Giovanni

The story of Don Juan / Don Giovanni would have been well known to audiences by the time Mozart wrote his opera in 1787. In addition to plays written for theatre performances, the Don Juan story was used as a source for popular entertainment and was performed by troupes of travelling players at fairgrounds and carnivals. It was during these performances that many of the comic elements were introduced or expanded. On occasion, the Leporello character became more important than the hero.

By the early 18th century, the Don Juan story was sometimes used even for puppet shows. The first opera on the Don Juan theme was performed in 1723 and several more followed.

In 1786 Mozart’s opera The Marriage of Figaro was performed in Prague and was extremely well received. As a result of its popularity, Mozart was commissioned to compose a new opera for the following season. The Don Juan story was already a favourite with Prague audiences, and Mozart and Lorenzo da Ponte (his librettist) decided it would provide a suitable plot for the new work.

Da Ponte finished his libretto in June 1787. Following a rehearsal period during which both librettist and composer continued making changes, the score was finally completed on 28 October 1787 – the day before Don Giovanni received its first performance in Prague. Indeed, the Overture was not completed until the evening of the premiere, leaving the orchestra no time to rehearse it. Mozart conducted the first performance himself.

Mozart continued to augment the score, adding two new arias for the Vienna premiere the following year, but Don Giovanni was an instant success, the Prager Oberamtszeitung reporting: 'Connoisseurs and musicians say that Prague has never heard the like.'

Mozart - Life and Times
Mozart and Patronage 

Mozart - Life and Times

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria on 27 January 1756. He was christened Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus but adopted Amadeus as his name of choice. He was one of seven children but only he and his older sister survived. Their father, Leopold, was an accomplished violinist and composer and was employed by the Archbishop of Salzburg.

A musical prodigy

Wolfgang's extraordinary musical ability became apparent at a very early age. He learned the harpsichord at four, began composing when he was five, and played for the Empress of Austria by the time he was six. His sister was a talented musician too and their proud father arranged a three-year tour of the courts of Europe which saw the siblings playing before Louis XV in Paris and George III in London. At the age of nine, Wolfgang wrote two symphonies to be performed in London. Wolfgang's travels with his father continued well into his teenage years and provided an excellent opportunity for Wolfgang to become acquainted with the very best music by the very best composers of the day.

Honorary Appointment

In 1773 he was given an honorary appointment at the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg but was deeply unhappy there and frequently rowed with his employer until he was fired in 1781 (see Mozart and Patronage).  In 1792, against his father's wishes, he married Constanze Weber.

A Viennese Idol

In Vienna, Wolfgang was now without a permanent employer or patron and consequently had no regular salary. He was dependent on public performances, private teaching and composing - and composing , of course, was dependent on commissions. Mozart's early years in Vienna were very successful. He became the idol of the Viennese public and his piano concertos, in particular, provided a steady income.

Hard times

By the mid-1780s the situation was very different. By the beginning of 1787 Wolfgang and Constanze had fallen on hard times: Mozart was less popular with the public and there were fewer concerts and commissions to be had as a result of increased competition from other composers. Wolfgang was reduced to begging for support and loans from his freemason friends.

Triumph over adversity

Despite these hardships, the last few years of Mozart's life saw the birth of some of his finest works including symphonies 39, 40 and 41 ('Jupiter'); horn concertos 1, 3 and 4; Eine Kleine Nachtmusik; the operas Il nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte, La clemenza di Tito and Die Zauberflöte; the famous Clarinet Concerto and the unfinished Requiem.

Final days

By 1791 the situation appeared more promising. But this change of fortune came too late: in mid-November, Wolfgang fell ill, becoming progressively weaker until he died in the early hours of 5 December. The exact nature of the illness has never been determined and many theories have been advanced, including suggestions that he could have been poisoned. Whatever the cause, we know that he was buried in an unmarked communal grave for paupers.

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Mozart and Patronage

Mozart was born in an age when survival as a composer depended absolutely upon receiving some form of patronage, generally from the church or from the aristocracy. The composer was treated as a servant, was required to dress as a servant, eat with the servants and live in servants’ accommodation.

Mozart was given an honorary appointment at the court of Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo of Salzburg but would grow increasingly unhappy with his role. Mozart had to write music that met with Colloredo’s approval: masses for church, chamber music for whatever combination of instruments was available and pieces to celebrate birthdays or anniversaries. Mozart continued to seek more suitable employment. To this end, in 1777, he travelled to Paris accompanied by his mother. Following his mother’s death, however, he returned to Salzburg and to the Archbishop’s court.

The relationship with his overbearing employer became increasingly strained until, in 1781, Mozart was fired, largely because the Archbishop refused to let Mozart play elsewhere. This was a significant event in the history of music and went a long way to end the patronage system making it possible for composers such as Beethoven to live as freelance composers.

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