Belmonte, a young Spanish nobleman, has travelled to Turkey to rescue his beloved from the Pasha who is holding her prisoner, along with her maid Blonde and Belmonte’s servant Pedrillo. When Belmonte sees Osmin, the Pasha’s palace overseer, he asks about the whereabouts of Pedrillo, but Osmin, who hates Pedrillo as a rival for Blonde’s love, makes him leave. Despite Osmin’s attempt to get rid of Belmonte, Belmonte runs into Pedrillo and is elated at their being reunited. Pedrillo assures Belmonte that Constanze still loves him, and Belmonte shares with Pedrillo a plan for their escape. While the two are trying to figure out how to rescue the women they love, Constanze and Blonde are being courted by Osmin and the Pasha. Blonde rejects Osmin’s advances constantly, and Constanze, while kinder with her rejection, keeps the Pasha at a distance. Will the women be rescued, or will they have to finally succumb to the advances of the Turkish men?
Mozart’s opera was a huge success at its 1782 premiere and was performed frequently during his lifetime. It is interesting to note as well that Mozart was only 26 years old at the premiere of this opera and conducted the premiere. Since then, Die Entführung aus dem Serail has not fallen out of the operatic repertory, and it is one of the most performed operas every year. It has also been widely recorded;more than 50 different recordings of the opera exist. With its vocal fireworks, comedic story, and beautiful melodies, Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail is an operatic gem sure to delight audiences for centuries to come.
Die Entführung aus dem Serail guide sections
