Mitridate, re di Ponto
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart stood in the city of Bologna during the summer of 1770. He was only fourteen years old when he began composing this opera seria. The musicologist Daniel E. Freeman notes that Mozart worked closely with his older friend Josef Mysliveček at this time. Mysliveček had prepared an opera called La Nitteti for production in Bologna. Their paths crossed in March 1770 when Wolfgang and his father visited the city. Mysliveček visited the Mozarts frequently while they stayed there. This friendship allowed the young composer to gain expertise from his mentor. Mozart incorporated specific musical motifs from Mysliveček into his own work. The collaboration shaped the early development of Mitridate, re di Ponto.
The Teatro Regio Ducale in Milan hosted the premiere on the 26th of December 1770. It was the height of the Milan Carnival season. A cast of castrati performed the leading roles under the baton of the fourteen-year-old composer himself. Pietro Muschietti played Arbate while Giuseppe Cicognani portrayed Farnace. Antoina Bernasconi sang Aspasia and Guglielmo d'Ettore took the title role. Critics doubted a boy of such tender age could manage such a complex score. Despite these doubts, the opera ran for twenty-one performances. This success proved the young prodigy's capabilities to the Italian public. No revival occurred until the twentieth century began.
Mozart filled the score with virtuoso arias for each principal character. He included only two ensemble numbers within the three acts. The first duet appears at the end of Act 2 between Aspasia and Sifare. They sing the line Se viver non degg'io during this moment. A brief quintet concludes the final act of the opera. This structure followed standard baroque opera seria conventions. Most operas of that era ended with a short coro or tutti number. Mozart balanced individual vocal display with traditional group endings. The distribution of these musical elements defined the work's unique texture. Critics later noted how he managed to innovate within strict constraints.
Arbate stands on the shores of Nymphæum as news spreads about Mitridate. The governor tells Aspasia and the sons Farnace and Sifare that their father is dead. Sifare resents his brother because of strong ties with Roman enemies. Aspasia pleads for help against advances by her former fiancé. She reveals her love for Sifare while they agree to part to save honor. Mitridate arrives on the shores with Princess Ismene from Parthia. He wants Farnace to marry Ismene but she loves him instead. The jealous king swears revenge on his eldest son. Farnace conspires with Marzio, a Roman legionary officer, against Mitridate. The plot thickens when Mitridate arrests Farnace to execute him. Ismene rescues the prince who admits his treachery. Aspasia and Sifare wish to die together in fear of threats. Defeated, Mitridate commits suicide to avoid captivity before giving his blessing to Sifare.
Charles Malherbe searched through archives in 1901 looking for lost works. He located an uncatalogued soprano aria written by Mozart at age fourteen. This piece had been forgotten until that specific year. Camille Fourrier performed the rediscovered song in Paris during 1901. The discovery added a new layer to the understanding of Mozart's early output. It proved he was composing complex vocal music even as a child. The aria remained hidden within the vast collection of manuscripts. Malherbe's find brought this specific work back into public view after decades of obscurity.
A 1971 recording featured Leopold Hager conducting the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg. Edda Moser and Arleen Auger sang leading roles on that CD release. A 1986 film version directed by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle included Gösta Winbergh. Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducted that production which later appeared on DVD. The 2006 Salzburg Festival performance used Marc Minkowski as conductor with Bejun Mehta. Opera Neo presented a live video performance in San Diego, California in 2023. That runtime lasted two hours and thirty-one minutes. These recordings span from the early days of audio technology to modern digital formats. Each production brought fresh interpretations to the score written over two centuries ago.
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Common questions
When and where was the premiere of Mitridate re di Ponto by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart held?
The Teatro Regio Ducale in Milan hosted the premiere on the 26th of December 1770. It occurred during the height of the Milan Carnival season.
Who composed the music for the opera Mitridate re di Ponto at age fourteen?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote the score while he was only fourteen years old. He worked closely with his older friend Josef Mysliveček to develop the work.
What happened to the character Mitridate at the end of the opera Mitridate re di Ponto?
Defeated, Mitridate commits suicide to avoid captivity before giving his blessing to Sifare. The plot thickens when Mitridate arrests Farnace to execute him but Ismene rescues the prince who admits his treachery.
Which year did Charles Malherbe rediscover a lost soprano aria written by Mozart?
Charles Malherbe searched through archives in 1901 looking for lost works. He located an uncatalogued soprano aria written by Mozart at age fourteen that had been forgotten until that specific year.
How many performances did the original run of Mitridate re di Ponto last after its premiere?
The opera ran for twenty-one performances despite critics doubting a boy of such tender age could manage such a complex score. No revival occurred until the twentieth century began.