La finta giardiniera
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote La finta giardiniera in Munich during January 1775. He was only eighteen years old when he composed the score for this Italian-language opera. The work received its first performance on the 13th of January at the court theater in Munich. Johann Nepomuk Cröner conducted that premiere with a cast including Augustin Sutor and Rosa Manservisi. This production marked one of Mozart's earliest major successes outside his native Salzburg. Critics have long noted how the music displays maturity beyond his years despite the composer's youth.
Mozart converted the original Italian version into a German Singspiel called Die Gärtnerin aus Liebe during 1780. He rewrote portions of the existing music to fit this new language and format. Until researchers discovered a complete copy of the Italian score in the 1970s, only the German translation existed as a full document. This adaptation process involved significant musical changes that altered the original structure. The discovery of the Italian manuscript allowed modern scholars to compare both versions directly. Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt conducted a notable recording of the German version in 1972 with the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra.
The Marchioness Violante Onesti returns to life after being stabbed by Count Belfiore in a fit of rage. She disguises herself as Sandrina while her servant Roberto becomes Nardo within the Podestà's estate near Milan. Arminda, the niece of Don Anchise, believes she is engaged to Belfiore but feels threatened when Sandrina appears. The garden setting features a wide staircase leading up to the mansion where these deceptions unfold. Sandrina faints upon hearing Arminda mention her engagement to the Count who once tried to kill her. Belfiore stands stunned before the gardener girl who bears his lost love's face.
Act One opens with Ramiro singing Se l'augellin sen fugge while expressing bitterness over Arminda's rejection. Don Anchise follows with Dentro il mio petto to confess his love for Sandrina despite her polite refusals. The sextet finale brings together six voices including Serpetta and Nardo in a complex ensemble piece. Act Two contains Crudeli fermate where Sandrina cries out in fear during her abduction into the wilderness. A second sextet finale occurs in the mountainous spot where characters mistake one another for their lovers. Act Three concludes with Tu mi lasci as Violante and Belfiore reunite after shedding their delusions about being Greek gods.
Leopold Hager conducted the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra for a 1980 recording featuring Julia Conwell as Sandrina. René Jacobs led the Freiburger Barockorchester in a 2012 production that included Sophie Karthäuser and Jeremy Ovenden. Andrew Parrott recorded Die Gärtnerin aus Liebe live in Munich during 2017 with the Munich Radio Orchestra. These recordings span from vinyl LPs issued in the early 1980s to digital CD releases by CPO in 2022. Emmanuelle Haïm directed an Opéra de Lille production captured on DVD and Blu-ray in 2014. Each version reflects changing performance practices over four decades of modern opera history.
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Common questions
When did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart write La finta giardiniera?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote La finta giardiniera in Munich during January 1775. He was only eighteen years old when he composed the score for this Italian-language opera.
Who conducted the premiere of La finta giardiniera on the 13th of January?
Johann Nepomuk Cröner conducted that premiere with a cast including Augustin Sutor and Rosa Manservisi. This production marked one of Mozart's earliest major successes outside his native Salzburg.
What is the true origin of the libretto for La finta giardiniera?
The libretto for La finta giardiniera remains a subject of intense scholarly debate regarding its true origin. Some sources attribute the text to Ranieri de Calzabigi, while others point toward Giuseppe Petrosellini as the actual writer.
How did Mozart convert La finta giardiniera into Die Gärtnerin aus Liebe during 1780?
Mozart converted the original Italian version into a German Singspiel called Die Gärtnerin aus Liebe during 1780. He rewrote portions of the existing music to fit this new language and format.
Where does the plot of La finta giardiniera take place near Milan?
The garden setting features a wide staircase leading up to the mansion where these deceptions unfold. The story occurs within the Podestà's estate near Milan.