Mozart’s operas are a product of the period in which he lived, the Enlightenment. Europeans were casting off the older forms of political life and social norms for a fresh view of the human condition. Mozart’s operas capture this new sensibility, yet they are dramatically and musically distinct from the works of his contemporaries. His operas are not polemical, nor are they revolutionary musically, but they reflect the changing mores and values. We will study Mozart’s operas with this perspective in mind. Abundant musical examples will be provided.
